to think my Apple Watch is causing pain?!

[notaquack]

I've been wearing an Apple Watch for about 18 months and over that time I have developed a pain in my shoulder that has gradually been getting worse and worse. I saw a physio who said it was likely bursitis and I changed the way I was working out to avoid lifting any heavy(ish) weights (I have been working out lifting heavyish weights for much longer than the past 18 months with no issues though!) For about 6 weeks over Christmas I stopped wearing the watch and the pain got better – I attributed this to stopping with the weights. I started wearing the watch again about 2 weeks ago and I now have excruciating pain in my shoulder and my wrist and really sharp pains running down my arm from shoulder to elbow. It's keeping me up at night (I was in tears with the pain last night) and I'm having to take Co-Codamol to control the pain (which I hate taking as it gives me stomach cramps).

Looking online, I've found quite a few posts from people who claim their Apple Watch is also giving them pain and attributing it to electromagnetic fields (?!) – I'm not into pseudoscience at all and this sounds ridiculous... but the symptoms are so similar to what I'm experiencing and even today I've taken off the watch and my shoulder / arm feels better with no painkillers.

Is this even remotely a possibility? I have an appointment at the dr this week – are they going to think I'm crazy if I ask about this?!

No, it’s not even a remote possibility. What would the mechanism be? Why would it affect the odd person but not the majority?
Sounds like the 5G causes covid nonsense.

I completely agree! I just have no idea what is causing the pain and am clutching at straws 😂It's very unlike me to even ask something like this! If it weren't for the fact that I've taken off the watch and the pain is so much better I wouldn't even consider it. Could the watch band be pinching a nerve or something?!

It's possible it's pressing on a nerve. Try sifting round where you wear it -if mine goes too low i get wrist pain. The electromagnetic stuff is nonsense that distracts from potential genuine problems.

Surely the doctor is just going to tell you to leave your Apple watch off for a few weeks, and see what happens?

Electromagnetic fields have nothing to do with this, but it's possible that the watch is somehow pressing a nerve that's causing you pain up your arm - but the only way to rule that out is going to be to take it off for a bit, and see if the pain stays away.

I'm leaving it off for a few days before going to the dr to see what happens. I took it off this morning and haven't put it back on. It's the first time I've even considered that it might be the watch causing the pain (because it sounds so ridiculous) or I would have taken it off earlier.

I'm glad MN is talking some sense into me as even I thought I sounded like a quack 😅

Try putting it on your other wrist and see if it makes your other shoulder hurt? (Not a very scientific experiment though!)

Like PPs said, unless it's doing something weird to a nerve, it's unlikely to be the watch - the electromagentic thing is nonsense.

If the pain is related to the watch, it's more likely to be a type of repetitive strain injury than electro magnetic mumbo jumbo. i know people who have had hand pain from doom scrollng swiping on a tablet.

Are you lifting your wrist to check messages for example repeatedly - more than if you had a normal watch? or touching or swiping in a particular way?

That's what I'd be looking out for - a new and repeated motion that you haven't been doing before.

Agree with previous poster, if it is the watch it’s surely more likely to be a mechanical reason, something you do when wearing the watch, that you don’t do without.

Do you maybe hold your arm in a slightly different way to avoid damaging the watch, without realising? Something like that.

How old are you OP. Because if you are 40-60 it's quite possibly 50s shoulders.
Inflammation due to hormonal changes

I just turned 40… I’ve not heard of 50s shoulders before but it sounds awful… off to google 😭

@chargeitup i just googled and it sounds very similar to what I’m experiencing. Thanks for the heads up! I’ll ask dr about it

I had a thought - try something like this (picked at random). The flexability helps reduce pressure if it is irritating a nerve. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Joehwerr-Anti-Slip-Compatible-Adjustable-Replacement-Green-Pink-Starlight/dp/B0C33SXW86/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=12RVGLMIFED2M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QizXoPfK0nreVZZ9lAYVwPTbEo0rYabqCgbZnw81dnHUNdmk-331ddwrN5x86-DPsRpjsyZXqRdgNQNhxUVSodyKKpYI42PR5-hTDEw5_SsZ5SAnNMC01MGxjBSA1I6jRxBMx5epnznLFyhHJvXYgrvXB5WYSbRwyC-OJBaCxRZ6kf3lftO6vrx0S9-hT7zPfVEl8oEjepwEhSYh9R8JLQ.4LUYDMvSYLGxW5wVE9i8JlPkMKB-hk1suGCOKfPiuFU&dib_tag=se&keywords=elastic+apple+watch+strap&qid=1738103375&sprefix=elastic+appl%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

Try it on your other wrist!

Does your watch have a rigid or stretchy strap?

In the old days we'd take our watches off for weights, because they caused issues.

Probably

We'll never have it proven though

I'm not even a conspiracy theorist, just used to the world, sigh x

I still take my watch off for some lifts if/when I’m going really heavy.

Is it on an actual apple strap? I find the aftermarket ones have to be tighter to get sensible data out of it which could be pressing on a nerve. Also does it alter your hand position say when typing as it's quite a bulky watch to wear especially if your strap fastens underneath.

Interesting OP. My mum can’t wear a smart watch, it gives her pains in her arm after a few days which worsens. Fine with a normal watch. Has tried more than one brand, not just Apple. If she switches her watch to other arm within a few days the pain switches. She’s been annoyed by it for years as she wants to count steps - ended up getting a pedometer 😆
she doesn’t know why and hasn’t been following any weird theories, but she knows for whatever reason she can’t wear one.

Could it be compressing your ulnar nerve?

Not your watch! There are many reasons you could be in pain. All soft tissue injuries cause awful pain we often say oh it's just a strain but they are very painful. Any inflammation of tendons can be excruciating (My rheumatoid arthritis affects my tendons so I do know). You need to find the root cause of the pain it's likely that physio coupled with anti inflammatory medication, some heat application and cold packs will help. You must see your GP

Oh! And to everyone Dr Google can not reliably diagnose anything! Go to a professional

Like you, I experienced terrible pain in my wrist, forearm and then shoulder. I went to the Dr, who suggested a cortisone injection, which I had and it worked. A few months later, the pain was back. Eventually I started to suspect the watch and took it off, I was soon pain free. Started to wear it again and the pain returned. Looking at Apple info helped https://support.apple.com/en-gb/118234 I was wearing it too low towards the hand, on the wrist. Bone and nerve compressed. Changed completely when I positioned higher up. A small change, a huge relief!
You are not crazy to try and work out what is wrong, however strange it sounds, it’s the way we find solutions :)