It seems hardly possible to experience an injury due to computer use. Most people expect injuries to occur when doing something more intense, such as playing sports. However, even sitting at a computer for hours can harm you in one way or another.
Computers have become a vital thing in our lives and are extremely useful. You can use them to play games, work or store important files to name a few. In February 2019, 74% of people in America had a desktop or a laptop computer at home.
This makes the risk of computer-related injuries even greater. But what types of injuries can one experience by using a computer or laptop on a frequent basis? Let’s find out.
Eye Strain
The most common and known injury caused by computed use is eye strain. You must have been told by your parents that your eyesight will get worse and worse if you keep staring at the screen for so long, but you may have brushed it off. Your parents were not exactly wrong – using a computer for a very long time will make your eyes feel itchy or tired.
Eyes feel more comfortable when looking at objects that are over 6 meters away. When you keep staring at a computer, which is a few inches in front of you, you’re putting a strain on your eyes for too long. This can lead to eye fatigue. The blue light coming from the screen can also result in fatigue.
Myofascial Trigger Points
If you have a bad posture for a prolonged time, the strain can result in myofascial trigger points. In time, this will give you muscle spasms and pain.
The mouse shoulder is probably the one thing that commonly causes myofascial trigger points. Mouse shoulder is when you keep making only small and short movements with the mouse, or when you keep the mouse in a bad position.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
If you sit in front of your computer for a very long time and keep your hand on the mouse, this can lead to what is known as carpal tunnel syndrome. It is a condition caused by the median nerve as it goes through your wrist.
Generally, this condition will make itself known through pain at night, clumsiness, weakness when you grasp, paresthesia, and others.
Posterior Cervical Dorsal Syndrome
The posterior cervical dorsal syndrome is present when there is an outward curve between your lower back and rounded shoulders. Some people also call this condition the student syndrome or computer back.
While it sounds harmless, it can be a burden as it often causes tension through the lower and upper back, as well as headaches. Over time, it can also lead to impaired breathing and joint dysfunction.
Tendonitis
Sitting at your desk for prolonged periods can lead to a condition known as tendonitis. It involves inflammation which occurs due to protracted or repeated tension periods. It’s quite common, and it can cause difficulties moving the affected area, as well as joint stiffness and pain.
Disc Injuries
Not everyone who sits in front of a computer for hours realizes that their posture is improper. They sit in weird positions, which can lead to pain and other issues over time. One of the most common types of injuries that results from a bad posture is disc injury.
This problem arises when one keeps sitting in poor postures and puts more load on the spine. The disc’s nucleus may extend through the disc’s annular fibers or may extend into it. This is what causes a herniated disc, which brings a lot of leg and back pain, as well as difficulty walking.
Lateral Epicondylitis
Lateral epicondylitis is also known as tennis elbow due to how frequently it happens to tennis athletes. But you do not need to be a famous tennis player to experience this injury. It even occurs when you love spending time in front of your computer, using the mouse for extended periods.
If you keep grasping the mouse, you might experience pain that radiates into your forearm or up the arm.
Final Thoughts
In California, a lot of workers earn their income by using a computer all day. Unfortunately, this can be an issue when they do not have the best posture or when they keep staring at the monitor for long hours. California makes it possible for one to get compensation benefits when dealing with a computer injury. If you suffer a computer-related injury at work, you should reach out to Salinas personal injury lawyers to figure out if you can claim compensation.