To Your Health

Computers have enabled us in more ways than we might list right away - we use them for writing, research, keeping in touch, paying bills, processing photos, keeping records, finding "how to" - it's an extensive list, and use of devices now begins with toddlers and their little tablets for games and shows and extends all the way through our lives.

But this comes with a price.

Watching some young people at an event recently, I was struck by how attentive they were to their phones, and that was on a bright summer day outdoors. Heads down, arms up, thumb poised, wrist cocked, back locked, their eyes on a bright and high contrast device in their hands, they were probably challenging themselves physically more than their great-grandparents did in a labor-intensive day on the farm. Just not as obviously.

Computer and device usage has been linked to musculoskeletal, vision, sleep and stress issues from the top of the head almost to the tips of the toes.

While they may, oddly enough, be the most readily controlled, the muscle and skeletal problems resulting from prolonged computer and device (phone, tablet, event gaming and video) use has been on the warning list for years. While our specific interactions with our computers have changed with the change in keyboard size and shape, monitor placement, device size and specific demands, our necks, hands, arms, shoulders and often lower back can attest to the pain that can result from sitting, head down, hands active for extended periods of time, often not moving anything BUT the fingers for long stretches as we work.

Our specific remedies will vary with what we use most often and how (I use a two-handed method for texting on my phone, but I see more and more people using just a thumb, or trying to navigate a phone with extra-long fingernails!), but the people who treat for things like neck strain, carpal tunnel, shoulder pain and lower back strain will recommend specific care taken for how long we interact with devices and setting up work stations.

Cell phones can cause "text claw" and "cell phone elbow," among other musculoskeletal problems. There are problems for the neck due to hours spent with the heavy 10-12 pound head suspended at an angle rather than atop the spine, making for extra stress and strain on the neck and shoulders. Repetitive strain injuries have been a problem for typists for a long time, and just because you might only be using your thumb or a couple of fingers doesn't make you immune.

Orthopedists, chiropractors and other experts will recommend frequent breaks, and will recommend that we find and implement ways to reduce the stress and fatigue - things like setting a monitor up at eye level so we can keep our heads up; placing a keyboard so that our arms are level and elbows free, and chairs set up so that our backs can stay upright and naturally curved, and consider how to keep your feet flat on the floor or resting on a low stool.

Physicians will also recommend people who use the phone a lot try to go hands-free as often as possible, change body position, and perform stretches.

But beyond the aches and pains we've come to identify with too much computer and device usage, there are a disturbing number of other ways in which our hours-a-day habits can interfere with good health.

Focusing closely  at a bright object is hard on our eyes.  CVS (computer vision syndrome) can manifest as eye strain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and eye redness. The best "fix" is less time on the computer, but can also be helped by keeping the screen as far from your eyes as is comfortable, using blue blocker glasses or a screen cover that reduces the light from the screen. Take breaks and use eye drops for moisture.

Many people report sleep problems that might be associated with excessive device usage; the eyestrain, focus, and even some of the content we're taking in for hours a day can interfere with the body's chemistry and the brain's ability to let go and go to sleep. 

Some observers also relate cellphones and devices to things like accidents (texting and even attention devoted to a conversation while driving can be distracting), mental health issues (focusing on social media, "selfies," and worrying about life on the device as opposed to "IRL" can be "triggering"), and even potential health effects from electromagnetic radiation and blue light have been suggested.

All in all, while we aren't likely to return to the "old days" of pen and paper, landlines and "f-t-f" interactions now that we've "seen the PC," we can be mindful and try to minimize damage to muscles, eyes, routines and mental health by taking a few precautions!