“Phone body”: how technology wrinkles our necks and weakens our hands

However, I recently looked down and noticed a small hardness or callus on my pinky finger, right where I rest the phone.

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That made me think: what is the phone doing to the rest of my body?

I consulted several experts to find out. The answer—which perhaps you already imagined—is not encouraging at all.

The latest scientific studies suggest that the telephone and its digital companions could be altering the shape of the neck, impairing vision, affecting motor skills and reducing muscle strength.

There is even concern that our technology-dominated lives are causing more wrinkles. Furthermore, some of these physical problems could lead, in turn, to a cognitive impairment or in other more serious complications.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not willing to just accept all of this (especially since sitting all day is part of the problem).

Fortunately, if you don’t want technology to ruin your body, there are some steps you can take.

If you’re reading this on a phone, there’s a good chance you’re tilting your head down to look at it.

This “forward head posture” can exert up to 27kg on the neck.

Over time, this can damage spinal discs, cause joint and muscle deterioration, and even reduce lung capacity. This condition even has a colloquial name: “technological collar” (“tech neck”).

It can also permanently alter the appearance of your body.

There are specific exercises that can help correct the problem, always under medical supervision.

However, there are simpler changes that you can start applying right now: hold the phone higher.

Place the screen at eye level and, if possible, at a distance equivalent to the length of your arm.

This same advice goes for computer monitors. Some experts point out that taking breaks from using screens can be beneficial; try rest 20 minutes every half hour.

A new concern has recently arisen: is it causing the so-called “technological neck” (tech neck) wrinkles in the area?

“In theory, it makes sense,” says Justine Hextall, a consultant dermatologist and member of the Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom.

Repetitive stress causes wrinkles; Therefore, tilting your head forward and keeping your neck constantly flexed could be a problem, he notes.

However, Hextall indicates that there are no solid studies that demonstrate this relationship.

He advises against purchasing specific skin products intended to treat “tech neck” that have begun to appear on the internet.

However, there are other skin problems that should be taken into account, especially for smartwatch users who never take them off.

“A dark and humid environment [como la zona situada bajo el reloj] It is ideal for the proliferation of yeast, which can cause irritation or even eczema,” he explains.

Additionally, since this can damage the skin barrier, Hextall warns that it could also lead to sensitivity to some components present in these devices, such as the nickelhe rubberhe latex and a group of chemicals called acrylates.

The solution is simple: take off your smartwatch more frequently and wash your skin. He also recommends applying a barrier cream if you are going to wear the watch all day.

Rates of myopia (nearsightedness) have been skyrocketing for decades. Considering the changes, it’s easy to blame technology.

This may be true, but not in the way one might think, according to Donald Mutti, a professor of optometry at Ohio State University in the US.

“We carried out a longitudinal study of more than 20 years on the ocular development of children, analyzing the risk factors for the appearance and progression of myopia,” explains Mutti.

A key question was whether there is a connection between myopia and near work, that is, tasks that require focusing your eyes on something close to your face, such as a phone. “The answer was no,” he says.

But the study revealed something else: spending time outdoors appears to have a protective effect. “The idea is that bright light from outside stimulates the release of dopamine in the retina,” explains Mutti, and it seems that this could affect the development of vision.

Technology is part of a global change that leads us to spend more time indoors.

In that sense, Mutti believes that your devices can have an indirect negative effect on your eyes.

The solution is simple, says Mutti: you just need to spend more time outdoors.

Not only is it good for your eyes, but it can also help you sleep better. Be sure to wear sunscreen and sunglasses to avoid the harmful effects of the sun.

Grip strength is increasingly recognized as a key marker for overall health.

One study found that it predicts premature death better than blood pressure. and the Grip strength is decreasing in many countriesespecially among the youngest.

“A generational decline is not just about weaker hands, but can be an early warning sign about the future health of younger generations,” says Johannes Beller, professor of medical sociology at the Medical University of Lausitz, Germany.

“There is a reasonable case that the shift toward sedentary computer-based work is contributing to the decline in fitness,” and it is possible that this also affects grip strength.

You should be able to squeeze a tennis ball as hard as you can and hold it for 15 to 30 seconds.

But it’s about more than just grip, it’s also about improving your overall fitness. In other words, go to the gym.

It appears that technology affects motor skills, those abilities that link the mind and body to perform precise movements.

It could improve dexterity in actions such as clicking or swiping, says Sebastian Suggate, professor of developmental and educational psychology at the University of Regensburg, Germany.

“However, if we look at the development of motor skills in a broader sense—and fine motor skills in particular—the evidence points to a adverse effect”.

We know much more about the effects on children than on adults.

Suggate’s own research shows a relationship between increased screen time and pbetter development of motor skills.

This is especially worrying due to the correlation between motor skills and cognitive and academic development in children and adolescents.

Her advice is not to panic or ban screens, but to consciously incorporate hands-on, hands-on activities into everyday life.

Prolonged hands-on activities, such as preparing a meal or doing crafts, can be beneficial. Suggate is a carpenter, but one could learn to play an instrument or even just write by hand.

“It’s not the end of the world; it’s subtle effects,” says Suggate.

“But, although at an individual level the effects are moderate to mild, overall and over generations we are talking about a possible brutalization of society and an inability to think about reality, since the hands constitute a fundamental point of contact with the world.”

*This is a Spanish adaptation of a story published in BBC Future. If you want to read the original English version, please do click here.