These days, trying to get through the day without typing or texting would be a challenge, but this type of technology is exactly what is causing an increase in the number of cases or stenosing tenosynovitis, or trigger finger.
The condition is quite painful, and can eventually immobilize fingers without treatment.
Holly Phillips, 55, began feeling pain over a year ago, but put off getting treatment.
"Twenty-seven years of being on a keyboard has really done a number. Add in the texting and cellphone and it just improves that," said Phillips, who also is borderline diabetic, another risk factor.
She tried steroid shots which she said wore off after two months and then the pain returned worse than when it started. It got so bad, her tendons grew swollen and literally pulled her middle finger into her palm.
Dr. Christian Woodbury of the San Antonio Orthopaedic Group is who she turned to for a procedure called percutaneous release.
"We make a small incision, release the tunnel. The incision is just as wide [as the blade] and requires no stitches whatsoever. There's a loose bandage that goes around the hand for a day but people can go back to their normal activities the same day," Woodbury explained.
A recent study shows that whereas the steroid injects are about 75 percent effective in the long term and sometimes require repeat injections, percutaneous release is 95 percent effective and the condition never comes back once it stops.
Phillips said the procedure was done on a Friday and she was able to return to her job as a customer service representative by Monday. She is pain-free, but worries about generations of children and grandchildren who are now constantly on their electronic devices.
"My one son actually already has some hand issues. So he's doing the thing I did, trying to ignore it and that would be my suggestion. It doesn't go away by itself, it didn't get there by itself and it's not going to go away by itself," she said.
For more information on trigger finger, visit handcare.org or the San Antonio Orthopaedic Group website.