"It's too early to tell, there's not a true diagnosis of
'Blackberry thumb'" said Duke University Ergonomics Expert
Tamara James. James said scientists are just starting to study
the physical impact of the handheld revolution. And early
evidence suggests the now dominant digit is changing and getting
bigger. "They do have really strong thumbs - from what I
understand and from what the research has shown," said James.
Only time will tell if those younger stronger thumbs are better
suited for the rigors of rapid texting. Meantime, researchers
are also investigating back, neck and other handheld complaints,
including addiction. Technology that is taking the fall for what
many argue is really a human behavior problem. "They just can't
put it down. They are constantly using those thumbs, constantly
texting," said James. And there's plenty of evidence to support
the claim that too much of anything is rarely a good thing. The
latest numbers find cell phone users send and receive on average
more than 350 text message