An extension of ourselves, that is what cell phones have become, devices that have undoubtedly made our day-to-day life easier, allowing us to carry out different actions such as sending and receiving emails, letting us search in the need for any information or reference, constantly checking our social media, or send and receive messages through the well-known and used WhatsApp.

According to the mobile consumption report carried out in 2019 in Colombia, by the auditing firm Deloitte, the activity that most Colombians carry out with their mobile phone is to check their social media, closely followed by taking and publishing photos on these same platforms.

This is how smartphones, in a certain way, can be considered an extension of our hands, and hence it is important of know and keep in mind what is the best way to hold them or what should be their ideal size or weight, in order to avoid future discomfort or ailments.

Five ways in which we hold a smartphone

Furthermore, whichever way the mobile device is held, it is important to take into account the following recommendations:

• Hold the cell phone with both hands.
• Use both thumbs to write.
• Do not lean your neck or head too much forward, maintaining an upright posture.
• Don´t write too quickly.
• Do not use the cell phone or any other mobile device for long periods of time, but if it is necessary due to work, then take active pauses or stretching breaks, starting from the neck to the fingers.
• If you frequently use to chat, then install the WhatsApp web application on your computer, so that you are forced to use both hands when typing.

Likewise, it is important to know the ideal size and dimensions of the cell phone, these are factors that influence the comfort of our hands when grasping the device, therefore, experts in the field recommend the following measures

Curvatura = curvature 

Alto = height

Grosor = thickness

Ancho = width

Gramos = grams 

This is how the comfort and adjustability of the grip is perceived or influenced by three factors, the way we hold a cell phone, the shape of the cell phone and its size. However, such comfort is also affected by the magnitude of pressure that we exert with our hands when grasping the device.

Similarly, it is recommended that the protective case shall not be very heavy, since this increases the weight of the device, also taking into account that a thick object with irregular and pointed edges makes it harder to grab and consequently uncomfortable for our hands.

Currently, many technological companies are developing new tools where more and more the user will not have to use their hands to use the different types of mobile devices, tools that in a not too distant future human beings will be allowed to, from the anatomical point of view, make a better use of these devices. However, until this comes to reality, it is important to make good use of these tools in terms of their grip and ergonomic use, to avoid possible future health complications in the neck, wrist, hands and fingers.