Are your hands achy?

Using a phone or tablet can negatively affect your health.

The smartphone seems to be used daily by billions of people across the world, but what are the effects on our health. When we send a text message or zoom in on a picture  to look at it more closely, we probably don’t even realize the minuscule impact it has on our joints. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is caused by compression against the median nerve in the wrist. A study was done among 48 college students and they found that the students who were intensive users of electronic devices (uses them 5 hours or more) appeared to have enlarged median nerves. However, this didn’t mean that each student had carpal tunnel syndrome, it just meant that they were at a higher risk for having symptoms of CTS than the other students who did not experience pain or discomfort.

Technology is not going to go away anytime soon, so instead we must learn ways to prevent CTS from occurring. While using the computer, try centering it in front of you. Another way is to stand while working and have your computer at about waist height while keeping your hands and wrists in line with your forearms; buying a keyboard with a tilt can help keep this alignment.

Technology, such as television, computers, and smartphones, have also made it easier for a sedentary lifestyle. It is important to take a break from technology and exercise as it your increases blood flow throughout the body which can lower cholesterol levels and decrease the chance of having heart disease or other health complications that can occur with age.

By:   Emma Keeling