Study finds 90% Techies have work-related Health Issues

TechnoparkToday.com>> Sedentary lifestyle, work stress and prolonged sitting is causing a lot of work-related diseases among techies.

A study conducted by SolHealthCare, a wellness firm in Technopark, has found that a large number of techies have complaints of lower back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, sleep disorders and even some have stress-related behavioral problems. Ending your career is not a solution. It is high time, we must change our lifestyle.

Changing ergonomics in the work station, taking breaks for exercises, dumping junk foods etc are some of the steps that have to be immediately taken before lifestyle diseases take a toll on you.

The study done among 784 techies in 27 Technopark companies last year, found that 179 employees had lower back problems.  Around 129 had cervical spondylosis, 65 were battling carpal tunnel syndrome and 61 complained about sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Others also have job-related stress, hypertension, sleep disorders, behavioral issues etc.

A large number of techies had reported lumbar spondylosis, calcaneal bursitis, general debility and weakness, tennis elbow, neck pain among other diseases. There were cases of ulcers, allergy and obesity too.

Some Technopark companies have introduced regular employee wellness programs after realizing that cases of work-lifestyle diseases have shot up. They are now focusing on ergonomics that deals with designing and arranging things in a people-friendly manner.

Dr A Marthanda Pillai well-known neurologist and chairman of Ananthapuri Hospital, recently said media that techies are prone to accidents because of sleep disorders and odd working hours.

What is Cervical Spondylosis ?

It is the wear and tear of the vertebrae and discs in the neck Carpal tunnel syndrome Numbness, tingling, weakness, and other problems in one’s hand because of the pressure on the median nerve in the wrist due to overuse of computer keyboard Sacroiliac joint dysfunction It refers to the pain in the sacroiliac joint region (lower back, leg) that is caused by abnormal motion in the sacroiliac joint Lumbar spondylosis -It is degeneration in the region of the spine located in the lower back Computer vision syndrome ­ It includes eye strain, redness, irritation or dryness, a burning feeling in the eye, blurred or double vision after computer use

For Neck and Spine Regions

The neck connects the head with rest of the body and hence needs to be taken care of a strain on the neck affects the back. Trouble starts with a mild pain that is later felt in one’s back and legs The pain can also be felt in a person’s hand as well Sitting in a wrong posture for long time results can cause cervical disc problems’ If the problem continues for a long period of time, then it can turn into cervical spondylosis.  Solution: Stretch, exercises and move your arms and legs, take up yoga, walking or jogging.

For your Eyes…

The computer screen should be right in front of our eyes and not at a higher or lower level The room should be well lit Move your eyes away from the screen once a while Take a break every 30 mins, wash your eyes with water Blink in between. Prolonged exposure to computer screen reduces the moisture content in the eye.

There are anti-glare glasses to reduce eye irritation Solution: Consume food that contain vitamins A, C and D, fatty acids, zinc, calcium and omega 3 fatty acids. These are available in the carrots, eggs, bananas, tomatoes, garlic and fish.

So…it’s high time to think and act accordingly!!!

Team TechnoparkToday