The digital age has physically weakened the youth.
The Journal of Hand Therapy released a study revealing that young adults have replaced manual labor for computers, leading to a significant loss of grip strength and worse eye strain.
The study found that “men now aged 20-34 had weaker grips and hand strength than those of the same age in 1985,” Bring Me the News observed. “Women aged 20-24 had the same problem, while those ages 25-29 had weaker grips in their right hand. Women between 30 and 34 was the only group to have similar grip strength to those in 1985.”
“In the second-quarter 2014, 85 percent of millennials aged 18-24 own devices and 86 percent aged 25-34 own them, an increase from 77 percent and 80 percent, respectively, in second-quarter 2013,” Nielsen reported.
“Work patterns have changed dramatically since 1985, when the first norms were established,” Elizabeth Fain, lead author of the study, told NPR. “As a society, we’re no longer agricultural or manufacturing … What we’re doing more now is technology-related, especially for millennials.”
Going digital could be taking a toll on the health of technology users.
“Nearly one-third of adults (30 percent) spend more than half their waking hours (9+) using a digital device,” the Vision Council’s 2015 Digital Eye Strain report found.
Staring at a computer screen or cell phone for hours on end can be detrimental to a user’s health. Common symptoms reported after overexposure include eye strain (32.8 percent), neck, shoulder, and back pain (32.6 percent), headache (24 percent), blurred vision (23.3 percent), and dry eyes (22.8 percent).
“A lot of people don’t realize this, but when you’re viewing something really close, that’s when your eyes are working the hardest—much harder than when you’re looking at something far away,” Dr. Joan Portello, associate professor at the State University of New York told Time.
Those minor health issues could develop into serious eyesight deterioration and difficulties with hand coordination for children.
Overexposure to digital devices is growing increasingly more common, and doctors are aware of the issue and are working to reconsider prevention methods.
“Consumers should know that digital eye strain shouldn’t be considered a trade-off for technology consumption,” Dr. Justin Bazan, medical advisor to The Vision Council, told CBS News. He added, “solutions exist to help alleviate this emerging health phenomenon.”
A recent lens technology innovation, “computer glasses,” protects eyes from the glare, blue light, and environmental stressors. Additionally, there are methods to combat the digital strains without making purchases, such as the 20-20 rule used to encourage breaks from digital devices.
As Dr. Anne Summers told CBS, “the good news is that you can help avoid some of these issues by putting down your phone or tablet and taking a break. Unplug for a bit. There are many health benefits to that idea.”
