Conspiracy Theories Abound

[Corney]

It's time to set the record straight.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is not caused by wearing a Fitbit.  It has many causes, repetitive motion at the wrist, Hypothyroidism, obesity, RA, diabetes, poor posture of the neck and shoulders can exert pressure on the Brachial Plexus that can cause swelling of the Median nerve.  Wrist pain can have many causes, repetitive stress, arthritis, CTS, sprains.  Ganglion Cysts can occur for no known reason and can disappear for no known reason.  Elbow pain is caused by repetitive stress of either wrist Extensors or Flexors.  Two blinking green lights is not the cause, Blue Tooth technology is not the cause. I can remember in the 1950's when Fluoride was introduced into our water and tooth paste was a Communist conspiracy or it would cause cancer.  Talking on a cell phone would cause brain tumors.  When will all this stop?  People take responsibility for your own actions and stop looking for scapegoats.  If you don't like your Fitbit, send it back, don't blame it for some physical problem.  If you want to sue Fitbit for some mysterious physical problem good luck!  Please stop blaming something you bought and wear on your wrist for every physical problem under the sun.  All physical problems mentioned have a logical reason, Google them, you might learn something.

[GershonSurge]

I believe everything the government and big corporations tell me. 

[GershonSurge]

@Corney,

How do you explain the many pictures users have sent in?

[MagsOnTheBeach]

WOW!  I'm in the group of having problems that were solved once I removed my fitbit at night.  You are one person with a set of experiences, you can't possibly have tested every person who has had an issue.  My was severe enough to be offered a full refund by fitbit. It has nothing to do with the blinking lights or bluetooth, it has to do with the fitbit moving at night and pressing on my wrist at night.  The flex does not have a custom fit, you find the best of the holes to lock it on to your wrist.  In fact, even fitbit acknowledges that you can have medical issues from wearing it:

This is in their legal information: 

If you feel soreness, tingling, numbness, burning or stiffness in your hands or wrists while or after wearing the product, please discontinue use.

[Corney]

So do I!

[Corney]

What Pictures?

[Corney]

MagsOn TheBeach:  Wow, what were your symptoms that were caused by the Fitbit moving on your wrist at night?  Skin irritation, wrist pain, finger numbness, elbow pain.  If you Google wrist pain fitbit or elbow pain fitbit it's like mass hysteria.  Unlike you I studies Anatomy, Physiology and Kinesiology in Grad school and had 38 years of experience treating overuse syndromes, when I finished an extensive evaluation of their symptoms, health history, work history, physical exam, there was always a reason for their symptoms and it was never wearing a watch at night that moved.  Perception is reality, and if it your perception that a moving Fitbit on your wrist at night caused severe pain, then that is your reality and no one is going to change your mind.  From my extensive experience all the pain and suffering I've read about on this board and on the internet just doesn't pass the smell test and never will.

[GershonSurge]

@Corney,

You are old enough to remember when tobacco was considered safe.

Doctors now know little about nutrition.

Of course, no x-ray technician ever had any problems.

Amalgam is safe for fillings.

[MagsOnTheBeach]

More of a burning (inside my wrist not the skin)/tingling pain, later the outer wrist bone would hurt.  I would wake up and it would have worked it's way up my arm leaving indents/fitbit impressions.  

I think it is odd how passionate you are about discounting peoples experiences and pain - especially having been in the profession of caring for people in pain.  It doesn't make any sense.

[Corney]

MagsOn TheBeach: You assume I'm not a compassionate or caring person, if
that were true I couldn't have held a job an any organization for over 38
years. What I am is a realist. When a client comes to me with a problem I
first do a complete evaluation prior to developing and carrying out a
treatment program. I not only want to treat their problem, but also find
the cause so it does not happen again. In your case, burning and tingling
are signs of a neurological problem. It could be compression of either the
Median or Radial Nerve, yet you say, you wore the watch loosely, and blame
your problem on it moving at night. So tell me, in your opinion, what is
the inherent problem with your watch. On the internet there are numerous
complaints from individuals who own watches from other manufactures of
similar symptoms. It sounds like you solved your own problem by just not
wearing it at night. Problem solved. Good luck. I suggest you never
assume a person is neither compassionate or caring with actually knowing
them.

[Corney]

Yes, and in the 50's fluoride in our water and toothpaste was a communist
conspiracy and would cause cancer.

[MagsOnTheBeach]

I'm sorry I wasn't clear - I don't take medical advice from someone claiming to be a professional on an open forum on the internet, especially when they are militant about being right.  It is odd how you consistently belittle people for claiming that their Fitbit causes injury.  Even creating new topics about the same thing.

The band is loose, it moves up my arm in my sleep (my arm gets bigger from wrist to elbow) and becomes very tight.  It shifts all day, but I notice it when I'm awake and move it back. Tighter or looser it constantly shifts.

[GershonSurge]

@MagsOnTheBeach,

I'm afraid you have run into a poly-pharmaceutical/poly-therapeutic  mindset, which is almost universal in the sick-care industry. I say sick-care because they only make money when a person is sick. 

Notice how he tried to baffle you with bullsh@& by projectile vomiting a bunch of medical terms and problems it could have been. Many people get scared by this, and if they have good sick-care insurance, of course they would want everything checked out-- you know, just in case. There is no way you would get out of a doctor's office without some sort of prescription and a follow-up appointment. You would also need blood tests to make sure the prescription isn't ruining your liver.

Except for traumatic injury, few people acquire a chronic problem without ignoring minor pains. Take plantar fasciitis. If a person stops running, excessive walking, etc., at the first sign of pain, it will go away. Instead, a therapist would want to keep you on your feet so you injure it permanently. They will do this with steroid shots, cortisol shots and who knows what else. The safe answer is no pain killers until the person can walk on it. They can use an over the counter anti-inflammatory if needed to sleep.

You did the sensible thing. You took off the Fitbit and got your money back. I suggest getting a Zip that will still count steps and calories.

By the way, the American Cancer Society has basically said that they can't determine if fluorine causes cancer.

Any study would be confounded by too many other variables. Of course, the industry has done a great job of labeling anyone who would suggest such a thing as a conspiracist or some other form of crazy. 

[emili · Accepted solution]

I think it is important to be respectful of opinions. There are several sides, outcomes, whatever you want to call them to every story. Not everything is as simple as it seems, while not everything is so complicated. I am happy to hear @MagsOnTheBeach that you are good to go with a tracker that works for you. @Corney your heart is always in the right place, your passion sometimes shadows it...

[SquattyBody]

I have had a Fitbit for several years, but recently started having numbness and tingling, as well as a cyst form on the wrist where I wear my Fitbit. I quit wearing it for about a month and the numbness and tingling went away and the cyst almost completely disappeared. I started wearing it again and in a few days all the numbness and tingling returned and the cyst has grown again!  Not to mention, the Fitbit website has a warning about these issues on their website. Some of us are evidently super sensitive to electromagnetic rays.

[JFitzgerald]

Not sure of your expertise in this but all I can tell you is after purchasing and actively wearing my fitbit I developed this cyst. Never had anything like this on my wrist before making the now dreaded decision to wear one.

[Corney]

JFitzgerald, may I suggest you evaluate your past activity using your
wrist. Was there overuse caused by repetitive wrist movement or repetitive
flexion and extension of your hand? At times the problem is self induced.
Instead of blaming an activity watch, it may be time to take
responsibility for your own actions.

[Taylor583]

Didn’t have carpal tunnel. Started wearing my Fitbit. Didn’t change any motion with my left hand. Started having carpal tunnel symptoms. Stopped wearing Fitbit. Carpal tunnel symptoms went away. Hmmm. 

[Corney]

Alas, I had hoped this thread was dead and buried.  Taylor what you state is only anecdotal evidence as is most if not all of these conspiracy theories.  Did you see a Medical Doctor that agreed with your diagnosis?  Was a Nerve Conduction Velocity test performed to substantiate the diagnosis?  As a retired Physical Therapist with 38 years clinical experience my experience and knowledge far out weighs yours.  Carpal Tunnel can be caused by frequent and sustained wrist movement but also from impingement of the medium nerve as it exits the cervical spine and travels through the neck muscles into the arm.  Before you continue to enable this ridiculous conspiracy, see a Medical Doctor, get a NCV before using you anecdotal evidence to wake up the dead.

[trox.xx]

Sponsored by FitBit, eh? Probably not, since elsewhere, Corney, you state: "I'm a retired Physical Therapist with 38 years experienced. I retired in 2012 before the advent of Fitbit. In my many years in Orthopedics and rehab I have see numerous clients with Ganglion cysts, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and yes even Tennis Elbow and none yes none were caused by wearing a Fitbit." You might be a retired Physical Therapist. But I might very well assume that you are not clairvoyant. So you had no chance to see CTS in your practice caused by Fitbit

.

Since I use a FitBit instead op Pebble, I suffer from CTS.