Avoid “Text Claw” with this rubber band smartphone hack

I don’t know about you, but after a long day of staring at a medium-sized screen, I like to relax by staring at a small screen. Relaxing!

Between my Kindle app, various online publications, and a few social platforms, I spend quite a bit of time reading on my phone.

But the entire time I’m scrolling and relaxing (absolutely not a contradiction), I’m also holding my phone like my life depends on it. Well, maybe my life do depend on it. What if I missed one of Zendaya’s red carpet outfits?

But if you hold your phone in a frozen grip for hours, you’ll end up with “text claw,” a colloquial term for the pain or numbness you can get in your fingers, hand, or elbow when you hold a phone and text or text for long periods of time. scrolls. of time. These actions are associated with cubital tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome.

You may have already found a solution, such as using a standard or pop socket. But in an emergency, or when you need to rest your fingers and can’t bear to put the phone down, all you need is a rubber band.

Emma Rowley / Foundry

Emma Rowley / Foundry

Emma Rowley / Foundry

Remove the case from your phone and pull the elastic band over it. Now place your phone back in the case. The rubber band does nothing to protect your scrolling hand, but you can read or watch video content for hours without grabbing your phone or striking the claw pose.

Emma Rowley / Foundry

Emma Rowley / Foundry

Emma Rowley / Foundry

Looking for a phone to attach to your rubber band? For our top recommendations, see our roundup of the best phones and the best budget phones we’ve tested.