5 Techniques to avoid undesirable bodily changes caused by Gadget Use
Imagine the horror on the face of Streamer Curtoss, an internet streamer, ardent video gamer, and social media influencer, when he shaved his head and noticed a strange indentation on his skull.
Curtoss said that his head had adopted the form of the headphones he used for lengthy periods of time while releasing a video of himself cutting his hair.
Following Curtoss’ announcement on TikTok, additional gamers stepped out to display their new head forms, dubbed “gamer heads.”
One of them said that his skull morphed into the shape of the headphones he wore for 14 hours every day.
Prolonged usage of high-volume earphones, earbuds, or headphones might result in hearing loss. Around the world, 1.1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization.
Experts projected that those who use devices for extended periods of time will have changes in the form of their neck, eyes, fingers, and spine.
Aside from gamer heads, another abnormality that the body might suffer from is tech neck. This occurs when the neck is bent at an abnormal angle for an extended period of time.
Experts believe that these modifications were induced by lengthy and incorrect use of technological devices, as well as incorrect posture when using them.
They determined that poor ergonomics were mostly responsible for the modifications.
Babatunde Adegoke, a professor of physiotherapy at the University of Ibadan, defined ergonomics as the layout of the work space and the interaction between the individual and the work environment.
As a result, correct utilization of devices will go a long way toward keeping proper health state.
Here are some pointers on how to avoid odd physiological changes when using specific devices:
- Take a decent seat.
According to Rufus Adedoyin, a professor of physiotherapy at Obafemi Awolowo University, the continual use of contemporary technologies has an impact on the health of its users. He goes on to say that most device use is done when seated.
“Once you are not properly seated, there is a risk of injury to the body,” he said. Your hands are down and your neck is bent when you strain your neck while using your phone. The weight of the neck will strain the neck muscles once the neck is bent. If this persists, the individual will develop neck discomfort, which may be severe at first and then become chronic or permanent.
“Back pain occurs when a person is not properly seated on an ergonomic chair.”
- At regular intervals, flex your fingers.
It is not uncommon for fingers to get bent or stretched after prolonged typing or use of mobile phones or laptops.
Adedoyin said, “There are certain nerves that flow down the center of the hand. The anatomy of the hand may obstruct certain nerves, causing discomfort. This creates discomfort in the individual’s hands.
- After 30 minutes, get up.
Many medical and fitness specialists advise avoiding sitting for extended periods of time. They said that this might be harmful to the body. “Prolonged sitting is hazardous to our health,” Adedoyin pointed out.
“Sitting for more than two hours slows blood circulation to the heart and other parts of the body, which is dangerous to your health,” he said. This causes a circulation problem, which prompts cardiac issues.
“Once a heart condition arises, it might not ever be cured again.” Deep Venous Thrombosis might be caused by slowed blood flow.
This is a hard material in the blood that, when it flows through the body, can obstruct the artery that delivers blood to the heart, resulting in a heart attack. A stroke will occur if it clogs the artery delivering blood to the brain.”
To avoid these negative consequences, the physiotherapist recommended that patients rise up, walk down, and stretch after sitting for 30 minutes to improve healthy blood flow and release pressure on the strained organs.”
He went on to say that the human body was designed to be active, therefore when there is no movement, there is no life.
Combining activity and standing up would so improve blood circulation. Long-distance truckers and travelers should also make sure their car seat is high enough and long enough for their legs. In addition, the seat should be comfortable and devoid of gaps or pressure spots.
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- Phones and laptops placed at eye level
Phones and laptops, according to Adegoke, should be positioned at eye level. This, he claimed, would prevent him from gazing down at the gadgets and bending his neck.
He suggested game players to adjust the game boards or screen to their height.
“The solution lies in being judicious with gadget use,” Adegoke pointed out.
- Always remember to blink.
According to research, constant exposure to digital gadgets promotes digital eye strain.
Individuals with this condition typically have dry eyes, redness of the eyes, headaches, impaired vision, and shoulder and neck pain.
To avoid this, use the 20-20-20 rule while using digital devices. This implies that after 20 minutes of staring at the television, take a 20-second break and gaze at anything 20 feet away.
Reduce the amount of light above your seat or head when using the device to reduce screen glare.