# elbow pain from kindle



## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

I finally realized that my elbow pain I've been having in my left arm is from reading my kindle in bed while holding it in my left hand. I'm not sure if it's the way I'm holding it, or if it's just the weight and length of time. It's been going on for more than a year. I weighed my PW2 ( in a cover) and it's 11 1/2 ozs. Before that I was reading on my iphone 4 which weighs 4.8 ozs, I don't have that phone anymore though. 

Has anyone else had this problem? I can't give up reading in bed. I'm now back to looking at the Oasis because it's under 5 oz without the cover, but I'm not sure that will cure the problem.


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## GSDlady (May 9, 2016)

I would try reading with the Kindle propped on a pillow so that you don't have to use your arm to hold it. I have a Voyage and use the Origami case to prop it up to read or hold it in my lap so the weight is supported there.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

I also find holding a Kindle gives me problems. In my case it doesn't seem to be the weight so much as just having my hands bent around something for a long period. And like GSDLady I used a fliptop cover on the Voyage and pretty much solved that problem. Mine is 3d party, not the Origami from Amazon, which didn't work for me. I pretty much had the case opened in all situations. The case works as you'd expect when reading at desk or table, and when reading in a chair, I still have it open and either prop on my lap or sometimes kind of use my legs to hold the thing. In bed I have the device on my chest (don't sit up to read in bed), or if on my side, still use the open case to prop lengthwise.

Now that I have an Oasis and can't have a fliptop case, I got a stand (actually got 2 models), which is great for desk and table. I'm still working on it for reading in chair and bed because unlike a fliptop case, the device comes out of the stands easily in lap or other situations. I'm pretty sure I can figure a way to fix that with a little jerry-rigging, but I haven't done it yet.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Any repetitive use will stress your joints/muscles . . . including holding any kind of kindle or table -- or even a book! Obviously, the more weight, the more stress.  Best solution is to find a way to prop it up so you don't actually have to support it. I have a pillow where I sit and read in the family room that I rest my arm on when I hold the kindle. Works great and doesn't make my arm hurt.


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## DD (Nov 9, 2008)

Rasputina said:


> I finally realized that my elbow pain I've been having in my left arm is from reading my kindle in bed while holding it in my left hand. I'm not sure if it's the way I'm holding it, or if it's just the weight and length of time. It's been going on for more than a year. I weighed my PW2 ( in a cover) and it's 11 1/2 ozs. Before that I was reading on my iphone 4 which weighs 4.8 ozs, I don't have that phone anymore though.
> 
> Has anyone else had this problem? I can't give up reading in bed. I'm now back to looking at the Oasis because it's under 5 oz without the cover, but I'm not sure that will cure the problem.


This pillow works great for me when reading in bed:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019TGO8I/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

I'll play around tonight and see if I can find a position that's comfortable and allows propping but I have yet to discover one. I read on my side, not sitting up. Laying on my stomach to read isn't comfortable for long periods although I do it for awhile pretty often. I've had that pyramid pillow for years but I don't use it anymore the angle isn't right. It's fine for putting in the lap while sitting in a chair or on the couch.


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## barryem (Oct 19, 2010)

There are also lighter Kindles such as the Oasis and the Voyage.  I have a Paperwhite and a Voyage and both are in very lightweight covers and the Voyage in it's cover weighs less than half as much as the Paperwhite in it's identical but larger cover.  The Oasis, of course, weighs even less.

I also read a lot on a phone and I used to use a Verizon Motorola Moto E that I got from Amazon just for that purpose for $45.  It has a very good and sharp 4.5" screen which is ideal for reading.  I still use it a lot for that. It's never had service.  It was just for reading. I use a Nexus 5 as a phone.

Another possibility is to take the thing out of it's cover in bed.  That'll significantly reduce the weight. Or you might have 2 of them, one in the cover and one out.  Since Kindles sync easily that's no issue.  For a long time I kept a Kindle on my night stand without a cover for just that purpose.

Anyway I hope you find a solution.

Barry


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## KimberlyinMN (Dec 30, 2009)

Could you prop the Kindle on its side with the cover folded behind it? (Or maybe even a balled up pillowcase?) Then use a stylus to turn the page so that you don't have to move either hand very much.

My RA keeps me from holding my Voyage and/or book (cookbook) for very long, no matter what position I am in. However with a book-style case and reading on my back, I have the Kindle on my chest and have the cover open halfway. I use my left hand to kind of cup or brace the edge of the case and use the right hand for turning pages. So technically, it's the half-open cover resting against my left hand that is holding the Kindle up from smashing me in the face. (Er, and I tend to fall asleep like this too.) My left hand isn't "holding" the Kindle though - I'm not gripping anything.  

(Ugh, I still don't like to modify how I do anything with this dang RA. I also don't like asking for help from anyone... but if i want to keep my day job - technical writer for software company - I have to ask for help so that I can continue to use my hands.)


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## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

I have this from my writing. The way to fix it is to exercise the joint holding a weight. A heavy book or a bag of sugar will do in a pinch. Ten reps on each arm once a day seems to work for me. I use a proper hand weight (like a mini dumbbell) but anything will do. All that matters is you stretch the tendons.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Rasputina said:


> I finally realized that my elbow pain I've been having in my left arm is from reading my kindle in bed while holding it in my left hand. I'm not sure if it's the way I'm holding it, or if it's just the weight and length of time. It's been going on for more than a year. I weighed my PW2 ( in a cover) and it's 11 1/2 ozs. Before that I was reading on my iphone 4 which weighs 4.8 ozs, I don't have that phone anymore though.
> 
> Has anyone else had this problem? I can't give up reading in bed. I'm now back to looking at the Oasis because it's under 5 oz without the cover, but I'm not sure that will cure the problem.





Mark E. Cooper said:


> I have this from my writing. The way to fix it is to exercise the joint holding a weight. A heavy book or a bag of sugar will do in a pinch. Ten reps on each arm once a day seems to work for me. I use a proper hand weight (like a mini dumbbell) but anything will do. All that matters is you stretch the tendons.


I got quilter's/tennis elbow. Therapist had me do stretches first and then use a resistance band--but weights work too. Do a search for tennis elbow exercises. I also got a strap.

When I read lying down, I bump up the font size one, because I won't have the device at the optimal location, and then switch to landscape mode to read so that I can use the cover as a stand. And then I mostly use the touch screen to turn pages. But the buttons work for me as the lower/right button, depending on orientation, is the next page for me.

Betsy


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Mark E. Cooper said:


> I have this from my writing. The way to fix it is to exercise the joint holding a weight. A heavy book or a bag of sugar will do in a pinch. Ten reps on each arm once a day seems to work for me. I use a proper hand weight (like a mini dumbbell) but anything will do. All that matters is you stretch the tendons.


I work out, in fact that was one of the ways I noticed how bad it was getting. I could really feel the extra strain on that joint vs on my other arm to the point where I eased up on some of my workout because I was afraid I'd make it worse. I've been trying to read in other positions and I'd already tried letting it rest on the pillow so I don't have to support the whole weight. As a result it's not bothering me today. But it comes and goes based on how long I read and how long I can maintain alternate reading positions.


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## northofdivision (Sep 7, 2010)

I found that using a lapdesk is really useful often when reading on a bed:
https://www.amazon.com/LapGear-Smart-Media-Desk-91218/dp/B00NQ19TXE/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1468358888&sr=1-5&keywords=lapdesk

They have some that actually fold up so you can angle the Kindle however you like it. Might help with having to hold it or configuring pillows (which is great if you're a sideways reader)


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Rasputina said:


> I work out, in fact that was one of the ways I noticed how bad it was getting. I could really feel the extra strain on that joint vs on my other arm to the point where I eased up on some of my workout because I was afraid I'd make it worse. I've been trying to read in other positions and I'd already tried letting it rest on the pillow so I don't have to support the whole weight. As a result it's not bothering me today. But it comes and goes based on how long I read and how long I can maintain alternate reading positions.


Well, there's working out and there's working out. Here are two of the stretches my PT had me do:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/stretching-exercises-for-tennis-elbow

I was also supposed to ice it when it hurt.

Betsy


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## Angela Haddon (Jul 3, 2016)

I used to be a physiotherapist (physical therapist for the Americans  ) - if you've inadvertently started up a cycle of strain and inflammation, I would be careful about things like stretching and strengthening exercises picked up off the internet. It's easy to overdo them (or do them completely wrong) if you don't fully understand the mechanisms behind the injury. If the pain doesn't ease off by itself (after you've changed the way you hold the Kindle), I would strongly recommend seeing a good PT who can explain what's happening, and give you the tools you need to break the cycle. Best of luck, and hope it does the convenient thing and disappear all by itself!!


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Well I've been more careful of how I hold it and trying to read more on my stomach so I can just rest it on the bed and my elbow isn't bothering me now.


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## Moticom (Jun 29, 2016)

I find that even holding a book (especially a hardback book) for a reasonable duration causes my arms to hurt. The best thing to do is try to rest it (or a kindle, or any device) on something and also to take regular breaks.


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## ElaineOK (Jun 5, 2009)

When I got my first Kindle, K2, I was surprised to discovery that I no longer had any idea how long I had been reading.  I used to be able to start a book an hour before bed time, and look up about an hour or so later, realize it was time for bed and put the book down.  With Kindle I was looking up and realizing it was 2:00 in the morning and I had finished the book.  Eventually I realized that my cue for how long I had been reading was that I would shift how I was holding the book, because as time went on it got heavy.  Kindle was so much lighter that I wasn't doing that, and I lost my reading timer.  

Since then I have tried to be aware of how I physically interact with Kindle.  I don't have your exact issues, but I do find that both Kindle and my phone can trigger repetitive stress issues in my right arm from reaching to touch the screen (including page turns).

Elaine
Norman, OK


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