Beware! Computers can seriously damage your health

Jun 9 2009

According to researchers in the United States computers can damage the health and computer-related injuries are on the increase - with young children particularly at risk.

The researchers say back pain, blurred vision and mouse-related injuries are now commonly accepted and well-documented hazards of long-term computer use, but the number of acute injuries connected to computers is rising rapidly.

According to the researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy, the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, there has been over seven times more computer-related injuries due to tripping over computer equipment, head injuries due to computer monitor falls and other physical incidents.

Over 78,000 documented cases of acute computer-related injuries were treated in U.S. emergency departments from 1994 through 2006 and the data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System shows that around 93% of these injuries occurred at home.

This signifies an increase of 732% over the 13-year study period of acute computer-related injuries - more than double the increase in household computer ownership (309%).

These injuries included hitting against or catching on computer equipment; tripping or falling over computer equipment; computer equipment falling on top of the patient; and the straining of muscles or joints - and the main culprit was most often the computer monitor.

The percentage of monitor-related cases increased significantly, from 11.6% in 1994 to a peak of 37.1% in 2003 but by 2006, it had decreased to 25.1% which corresponds to the replacement of heavier cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors with smaller and easier-to-lift liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors.

Children aged 5 years were the most common victims, followed by the over 60's - the injury was usually tripping or falling and hitting or getting caught on computer equipment and while injuries to the extremities were most common, children often had injuries to the head.

According to Dr. Lara B. McKenzie from the Nationwide Children's Hospital Center for Injury Research and Policy, Columbus, more research on acute computer-related injuries is needed as computers become more intertwined in everyday life.

Dr. McKenzie says more information is needed on the types of computers and equipment used, the layout of these systems, and the furniture utilized in order to develop household-safety practices in this area and greater efforts are needed to prevent such injuries, especially among young children.

The study is published in the July 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive.