Text Messaging and Chat Abbreviations

I have been sending text messages to friends more often lately. It is an effective way of communication when I need to send a short note to let them know they are in my thoughts. However, instead of using abbreviations to shorten my messages, I tend to spell out whole words in complete sentences. Maybe I should memorize some commonly used abbreviations to prevent thumb texting injury.

Check out this web site for a list of text messaging and chat abbreviations.


Thumb Pain and the Danger of Text Message Injury from ErgonomicTimes.com

Virgin Mobile has launched a website which explains how to avoid repetitive strain injury (RSI) from sending too many text messages.

New findings from Virgin Mobile reveal that:

• Latest figures from the MDA reveal that over 100 million text messages are sent every single day in the UK alone
• 3.8 million British mobile phone users suffer from text-related injuries
• 38% people suffer from sore wrists and thumbs from texting
• Virgin Mobile link up with the British Chiropractic Association to help prevent Text Message Injury ( TMI )
• Visit www.practisesafetext.com for further information

Sensible advice

• If texting starts to hurt. Stop. Use the other hand or call instead
• Vary the hand you use
• Vary the digits you use
• Don’t text for more than a few minutes without a break

Exercises

Stop these exercises if you feel any pain otherwise you can do more harm than good.

In your texting hand: -

• Tap each finger with the thumb of the same hand. Repeat x 5
• Pull your thumb firmly with the other hand. Repeat x 5
• Wrap an elastic band around the tips of fingers and thumb and open your hand against the resistance. Repeat x 20
• Palms down wrap an elastic band around each thumb and force apart. Repeat x 20
• Tap the palm and back of your hand on your thigh as quickly as you can. Repeat x 20
• Massage thumb web, back of forearm and front of forearm. 2 minutes.
• Press and rub in a circular motion the painful nodules in those muscles. 30 seconds for each nodule.
• Reach up high with both arms and shake your hands. Reach down low with both arms and shake. Repeat x 3.
• Arms at 45 degrees squeeze them behind you.
• If it still hurts after a week of doing exercises wrap an ice pack on sore hand and arm parts. Do not put ice directly on the skin but wrap in a thin cloth or piece of kitchen roll. 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. Repeat x 3.