An Injury Reaching Epidemic Proportions: "Selfie Elbow"

Depending on the sport, it's been widely known that horrific injuries for athletes typically come in the form of a torn rotator-cuff, a torn ACL, or even concussions. However, these injuries are not near as common as the latest contusion that's hitting everyone these days, "Selfie Elbow."

Recently doctors are seeing a rise in Selfie Elbow. You may be wondering, "What is Selfie Elbow?" Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a painful condition suffered from taking too many selfies. Symptoms may include swelling, loss of strength, or loss of movement in the elbow.

Make no mistake, this is a real thing. It's as real as carpel-tunnel, text claw, or iPad hand. The cause of the elbow trauma is typically developed after awkwardly holding your phone with your arm outstretched while posing and making a duckface, or attempting to look as flattering as possible. This affliction is most common in teens and women, but is on the rise for everyone.

The most commonly followed urban myth is that a remedy to this is the selfie stick. However, not so. A strain may just as easily develop in your hand and/or arm which could result in further injury. It's recommended that the two-handed grip on your phone could be a way to alleviate stress on the elbow.

While there is currently no cure for Selfie Elbow, there are ways to prevent it, and they are as follows:

Stop taking so many selfies.
Cut out the selfies you take while performing mundane tasks.
Don't ever think to yourself, "I'm in traffic. Now would be a great time for a selfie."
After you are issued a traffic ticket for taking a selfie while in traffic, don't celebrate your ticket by taking a selfie with it.
Simply ask someone else to take your picture.

In the meantime, please display some self-control when that urge to take out your phone hits. It just might save you from chronic Selfie Elbow.

Source: Geek.com