One in five UK adults (21%) – the equivalent of 10.3 million consumers - purchased at
least one new digital device as a result of spending more time at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Deloitte’s Digital Consumer Trends 2020 report.
What might the repercussions of this increased use of
technology be?
Smart Phones:
You can’t live with them, you can’t live without them. Smartphones have become a necessity for
the majority of the population, with an estimated 94% of adults in the UK owning a smartphone. ‘Text Neck’ occurs as a result of smartphone users tilting their heads downwards, which
considerably increases the loading on your neck, to look at their phones. This can lead to inflammation of the neck muscles and could lead to more long-term problems. Try as best as possible to
hold your phone level with your eyes, this will reduce the amount you need to tilt your head down, and in turn, reduce the weight on your neck and upper back. If you do think that you suffer from
‘Text Neck’ try this simple exercise:
the ‘exaggerated nod’; simply look up to the ceiling, let your jaw relax and open your mouth, keep your head here and bring your lower jaw to your upper jaw.
For more information follow this link:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/289167/mobile-phone-penetration-in-the-uk/
Burnout
Burnout is now officially recognised as a real health condition by the World Health Organisation. Millions of people are now working longer hours; not only does this lead to burn out,
it can also bring with it a lot of aches and pains. Much like gamers, people working overtime are also spending too much time sitting down and constantly looking at a computer screen. Try to keep
the top of the computer level with the top of your head, this will place your eyes in the right place to look at the screen and should reduce the strain on our neck.
For more information follow this
link:
https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/
Gaming:
Gaming has sky rocketed in the 21st century, with some gamers even earning millions by entering into various competitions. Some of the top pro gamers even admit to training for up to
15 hours a day. Needless to say that our bodies do not favour this amount of time spent sitting down. If you think you fall into the category of a ‘gamer’ it is recommended that you
stand up and stretch your legs for 10 minutes every two hours or so. This will reduce the risk of our muscles seizing up and potentially leading to more serious injuries.
For more information follow this link:
https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/pro-gamers-in-south-korea-train-for-15-hours-a-day-heres-whats-involved