Chopstick Put Stress on Hands

Chopsticks Put Stress onHands

Repetitive chopstick use may bedoing damage to the joints,

according to research recentlypresented at the American College of

Rheumatology Annual ScientificMeeting. A study of 2500 Chinese

adults with an average age of 60found that daily use of chopsticks

can lead to hand osteoarthritis(OA). Researchers said that chopsticks

place stress on the joints in thefirst, second, and third fingers.

For the study, researchersquestioned the participants on

whether they were right-handed orleft-handed and which hand they

favored while eating with chopsticksor performing other grip-related

activities. Also, the participantshad hand x-rays to detect damage

due to OA. The results showed thatOA was more prevalent in

the joints involved in chopstickuse, compared with those not

involved in chopstick use. Also, 26%of the participants had signs of

OA in their thumb, and chopstick usewas responsible for 20% of the

risk of developing this condition inmen and 37% in women.

Furthermore, participants who wereambidextrous but had a preferred

hand for chopstick use were morelikely to have OA in that preferred

hand. This particular findingsuggests that OA was the result

of using chopsticks rather thanother activities involving the hands.