Toronto, Nov. 11 (Reuters): Sore thumbs after spending hours on a hand-held email device? Sounds like a case of “BlackBerry Thumb” — but help is at hand.

The Hyatt hotel chain found so many of their business travellers were complaining of hand and arm discomfort that they have introduced a special “BlackBerry Balm” hand massage at most of their North American spas.

Corporate spa director Kyra Johnson said guests began asking masseurs to spend more time on their hands and arms because of the growing popularity of PDA (personal digital assistant) devices like BlackBerrys and Treos.

The 30-minute massage, that costs about $30, begins with heat treatment and uses a “BlackBerry Balm”. It “focuses on counteracting tension on various hand and arm muscles, specifically in the thumbs and overworked wrists,” according to a Hyatt statement.

The American Physical Therapy Association recently recognised BlackBerry Thumb as an official work place malady — a stress-related injury due to overuse of any PDA or smartphone.

Professor Alan Hedge, an ergonomics specialist, said the condition is caused by “highly repetitive, forceful thumb movements with the thumbs held back from the palms”.

Hedge recommended preventive measures like holding the device comfortably in the hands and close to the body, and not typing for more than five minutes without a break.