The term "iPhone finger" is used to describe a visible mark or indentation on the little finger, likely caused by extensive usage of smartphones such as Apple iPhones
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To determine if you have an "iPhone finger" you need to hold out both little fingers and see if the pinky finger you use to support your phone has a noticeable indent
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While tech enthusiasts have expressed worries about the pinky indentation, health experts have dismissed it as a genuine medical condition
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One US doctor said that indents or gaps on little fingers don't highlight a problem. "They show typical pinky anatomy, which can vary widely," the expert said, per Post
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Another doctor explained while the indent on the pinky may be real, “iPhone finger” or “smartphone pinky” is not an official medical diagnosis
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“You're using your pinky to stabilise and support your smartphone, and you literally indent the side of your pinky from holding your phone,” the doctor explained
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Health experts, however, warned of a few other phone-related medical conditions that can arise, such as "smartphone elbow" or “texting thumb”
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“Smartphone elbow” - medically known as cubital tunnel syndrome - happens to people who bend their elbow beyond 90 degrees in long durations, commonly to text
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“Texting thumb” is a repetitive injury that develops from constantly holding, scrolling, and texting on a smartphone or tablet
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Overuse of a phone can aggravate underlying conditions, like arthritis, or cause new problems in the thumb tendons, experts warned