A study by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) showed that workers are risking their mental and physical health by working on smartphones, tablets and laptops after they have left the office. Workers are doing more than two extra hours’ work daily while commuting and after arriving home.
Some workers think working at home in the evening helps to ease their stress levels. People have become screen slaves and the poor posture in these enviournments could cause back and neck pain. To check the usage of smartphones, tablets and laptops, experts conducted a study involving more than two thousand office workers.
They found that most of workers spent six hours in front of their computer screen during the day, prior to turning on their smartphones and other devices on their way to home. The study statistics suggested that having too much work and lessening pressure during the day were the two main reasons for the extra workload.
But the CSP warned that overworking may escort to several health problems such as poor posture while using laptops or smartphones may cause back and neck pain. The CSP report suggested that employers are urged to encourage staff to take regular breaks and to take part in activities during the day.
Dr Helena Johnson, the chairperson of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, stated the study findings are of huge concern. While doing a bit of extra work at home may seem like a good short-term fix, if it becomes a regular part of your evening routine then it can lead to problems such as back and neck pain, as well as stress-related illness.
She added this is especially the case if you are using hand-held devices and not thinking about your posture. Talk to your employer if you are feeling under pressure. The study findings are significant for physiotherapists, who see the consequences of poor posture and bad working practices each day.