Top 4 Health Problems Caused By Computer Use
I am frequent computer user. Of course it’s interesting to know how danger for my health computer can be. Working with computer for whole day is not rare nowadays. If it’s an aspect of our work or if we use computers just for fun, there are certain risks involved with prolonged computer use.
1. Eye Disease
It’s the first what occur to us, when we talk about computer harm (right?). Prolonged computer use could be linked to glaucoma, especially among those who are short-sighted. Our eyes are very badly affected by how long you stare at that bright screen. We stop blinking and start staring which makes our eyes strain and dry out. Make sure you look away from the screen and close them for a few seconds every few minutes.
We can find many information about eyes health, as Snuz made. And it’s very important not to forget about our eyes while working on computer.
2. Bad Posture
Bad posture is enemy number one. Check your posture now! You should be able to reach the keyboard and mouse whilst bending your elbows at 90 degrees, with your shoulders relaxed. If you are stretching, this could cause problems. Your back should be straight and the top of the monitor should be just below eye level. If your monitor is to the left or right of your keyboard you are putting strain on your neck.
Long periods of time at the computer while blogging, working or reading often leads to pain in the lumbar region of the back. Neck and shoulder problems also result from poor seating and the poor organization of equipment on the desk (stretching for the telephone or files etc).
3. Hurting Hands
Your hand and wrist ache after working at the computer all day, and they sometimes start feeling numb. Research in recent years has found that things like typing and sewing rarely cause carpal tunnel. Wear splints while you work to keep your wrists from bending too high or low, and use a keyboard tray or adjust your chair so the keyboard and mouse are below your elbows and your wrists are level.
It is really important to give your fingers, wrists and hands a break from resting on the keyboard all day. A tennis ball is a great way to do this. Every time you need to think you should grab the ball and give it a few quick squeezes. This will do wonders for your joints and muscles.
4. Computer Stress Injuries
Many people suffer from structural problems related to the physical stress of sitting incorrectly, or for too long in front of their computers. So there are chances you’ve experienced a fair amount of computer stress, from minor frustrations here and there to a virtual visit to computer hell.
High levels of stress can kill you, don’t make mistakes! Highly stressful workers have a higher risk of developing heart diseases and even cancer. So make sure that you can manage your stress. Start making something to reduce it, don’t wait till computer stress will be the main problem in your life. Taking frequent breaks is an important step in preventing repetitive computer stress injuries.
Thus, it shows up that there are several problems that occur with prolonged computer use. It is also clear, however, that if certain rules of using computer are observed the risk of any of these problems can be minimized and computer users affected with computer related disorders can avoid or treat them. I consider that persons should have active lifestyle and an ergonomic computer work station, thereby even hardly computer working can’t affect their health.
What do you think?
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By Anthony on Apr 2, 2008 | Reply
Hi,
Nice blog and really interesting article. All people who works at the computer for long hours should be concerned about health issues computer work related.
From my own experience I have to say that I’ve been prescribed artificial tears due to eye dryness and some sympthoms of carpal tunnel have started to show up lately.
I used to be an active athlete, but nowadays I’ve become a little lazy, mainly because I like to run long distances and suffered a knee lesson back in 2005 while I was preparing to run a marathon. I’ve never recovered completely from that and suffer small pains from time to time.
Now, I’m aware that as long as I belate exercising is for the worst so I started to run again last week for short distances, increasing the distance a little bit every time as I am feeling better.
Well, just wanted to share my experience.
regards
Anthony
By Alex on Apr 4, 2008 | Reply
Hi, Anthony, you’re right the absence of exercises isn’t good for our body health. And I know, to start training again, when you have stopped, is very hard.
Good luck in your running! Feel better anytime!
Thanks for your experience.
By mercola on Aug 20, 2008 | Reply
There are equipment/tools available that would help reduce or avoid these problems. For example there are ergonomic keyboards and chairs that are especially made for prolonged computer use.
By Sam on Oct 3, 2008 | Reply
My computer is driving me insane but its more the fact it keeps crashing than the fact that I’m ill!
My wrists do tend to hurt more and more though, I think I need to stop writing on blogs.
By Cory on Oct 28, 2008 | Reply
Alex, good reminder. I often find myself with eye strain at the end of the day. I know this will catch up with me sooner or later, so I suppose the solution is to take breaks since working at the computer less is not an option at this point.
By Healthy Gaming on Nov 12, 2008 | Reply
Thanks Alex.
I also use a small foot rest, which keeps my feet at slight angle, which seems to help with my posture. I had to get that since my desk and chair are a little too high for me.
By Natural Supplement Health on Apr 8, 2009 | Reply
I have found that if you maintain an active life style (exercise), regardless of how much you use the computer, it seems to balance out fine.
As soon as you stop being active for a while, various aches and pains related to prolonged computer use start to appear.
By Nyanzi ronald on Mar 10, 2011 | Reply
the explanations were very good and satisfying but all in all please keep up the goodspirit of informing us about the compter and it education of computer science isvery good so kep up
By Tim Wen on Apr 14, 2011 | Reply
Hi guys I love you all and this was a very good article ty now i know why my back hurts a lot
ty all and check out my youtube channel Dulluie
By terry on Jun 9, 2011 | Reply
thanks for the tip….now will the mind not get affected as well?
By pheebs on Jun 9, 2011 | Reply
woow thanks that came in really usfull. im only young and the answers were easy to under stand and good explanations really interesting to :)
By sendagire Joseph on Jan 25, 2012 | Reply
Lets get serious is it the computers causing all this or sitting for so long and failing to exercise and making our muscles extremely redundant. Lets agree must stretch our muscles it natural requirement. Muscles need exercise to develop afraid we may start blaming it on the computer that the reason why we have tiny hands or legs is because we sit for long on computers.
All the problems talked about above have no medical proof. There is no empirical evidence support these allegations. We need more tangible proof otherwise i am sorry we are just going in circles over computer related illnesses.
By Melissa on Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
This article is interesting and was a good source of information for the report im writing on health and safety in the work place.
Thanks Alex :)
By Darren on Oct 15, 2012 | Reply
Like most other sites, this is good PREVENTITION. I think im way beyond preventition (and help ;o) ). within 10 minutes of sitting at a computer my fingers ache, my gut hurts, i feel cold, i have a cold chill going throughout my body, my eyes hurt, my shoulders hurt, my neck hurts, my mental state has changed (depression / anxiety), my whole body is tense, my arms ache and i generally feel ill. doesnt help that im a computer programmer – because of this ive not worked for 3 years. my gp is useless and have been to various osteopath and chiropracters with little joy.