Don't be a digital pain in the neck

Tied constantly to our harem of devices, most people, especially from millennial and Gen Z cohorts, run serious physical risks that go beyond addiction to scrolling, updating, viewing, messaging addiction. Recent hospital data indicate a 30-40% y-o-y increase in the number of working Indians seeking treatment for musculoskeletal, spinal, ophthalmic, cardiovascular and mental health complications. The crisis has led to new ailments like 'tech neck', 'text claw', 'sitting disease', 'temporomandibular joint disorder', 'dead butt syndrome', and digital fatigue syndrome. These need to be taken seriously.

Doctors report seeing early-onset degenerative changes in the spine, driven by muscular imbalances and repetitive stress injuries. Risks are compounded by sedentary lifestyles, which have led to an unprecedented 25-30% rise in OPD visits over the past year. Alarming trends include a growing incidence of asymptomatic heart failure in individuals in their 20s, along with a spike in palpitations linked to stress, atrial arrhythmias and metabolic syndrome at younger ages. There is also a rise in disorders linked to long hours working on computers and stressing over staying relevant at the job.

Much of this is preventable through conscious behavioural changes and institutional support. Persons can adopt simple practices such as the 20-20-20 rule - taking a 20-sec break to look 20 ft away every 20 mins - to reduce eye strain. Or take breaks to stretch at work. Companies can contribute by having digital-free zones, encouraging active breaks, and using productivity tools that help flag excessive screen time. If action isn't taken now, consequences of unchecked digital dependency may well be the advent of a Gen Digitally-Bent around the corner.