Weak hands and blurry vision: Is your tech giving you ‘phone body’?

Your devices are changing your body in ways you might not realise. It’s not too late to do something about it.

When we worry about the effects our screentime might have on us, we tend to focus on the mind. But recently, I looked down and noticed a little calloused bump on my pinky finger. It’s exactly on the spot where I prop up my phone. It got me thinking: what’s my phone doing to the rest of my body?

I called some experts to find out. The answer – maybe you saw this coming – is not encouraging.

The latest science suggests your phone and its digital comrades may be altering the shape of your neck, hurting your vision, affecting your motor skills and reducing your muscle strength. People even worry our tech-driven lives are causing more wrinkles. And some of these physical issues could in turn lead to cognitive decline or other more serious problems.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take all that sitting down (especially because all the sitting is part of the problem). Fortunately, if you don’t want technology ruining your body, there are a few things you can do about it.