Protect Your Body

Thumbs

The problem: typing and texting cripples your hands and wrists.

The reason: BlackBerries, keyboards, mice and games controllers. “Any technology used excessively in an awkward postures or with high force can contribute to wear and tear on the body,” warns Margaret Hanson, the author of Get Fit For Mobile Working. “Activating buttons is likely to lead to overdevelopment of the thumb muscles, creating a painful and disproportionately strong digit.”

Beat the machines: go voice-controlled. “Technological developments, particularly more accurate voice-activated software, will allow data input without the use of the hands and fingers,” says Hanson. Dragon offers a range of dictation software to spare your fraying fingers (dragonnaturallyspeaking.com.au).

Ears

The problem: your love of music and chat on the go is making you deaf.

The reason: MP3 players, in-ear headphone “buds” and Bluetooth headsets. The maximum volume produced by some devices is the equivalent of an aeroplane taking off nearby, destroying the sensory cells that take auditory information to the brain. Forty-five per cent of Australians aged 14+ own an MP3 player, according to Commercial Radio Australia, and an EU report reveals that listening at 89 decibels for an hour a day over five years can cause permanent hearing loss.

Beat the machines: the National Institute on Deafness in the US reports that new research into drug and genetic therapies looks hopeful. However, currently, a hearing aid is the only treatment. So, opt for preventative strategies. Use noise-cancelling headphones and you’ll require less volume to drown out exterior noise. Try Sony’s new MDRNC300D model. They are the world’s first in-ear digital noise-cancelling headphones and claim to reduce up to 98.4 per cent of ambient noise ($549; sony.com.au).

Back

The problem: seven hours working at the computer will curse you with a curved spine.

The reason: Computers, games consoles and televisions. “The advent of technology means the working day is less active and we’re spending more time sitting in the same position,” says Jon Denoris, health and fitness adviser to the UK Government’s Cabinet Office. “We’re living in an ‘obesigenic’ environment – we’re getting fatter and not moving enough – so before long we will be walking around bent over.”

Beat the machines: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. “The use of the Wii Fit and the Nike+ association with Apple shows there’s a definite move towards trying to harness technology rather than simply blaming it,” says Denoris. Interactive coaching websites provide personalised online workout programs to help keep more parts of you moving than just your hands. Try itrainer.com.au or getfit.com.au.

Legs

The problem: weak legs from driving, sitting down all the time and over-eating.

The reason: cars, gaming consoles, bad technique on gym machines. “Future generations may suffer chronic knee pain and short, tight hamstrings,” warns Denoris. “Obesity doesn’t just put pressure on the spine, it also affects the knee,” he says. “Sitting for a long period of time tightens the hamstrings, which causes further stability issues in the lower back and spine.”

Beat the machines: “Along with regular exercise, vibration training can improve flexibility and range of motion in the legs of those who’ve spent all day sitting down,” says Denoris. Powerplate’s vibrating platform looks like it’s straight out of Back to The Future, so it’s a good place to start (powerplate.com.au).

Testes

The problem: technology is cooking your gonads and making you infertile.

The reason: mobile phones, laptops and heated car seats. “Using a mobile for more than four hours a day increases the risk of sperm damage due to electromagnetic radiation,” says Dr Ashok Agarwal, of the Cleveland Clinic in the US. Scientists at the State University of New York also discovered that prolonged laptop use heats the testicles by 2.8ºC, further impairing normal sperm production.

Beat the machines: manage your weight. If you’re overweight, the fat around your testicles will help the sperm boil. A BMI higher than 25 can reduce sperm count by as much as 22 per cent, so if you can’t give up your mobile, at least stop using it to order pizzas.