It's happening everywhere.
Standing on a corner waiting for the walk sign, teenagers are glued to their phones, oblivious to everything else. A couple out for dinner ignore each other in favor of playing games on their phones or scrolling social media. Office workers, cemented to their desks, sit nearly motionless, typing away for hours at a time.
All of these people share something besides dependence on technology: They can start to look like cavemen — hunched and round shouldered. (Except, according to various studies, researchers now think Neanderthals walked upright. In fact, they probably had better posture than most of us do now.)
It's becoming clear that all this tech, whether it's for work or fun, is turning out to be hard on the body, regardless of age. Besides prompting a sedentary lifestyle, tech use can also lead to painful conditions including tendonitis and arthritis, headaches, and even symptoms in the arms and hands related to nerve compression or irritation. Over time, the problems can grow worse.
"People really have to not ignore the signs and those little pains that they feel on a day-to-day basis," says Rebecca Facey, an occupational therapist who also works at Inspire Physical & Hand Therapy.
"I worked for a company, prior to this position, educating the workforce on ergonomics and proper body position and how to decrease musculoskeletal injuries," she says. "The No. 1 thing is being autonomous over your own body and realizing: 'I'm doing something and waking up with pain now for some reason.'"
The modern propensity for sitting for long periods using a mouse and keyboard means Jenna Popesku, also an occupational therapist at Inspire Physical & Hand Therapy, is seeing a lot of clients with "tech neck, which is where the neck starts jutting forward a little bit," she says. Tech neck can also lead to a lump on the back of your neck, something therapists are seeing even in very young clients.
Bree Freeland, the patient care coordinator at Inspire Physical & Hand Therapy, can attest to the toll of daily tech use.
"I work 10 hours a day, so I'm constantly at my computer, always with my right hand on my mouse," Freeland says. "On top of that I also do nails on the side, so I'm constantly in a pinched position with my hand."
People really have to not ignore the signs and those little pains that they feel on a day-to-day basis.
All this led to Freeland developing tendonitis (an inflammation in the tissue that connects muscle to the bone), intersection syndrome (pain in the wrist and forearm), and De Quervain's syndrome (which affects the thumb tendons).
"Sometimes it's so painful to the point where I can't even use it," Freeland says.
Luckily, the therapists Freeland works with have helped identify and treat many of the issues she's faced, and they have plenty of advice for the rest of us.
Daily Do's and Don'ts
First off, if you sit in the same position for hours at school, work or home, Facey recommends getting up and taking a break every 20 minutes. Do some quick stretches or go for a short walk, with the goal of getting out of the rounded posture position. As an added benefit: "Studies have also found that taking those breaks helps you to get your work done faster, and better, as well," Popesku says.
At your desk, consider alternating among typing tasks and other work to give your hands a break from time to time.
You can also reorganize your workspace to benefit your body. "You need to make sure things are placed properly," Facey says. The phone should be within easy reach. "Where is your wrist placement when you're typing? Is your chair leaning too far back? Too far forward? Are your hips set at a 90 degree angle?"
There are a plethora of ergonomic aides to assist in achieving these things.
PopSockets, an accessory for cellphones and tablets, allow you to hold your tech with a flat hand placement, taking the pressure off your thumbs and pinkies. Ergonomically designed computer mice and split keyboards can aid in creating a better, neutral resting position for your hands and wrists. A headset eliminates holding the phone against your ear, which can lead to shoulder and neck problems.
Adjustable height desks and ergonomic chairs can facilitate improved body mechanics.
But having everything in its proper place just isn't enough. You also need to include more movement in your day, according to David Jeter, an owner and physical therapist at Acceleration Physical Therapy.
"The vast majority of what I see is the fact that people just don't move well and haven't in a really, really long time," Jeter says.
"I make a joke with some of my patients. I envision a desk in which you're standing up, then sitting down, then rotating one way, and then all of a sudden you're looking straight up into keyboards above your head, and clicking down there, and working on the floor," he says.
"Nobody's gonna make a desk like that, but that variety of positions would be, in my view, probably a healthier thing for people to do on a regular basis, rather than sit in that one perfect spot and only wiggle their fingers a little bit."
The good news is that it's certainly possible to do things on your own to decrease or even eliminate tech-related aches and pains. "All of those things," from exercising, to stretching and utilizing ergonomic tools, "are great.... But if it is something that's really impacting your day to day, come see a professional. Therapists can help a ton," Popesku says.
Tips for Tip-Top Musculoskeletal Health
- Pay attention to any persistent pain or discomfort in your body
- Become aware of your posture (sitting or standing), and straighten up if you need to
- Utilize ergonomic tools
- Take breaks to stretch or walk around whether you're bingeing a TV show or frantically finishing a work or school project
- Build more movement into your life through an exercise program or fun activities like dancing
- If you're still having pain or trouble with posture visit an occupational or physical therapist for guidance
