Statistics Reveal The Inherent Danger of "Sitting for a Living"

Statistics show a rise in health hazards related to a sedentary life spent at the desk, usually in front of the computer. Musculoskeletal disorders rose from 18% in 1985 to 52% in 1989 and 56% in 1991. Other studies show that 31% of medical claims made by employees pertaining to a computer environment involved neck and back. The medical compensation caused by these and other work-related health hazards exceeds $100 billion annually in the US alone.

Occupational hazards that you should be aware of and concerned about:

The eyes are the first to get affected by prolonged computing and the spinal cord is a close second. Cervical Spondylitis is a disorder pertaining to the neck - inflammation of the vertebrae manifests as pain and stiffness. This, according to medical researchers, is the most common ailment among computer users. Another common ailment is positional backache, which is also termed as Lumber Strain and is caused by both spinal misalignment and improper ergonomics.

Another persistent health hazard is Repetitive Strain/Stress Injury (RSI). PC users most commonly complain of numbness or pain, anywhere from the shoulders to the feet. RSI is a more chronic ailment caused over the years. Capillaries carry blood to muscles and tendons. As tense muscles squeeze (like when bending the finger or the wrist), blood flow to the affected area slows down. When the blood flow stops, a muscle has enough energy stored to cope with the tension for a brief while. Once this is expended, the muscle switches to an inefficient form of energy supply. Once this too is over, lactic acid builds up in the muscle, causing pain and fatigue.

In a reflex reaction called the splinting reaction, the neighboring muscles tense up, triggering a self-sustaining pain cycle. The pain can also migrate from one part of the body to another. Over time, the strained muscles turn hyper-sensitive and develop specific tender points called myofascial trigger points. The inadequate blood supply causes numbness and tingling.

On account of larger nerves being squeezed, the tingling and numbness is more defined. The tell-tale signs of RSI are pain, stiffness, swelling, numbness and tingling in the neck, back and limbs. Stressful positions of the body, as those faced by desk workers, serve only to aggravate the potential for bodily damage and a declining health status.

Denial of the early stage symptoms is one of the main causes that will aggravate the condition. Precautionary measures need to be interwoven into our daily lifestyle and methods of working. This is where we come in by offering specific medical advice to reduce stress upon the concerned body part and reduce the chances, if not prevent the possibility of any injury.

While awareness of the benefits of using, say, an ergonomic chair or mouse is common knowledge, there is much more to be concerned and educated about. For example, one precaution that is ignored as much as it is stressed upon is to develop a healthy awareness of proper body mechanics both in and out of the office.

While technology continues to open new frontiers, it brings with it newer hazards. With computers becoming an integral part of our work implements, prevention is the only course of action worth taking.

Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

“As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.”