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Apple Watch causing slight pain in arm!
- Thread starter i-aamir
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Athletic people don't have any protecting fat layer on their arms, but have quite large veins. E.g. take a look at Madonna's pictures.
No. That is self-inflicted pain. This thread is for unintentional pain
I wore my sport band for a couple of weeks and started to have some wrist pain. When I got looking at how it rested on my wrist, I noticed that the fastener on the back was right over a tendon and was putting pressure on it. My wrists are small and there wasn't any way to avoid it, so I bought a ML band. I haven't had a problem since. In fact it is far more comfortable than a Polar watch with a plastic, rather inflexible band. It bothered me no matter which wrist I tried to wear it on, so I often left it attached to my belt, something I don't need to do. So the AW is just as prone to individual ergonomics as chairs, desks, etc. I'm glad I had an opportunity to try on the various bands before I bought, so I knew that if the sport band didn't work out, there was another good choice for me.
Yep! I too thought I was going mad until I read the posts from those suffering on the apple blogs. The burning and stinging goes deep inside the arm and I regularly have to take it off for relief. I notice it is at its peak just after it has been recharged or if I am close to another computer. I have tried loosening it and changing arms but no dice. Still hurts. My husband is going to test it next for me to see if I am sensitive. I wear lots of nickel jewellery and don't have issues. Is it radiation?
I have a similar issue. When I work on a glass (cold) desk, or if I wear a metal band in cold weather (band & watch gets cold), I get pain in my wrist, and moves to my shoulder. My solution is wearing fingerless gloves when I work, and sticking with rubber/resin bands.
I don't know if this has been brought up yet. But it's the same tingling I get around my ear when on the phone for too long with my bluetooth headset. It's the only explanation I have found so far. I think this is one of Apples least safe/healthy devices. I don't have it with non-smart watches, it's the permanent bluetooth that "zings" the forearm.
I found the watch causing me pain on my right arm, it seemed to be pressing on a nerve even when I didn't have it on that tightly. It doesn't seem to do the same on my left arm, though I've returned it for now, so I haven't had it on the left for too long.
I had some pain from positioning my wrist differently during work at my computer but that's because I hadn't worn a watch for years. Now that I'm used to it again I don't have the pain anymore.
I have noticed pain in my wrist since wearing my watch. I tried wearing the band looser, helped some. The pain is just at my wrist, doesn't go up my arm. Just makes wrist feel sort of sore.
I've worn my samsung watch over a year on the same wrist and never had a problem.
I've started wearing my apple watch shorter periods of time. Lately it hasn't been as bad. Not sure what's causing this. Maybe it's the weight, but the gear is about the same.
I'll figure it out, love my watch!
I've worn my samsung watch over a year on the same wrist and never had a problem.
I've started wearing my apple watch shorter periods of time. Lately it hasn't been as bad. Not sure what's causing this. Maybe it's the weight, but the gear is about the same.
I'll figure it out, love my watch!
Hi - Did you ever figure out what the pain was? Do you still own your watch?
highly doubt it is radiation. I think I have read the radiation from the EMF is very small your body shouldnt even notice it.
I wish I could tell you what it is. I've been wearing my watch for many months now and still have yet to have an problems with it. No pain, no defect, no bugs.
I wish I was in your position as I loved the watch. After trying all the combos I had to return them due to the persistent pain and discomfort. I don't think its a defect or bug but believe that a very small minority like myself have some sort of internal nerve related allergy (although there was never any visible signs) to the material of the watch or something within the casing.
I get slight pain from the AW due to the sensor dome that extrudes below the watch. I only notice it in the morning and I move the watch closer or further from my wrist on days it feels irritated to alleviate the pressure/pain. The AW isn't the only watch I've experienced this on. Any watch that isn't flat on the back of it will cause slight pain, even if I wear it loose.
Think about it this way, the watch bands connect at the flat part of the Apple Watch, which if flush/inline with the top of your wrist. The sensor dome sticks out and "presses into" your arm, which at a minimum can cause pressure on nerves. If you have something strapped down thats pressing into you all day, it will eventually cause irritation.
Take two fingers as if to take your pulse, but put them on the top of your arm where you wear the AW. Hold your arm out strait in front of you and open and close your fist and wiggle your fingers. You will feel the tendons, veins and muscles moving and you may even feel the pain you're getting from wearing the apple watch. The watch is putting pressure on these parts of your arm, but in time you may get use to it.
My solution is to move the watch around a bit or switch arms every now and then as others have mentioned. I also wear the watch a little looser in the mornings where I notice discomfort. My arm usually feels better by noon and thru the rest of the day.
Think about it this way, the watch bands connect at the flat part of the Apple Watch, which if flush/inline with the top of your wrist. The sensor dome sticks out and "presses into" your arm, which at a minimum can cause pressure on nerves. If you have something strapped down thats pressing into you all day, it will eventually cause irritation.
Take two fingers as if to take your pulse, but put them on the top of your arm where you wear the AW. Hold your arm out strait in front of you and open and close your fist and wiggle your fingers. You will feel the tendons, veins and muscles moving and you may even feel the pain you're getting from wearing the apple watch. The watch is putting pressure on these parts of your arm, but in time you may get use to it.
My solution is to move the watch around a bit or switch arms every now and then as others have mentioned. I also wear the watch a little looser in the mornings where I notice discomfort. My arm usually feels better by noon and thru the rest of the day.
Thanks - Really appreciate your response which does make a lot of sense. I did exhibit the pains with the watch turned off too hence why my conclusion was the material or something within the watch. The sensor bulge was also a suspect but I consistently chose to wear the watch very loosely and tried it for a period of two weeks with no real improvement.
Perhaps a flatter design would suit me better as I've been wearing conventional watches for 10 years - all pain free.
As mentioned earlier unfortunately I returned all the watches I tried.
Well after all this time I do find when I have done something to aggravate my carpal tunnel syndrome the Apple Watch will make it hurt more and prevent the inflammation from clearing up. But it does not seem to cause the trouble. I use only Sport bands so far. On weeks when I'm outdoors a lot and moving around and not doing the kind of indoor desk work that aggravates the pain that shoots from wrists to elbow, I am perfectly fine wearing my Apple Watch.
For the OP, did you ever try a sport or leather band? Also thinking that you really should have tried to exchange at least once, so that you could be sure about whether or not it was that particular watch.
For anyone experiencing wrist irritation, don't forget to clean your watch regularly. For those in warm climates or that work out daily, that means once a day. I rinse mine and dry it thoroughly, making sure it and my skin is dry before I put it back on. I wouldn't rinse a leather band, of course, but would wipe the watch itself with a damp cloth.
For anyone experiencing wrist irritation, don't forget to clean your watch regularly. For those in warm climates or that work out daily, that means once a day. I rinse mine and dry it thoroughly, making sure it and my skin is dry before I put it back on. I wouldn't rinse a leather band, of course, but would wipe the watch itself with a damp cloth.
Could be a nickel allergy, stainless steel is high in nickel content. Nickel allergies are very common, the symptoms don't sound like classic symptoms, usually some type of skin reaction rash, redness even blisters. But your allergy might be in the early stages. it seems through reading that the problems are with the SS models which does lend credence to the nickel allergy thesis.
The SS models are also considerably more heavy. When I went in for my try-on appointment unfortunately after my preorder was in for the stainless steel, I was very worried because the SS watch actually hurt me it was so uncomfortably heavy. I tried on the aluminum sport and it was so light and comfortable I regretted my order. I did take a day or two to get used to my SS 38 mm Apple Watch with sport band.
It does still hurt me considerably when I have preexisting nerve pain in my watch-wearing arm. (Right arm). I took it off for a couple of weeks to recover from a flare up this summer.
Normally I don't notice it. But I could see how someone with a predisposition to nerve pain or joint pain flare ups could find the SS Apple Watch triggering their pain. Or aggravating a flare up. It does not trigger mine but once I get going it does not help.
I developed a medial distal forearm neuromuscular twitching and discomfort the first week or two wearing a Sport band. Resolved each time I switched wrists. Eased the band one hole looser and the discomfort vanished. No recurrence for months. The band bunches a little on the ulnar volar wrist where the end of the strap inserts into the other half, putting slight pressure on the structures there (ulnar nerve, artery, muscle, tendon or some combination). Not carpal tunnel because not median nerve. No harm done. Love my Sport Apple Watch.
That's why we evolved to have sensory changes millennia ago - so we could adapt to the coming of the Apple Watch. Seriously, we need to keep this in perspective. I have no doubt that pre-Internet watches caused similar pressure symptoms, but now that millions of us are paying attention to the same watch brand with free easy access to Internet forums like this, the few of us affected can report these experiences.
Quick Google turns up lots of similar reports in other watch brands, e.g. http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/pain-due-watch-494488-2.html
That's why we evolved to have sensory changes millennia ago - so we could adapt to the coming of the Apple Watch.
Seriously, we need to keep this in perspective. I have no doubt that pre-Internet watches caused similar pressure symptoms, but now that millions of us are paying attention to the same watch brand with free easy access to Internet forums like this, the few of us affected can report these experiences.Quick Google turns up lots of similar reports in other watch brands, e.g. http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/pain-due-watch-494488-2.html
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I developed a medial distal forearm neuromuscular twitching and discomfort the first week or two wearing a Sport band. Resolved each time I switched wrists. Eased the band one hole looser and the discomfort vanished. No recurrence for months. The band bunches a little on the ulnar volar wrist where the end of the strap inserts into the other half, putting slight pressure on the structures there (ulnar nerve, artery, muscle, tendon or some combination). Not carpal tunnel because not median nerve. No harm done. Love my Sport Apple Watch.
That's why we evolved to have sensory changes millennia ago - so we could adapt to the coming of the Apple Watch.
Quick Google turns up lots of similar reports in other watch brands, e.g. http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/pain-due-watch-494488-2.html
Dear all, thanks for all your responses. Just to clarify I tried the following AW combinations since launch :
1. SS with Milanese Loop
2. SS with third party metal strap
3. Space Grey Sport with Sport Band
4. Space Black SS with Sport Band
5. Gold Sport with Sport Band
I have also been wearing a standard Calvin Klein and Armani Stainless Steel watch for 10 years with no problems so not sure its down to a nickel allergy.
I tried the original SS with Milanese Loop for 3 weeks on most wrist settings / both arms ( loose / snug etc.) and the pain continued. I then left the AW's for a few months and started trying them again (as I really wanted one) and wore them for around 2-3 days at a time but due to the pain / discomfort almost immediately occurring was forced to return back to apple.
I have never seen any visible signs of an allergy or noticed any skin irritation whilst using the Apple Watch's so its either an internal allergy or the protruding sensor bulge doesn't sit right of my wrist.
I do wish I could have got to the bottom of this as I really did find the AW useful.
Just to finish off I did report this to apple and they had no answers or suggestions for me which I appreciated as there so few people with these issues.
Just curious, have you ever tried any fitness bands like Fitbit and do they cause any pain? Just curious if it's related to the sensors.
Yes I still have my watch. My wrist doesn't seem to hurt as much anymore. I cut down on the amount of time I wear it, and try to keep it looser on my wrist. Sometimes I noticed the watch will get a little warm, not sure if that had anything to do with it.
Never had those problems with my gear watch : (
I'm enjoying my Apple Watch, love it!
Hi - Never tried fit bit or any other fitness related bands. Just normal watches.
My brothers got an AW and I tried again over the weekend but this time covering the sensors with thin soft plastic so it didn't have contact with my skin but unfortunately same issue within 30 mins of having it on.