What Is "iPhone Finger" And Is It Dangerous? Here's Everything To Know

The term "iPhone finger" has gained a lot of attention lately, and is raising concerns among techies and smartphone users after it was first discussed on a podcast named 'The TJ Show'. The term is used to describe a visible mark or indentation on the little finger, likely caused by extensive usage of smartphones such as Apple iPhones. Tech enthusiasts are convinced that the pinky they use to support their phones has a noticeable divet, appearing to differ from the appendage on the opposite hand. 

"The way we hold our phones sometimes with the weight of the phone resting on your pinky finger," one of the hosts explained on the show. "It creates an indentation that actually changes the way your pinky looks," they added. 

To determine if someone has an "iPhone finger" - also known as "smartphone pinky" - a person would need to hold out both little fingers and see if one looks noticeably different from the other, specifically with a large indent on their dominant hand that would likely be from holding their phones. 

Is "iPhone finger" a health concern? 

While tech enthusiasts expressed worries about the pinky indentation, health experts have dismissed it as a genuine medical condition. According to the New York Post, Dr Peter Evans, an orthopaedic surgeon with Cleveland Clinic, said that indents or gaps on little fingers don't highlight a problem. "They show typical pinky anatomy, which can vary widely," he said. 

Occupational therapist  April Hibbeler and hand surgeon Dr. Michael Geary of Ortho Carolina also agreed with Dr Evans. In an explanation about the "musculoskeletal 'phenomenon,'" they said that there is no official diagnosis for "iPhone finger". 

"It's also possible that people who think they have smartphone pinky could have an underlying condition," added Dr Evans. "Constant cellphone use can cause a range of joint problems. While some claims of injury might be overstated, others are real and involve serious, long-term damage," he said.

Dr Evans warned that some of these medical problems include clinodactyly, a genetic finger malformation causing the tip of the pinky to bend close to the ring finger. There is also Dupuytren's contracture, which happens when thick cords form beneath the skin over years and yank fingers close to the palm.

However, Dr Evans emphasised that there is no indication smartphone use contributes to the latter. But he warned of a few phone-related medical conditions that can arise. 

Phone-related medical conditions 

While Dr Evans debunked the iPhone finger, he said: "smartphone elbow" - medically known as cubital tunnel syndrome - is quite real. He explained that this happens to people who bend their elbow beyond 90 degrees in long durations, commonly to text. "Tingling or numbness in your pinky could also signal" the condition known to cause nerve damage.

Moreover, the doctor urged smartphone users to be on guard for the dreaded "texting thumb" or neck. "Your thumb joints aren't made to text and swipe all day long," he said. "Overuse can aggravate underlying conditions, like arthritis, or cause new problems in the thumb tendons". 

As for one's neck, Dr Evans noted that a "head weighs around 10 to 12 pounds," which should be of concern when downward gazing at a smartphone. "When you look down, you increase the load on your neck muscles. This added pressure can cause muscle pain and spasms," he explained.