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A mounting body of research has linked excessive smart device use to a range of serious health problems that may negatively affect people’s well-being. 

The tendency for users to remain sedentary while spending unnaturally long periods of time on their devices may increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, obesity and heart disease. 

Maintaining incorrect posture while using devices has also been linked to musculoskeletal disorders, such as neck, shoulder, and hand pain. For example, two commonly reported smart device-related muscle and bone problems are ‘text neck’ and ‘smartphone thumb’. 

‘Text neck’ occurs when device users slouch and bend their heads down and forward during long periods of smart device use. Text neck leads to rounded shoulders, tenderness, stiffness, soreness and weakness in the neck, back and shoulder muscles, as well as reduced neck mobility. 

‘Smartphone thumb’ is a condition caused by the repetitive motion of typing on a flat smartphone screen, which affects the wrist joint and causes pain around the thumb while internet addiction and social isolation have been linked to an array of mental illnesses.

Research has also now linked excessive device use with numerous mental health conditions. Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) is now officially recognised by the World Health Organization as a mental health problem and is considered an emerging public health crisis, particularly for young people. IAD and excessive device use in turn may increase the risk of depression, anxiety and social isolation. Therefore, it is important for everyone to be well-equipped with the right information to prevent and manage these potential problems for the well-being of our future generation. 

At Plano, we have conducted extensive research and summarised our findings on all the latest and trusted information from experts to help you and your family maintain good well-being. Read our articles to find out more.