Is your PC killing you?

Posted on 7 May 2009 at 16:33

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Computing is littered with health hazards such as filthy keyboards, laptop explosions and addictions. Stewart Mitchell explores the long-term damage posed by your PC.

The potential health risks associated with computers are well documented. Long hours spent hunched over a keyboard can result in neck and back problems, while staring at a screen for lengthy spells can lead to eye trouble, and laptops pose their own unique problems when used in the very spot that their name suggests. There are also psychological risks associated with such online activities as gambling, gaming and porn. Mental health issues can result when these part-time pursuits edge into addictive behaviour.

Less obvious are the risks posed by the very materials used to make computers. Everything from cases to components contains toxic and environmentally harmful substances that could be released during recycling or disposal processes.

Whether it's the threat of explosion from faulty laptop batteries, the risk of infertility from boiling groins or back pain resulting from poor posture, one thing is clear: for all the benefits they bring, computers can also cause some serious problems. In this feature, we highlight the health risks we all face in the computing age - and offer you some advice on how to minimise them.

Feeling the strain?

One of the most widely publicised problems suffered by computer users is repetitive strain injury (RSI). This often manifests as discomfort in the back, arms, wrists and hands, and, according to some medical experts, it can lead to permanent health problems.

Conditions such as RSI, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and other non-specific upper limb aches and pains tend to get lumped together because the symptoms are similar. Usually, these symptoms include aching in the back and neck, and more acute pain in the wrists and fingers. However, despite the long association of such symptoms with computer use, some occupational health experts maintain that there's little evidence to suggest that long-term musculoskeletal injury occurs.

"If you do a lot of work on the computer, or if you sit an exam and do a lot of writing with a pen, you end up with an aching hand, but this is simply muscle fatigue discomfort - not RSI," says Dr John Challenor of the Society of Occupational Medicine. "With most non-specific, diffuse upper limb discomfort, there's nothing to see on an X-Ray or MRI scan, and the discomfort will subside if the person's workstation is better set up." Our 'Typing school' box highlights ways in which you can minimise the risks associated with typing for long periods.

Challenor continues, "It is highly unusual to find people with health effects resulting from IT work. Carpal tunnel syndrome isn't caused by computer work. It may be an aggravating factor, but it's not the cause. People complaining about work discomfort are usually looking for compensation." This view contradicts those of many other experts who believe that ergonomic threats are a ticking time bomb as far as your health is concerned.

Getting carried away

For an example of potential problems mounting up, consider those students who routinely use laptops for long periods, often in unsuitable positions on their knees or in bed. Research carried out by senior ergonomist Rachel Benedyk at University College London has indicated that some students are experiencing aches and pains from prolonged laptop use. The research revealed that, on average, students are using laptops for almost five-and-a-half hours a day, which, says Benedyk, would be considered extensive in a risk assessment.