Express News Service
KOCHI: The lifestyle of IT professionals tends to be hectic, challenging, and, at the same time fun, but almost always sedentary. This lifestyle harms their health, especially due to the virtual work they have been doing for almost two years.
Even as the pandemic continues to bring about lifestyle changes, the long hours IT sector employees have to put in due to working from home have not only badly affected their work-life balance but also their physical and mental well-being.
Due to unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise, the majority of them employed at companies in Technopark, Infopark and Cyberpark in the state have reported work-related stress, lower back and neck pain, hypertension, sleep disorders, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Three years back, a study conducted by SolHealthCare, a wellness firm, in Technopark found that a large number of techies suffer from neck pain, hypertension, lower back pain, work-related stress and sleep disorders.
Of the 784 techies interviewed for the study, 179 complained of lower back pain, 129 of cervical spondylosis affecting the joints and discs in the cervical spine, 65 of carpal tunnel syndrome — a condition that causes numbness in hands and arms, and 61 of sacroiliac joint dysfunction — a condition which causes pain in the lower back and legs.
“For the past two years, most of the techies have been working from home due to the pandemic. Though WFH affected their work-life balance, the majority still prefer that option. Many IT companies have begun organising recreational activities for their employees. Some have even introduced ergonomics, a concept that designs a job or workplace to fit the worker. “One such IT firm, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has notified its employees to blink their eyes every 10 minutes or take a break from looking at the screen,” said Binoy Xavier of Pratidhwani, a welfare organisation of IT employees.
Deepa K R, who has been in the IT sector for almost 13 years says, “Due to the posture and continuous sitting while working from home for over two years, I am suffering from degenerative disc disease. It causes back and neck pain due to wear and tear on a spinal disc and I am currently under medication.”
Highlighting the need to follow a healthy lifestyle, Deepa said, “Even while doing our work, we should follow some basic exercises to keep ourselves fit and healthy. However, the majority of IT employees, including me, tend to neglect these. We face the consequences much later. Even while working from home, the employees have to take steps to improve their health.”
What health experts say
According to physiotherapists, many complications arising out of the wrong work practices are being reported by techies. This includes sitting for long hours in one place and working to meet the deadline, thereby causing stress. Physiotherapist Anjali Suresh says, “Wrong sitting posture, long working hours and sedentary lifestyle are increasing health issues among the IT employees. All these lead to irreversible damage to the spine, mainly the lower back and neck. Techies between 30 and 40 complain the most of these health issues lately. Sitting for straight 12 hours without a break has forced many techies to seek treatment.”
Anjali says posture correction at work and other healthy habits can help keep such lifestyle diseases at bay. “While sitting, care should be taken to maintain the spinal curves and lean against the chair back comfortably. Techies should also keep their heads in such a way that the distance between the screen and the person’s eyes is maintained. The feet should rest on the floor and the knee placed at right angles. Many cases of tennis elbow, a condition caused by repeated stress on the elbow tendons, are also being reported among IT employees. The keyboard and mouse should be placed in the keyboard tray with the wrist kept in a slightly dropping or neutral position.”
Dr Rajathilakam N K, a pulmonologist at the district hospital, Kollam, said weight gain is yet another issue techies are reporting in the last two years. “Some have even shown symptoms of depression and stress. However, due to the use of masks, respiratory diseases have decreased,” he says.
Long-Covid issues such as cough have been reported in many people too. “Though we have been advising people to do exercises for post-Covid issues, it is hardly being practised,” said Dr Rajathilakam.
Small changes
Health experts say techies should keep their heads in a way that maintains a constant distance between the screen and their eyes. Feet should rest on the floor and the knee must be placed at right angles. Wrists should kept in a slightly dropping or neutral position while typing.
Recreational and wellness programmes for techies
Technopark
- A walkway around the newly built artificial pond and yoga at the Park centre
- A walkway is proposed around the clubhouse.
- Proposed facilities include an open gym, modification of cricket ground, a jogging track, clubhouse renovation and a football turf
Infopark
- Smart bikes for sustainable and pollution-free transportation introduced
- Proposed works: Waterfront walkway along the Kadambrayar; buildings with facilities such as recreational area, jogging track, gym and swimming pool.
Cyberpark
- Zumba classes
- Football turf proposed
