Cell Phone Elbow?

The technological age has brought on another syndrome known as cubital tunnel syndrome. The modern era has already got carpel tunnel syndrome due to computers, Wii-itis from the Wii machine and now cubital tunnel syndrome due to holding a mobile phone to the ear for extended periods of time.
 
Also known as cell phone elbow, cubital tunnel syndrome is a condition in which the nerve serving the hand is stretched at the end of the funny bone and as a result it can “choke the blood supply to the nerves.” “It makes the nerves short-circuit. The next thing you know there's tingling in the ring and small finger,” says Dr. Peter J. Evans who is Cleveland Clinic’s Hand and Upper Extremity Centre director.
 
Dr Evans described the implications of cell phone elbow, saying that “It could impede your typing ability, your writing ability.  People get very unintelligible writing if it gets severe.” The answer is to make less lengthy calls and to change hands when you notice any tingly feeling in your fingers.

From the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Leon Benson described the physiological problems that can occur. He said that the ulna nerve is put under a lot of pressure when the forearm is bent for extended periods. The ulna arm goes up the forearm and into each finger. It is this nerve that can scar and weaken upon prolonged stretching. He said "The more you bend it, the more it stretches.  It diminishes the blood supply, and the blood is not flowing through the nerves."

Dr Benson also added that “It's like anything else, any sporting activity.  You can hit balls at the driving range. Just don't hit 300 of them, because you'll be sore. So common sense would dictate not to talk on the phone for hours if your small and ring fingers go numb.”
 
The main point to note is that any activity or act that needs the elbow to be bent tighter than 90 degrees should be avoided.

HealthNews.com