Avoid Health Problems When Using Your Tablets and Smart Phones
Edited by Clifford, Rose B, Lynn, Ephraim and 7 others
The rapid growing popularity of Tablet devices like the iPad and Kindle has made much of our reading, and sometimes work, more flexible and convenient. However there are cases in which prolonged usage of these devices without regular breaks can lead to some health problems, like shoulder pains and arm fatigue. These ailments are not limited to Tablet users, but can also be suffered by smartphone users. Here are some ways to prevent such pain and discomfort when we use our favorite gadgets.
Instructions
- 1Always set an alarm once an hour to remind you to take a two to five minute break away from the screen. This can provide vital rest for your muscles, joints and eyes. It will also temporarily take your mind off of what you are doing, and you can also grab a quick snack or drink, giving you a rest from work and at the same time nourishing you. Sometimes you may forget all about eating when you are totally engrossed in what you are doing.Take regular breaks.
- 2We hardly sweat. We must voluntary force ourselves to go out and take a walk, for a breather. If you are up to it, do some running to work up a sweat. We must get those toxins out. Our tablets can't help us when health problems of all sorts crop up when we neglect our health due to our gadgets.Several times when we are engrossed with our gadgets, we are totally immobile and lethargic, and our blood hardly circulates.
- 3When we use iOS devices, especially iPads, there is always a possibility of straining our hands and wrists. It is better if you set your iPad on the table, especially during prolonged usage, as opposed to holding it with one hand while you touch the screen with the other. Sometimes you may experience this as a burning sensation in our arms and joints. And the other hand that navigates the device will often experience fatigue, especially in the forearm. To prevent such fatigue, all you have to do is to loosen your wrist by performing some wrist rotation clockwise, then counterclockwise and not only will the wrist joints loosen up, but this also promotes blood circulation.Loosen up those wrists.
- 4A lot of people sometimes slouch while using an iPad, or your head may fall forward when texting on your iPhone. Tablets and smartphones sometimes make you position your posture in awkward ways because this device can be use anywhere and in almost any position. Avoid bending your neck forward or backward for long periods of time. If you ever feel any pain or numbness, stop what you are doing and find a more comfortable position.Check your posture.
- 5Speaking of your posture, when you bend your neck forward and lose spinal alignment, you may develop disc and nerve injuries. Sometimes you may feel shoulder and arm pain because of some compression in the nerves in our neck. This can be prevented by stretching your neck to one side slowly and gently and then to the other side. You should try to do this once every hour while using your devices for a prolonged period of time.Stretch those necks.
- 6You could use SIRI when using our iPhone, to check and reply to emails and text messages. You can do this to avoid typing by dictating your responses using SIRI.Ask SIRI.
- 7Strained, aching muscles can became inflamed and the best way to reduce inflammation is to apply some ice to the affected part together with some rest. Applying ice will bring oxygenated blood to the muscle fibers and the coldness will ease the inflammation. Apply the ice for one minute and then remove for another minute.Apply ice.
- 8The forearm is the part of your body that takes the most impact from typing and browsing, so massaging it from the wrist to the elbow will ease the discomfort. You can massage by pressing your thumb onto your skin and making small circle motions along the forearm.Massage yourself.
Wrist fatigue due to Tablet use
Prolonged use of tablets can cause wrist fatigue. The weight of the Tablet can strain your wrist, especially when using it for several hours. To prevent having wrist fatigue, you may try to:
- 1Put the Tablet down and try to exercise your wrists, hands, fingers and arms.Take some rest once in a while.
- 2Make use of a Tablet stand or holder if you have to use your Tablet for an extended period.
- 3Position your Tablet lower.
- 4Stretch your arms during breaks.
- 5Make use of your other hand to hold the Tablet when you feel strained.
- 6Lessen the usage of your Tablet.
How to Avoid Health Problems when Using your Tablets and Smartphones
There is no doubt that planet Earth is already consumed with a lot of technological advancements, such as smartphones and tablets. These innovative devices have made the communication, chores, and lives of the modern people easy and convenient. However, there are several cases whereby the too extensive utilization of smartphones and tablets, or usage of these devices without taking breaks, lead to emergence of various health problems.
Among the most common health dilemmas that many people experience because of addiction to smartphones and tablets are arm fatigue and shoulder aches. These health conditions aren't limited to smartphone and Tablet users, users of other gadgets could also experience these ailments. As reported by a 2012 survey, conducted by Pew Research Center, about 46% of US citizens, particularly American adults are using smartphones- up a staggering 25% from the year 2011.
What Do Clinical Studies Show?
According to health experts, usage of smartphones and tables could be very heavy, and according to a study conducted on 1,600 professionals like managers:
- 156% of these people check their smartphone within one hour before sleeping
Best Methods to Use to Avoid Health Problems
Below are some of the methods that many smartphone and Tablet users should do in order to avoid enduring health problems, whenever they are having a moment with their precious gadgets.
- 1If smartphone and Tablet users have to set an alarm even for just once every hour, just to be reminded about taking 2 up to 5 minute-break from the gadget's screen. Through this way, smartphone and Tablet users could render pertinent rest to the joints, eyes, and muscles. It could as well rest the mind off from whatever they're doing. This will also allow them to take a drink or snack, allowing them to rest while nourishing their body. As highly cognizable, there are some people who forget to eat once they're already hooked with their smartphone and/or Tablet.It's crucial to have regular breaks.
- 2They even hardly perspire. Thus, they should take some time to have a nice walk at the park or mall, and breathe fresh air. They could also take a quick run just to facilitate perspiration, in order to eliminate the toxins in the body.There are a lot of times when smartphone and Tablet users are so engrossed with their precious gadgets, they're completely lethargic and immobile, and their blood could hardly circulate.
- 3Take note; there is always a possibility that gadget addicts could strain their hands, especially their wrists. It is much better to take time putting the smartphone and/or Tablet on top of the table while using it, than holding it all the time with one or both of the hands. This is to avoid experiencing a burning sensation and hand fatigue, especially if they're using the same hand all the time. In order to avoid fatigue, gadget users could do wrist rotation in clockwise motion and then counterclockwise.Smartphone and Tablet users should as well loosen up their wrists.
- 4This could make their posture awkward. Thus, gadget users should prevent too much bending of their neck, either forward or backward for extensive span of time.There are several individuals who slouch whenever they're utilizing their smartphones or tablets.
Questions and Answers
Reduce wrist strain from kindle and iPad use?
You will have to use a stand instead of just holding it. Kindle and iPad have big screens, which can strain the hand and wrists, it looks something like this:
Health problems caused when we used our gadgets for a long time?
How do we use our gadgets for a long time
VisiHow QnA. This section is not written yet. Want to join in? Click EDIT to write this answer.
Do you have advice for someone who suffers from Kindle arm pain?
I have a repetitive strain energy in my arm from holding my Kindle at a certain angle so I can read It.. I have tried: I have tried Advil pain relievers to deal with the soreness and achy feeling that comes with Kindle arm pain.. I think it was caused by: I have worn out my arm from reading my Kindle constantly and now it seems to have a repetitive strain impairment of some sort.
VisiHow QnA. This section is not written yet. Want to join in? Click EDIT to write this answer.
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