What ‘damaging’ remote work could do to our bodies

It’s the Hunchback of Work From Home. First becoming in vogue during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work continues to be the modus operandi for many employees today.

However, researchers claim the human race could suffer a frightening devolution should we continue working from home — which apparently includes sprouting gnarled troll hands and a hunchback in under 100 years. Mainly caused by consistent use of technology, screen exposure and poor posture, as well as potential mental health issues.

Pew Research Center found that as much as 14% of the US population is working from home all the time.

Meanwhile, 28% worked on a hybrid schedule.

Back at home

“Lack of regular movement and ergonomic inefficiencies can lead to musculoskeletal disorders,” said orthopedic surgeon Dr. LS Wang. “Chronic pains and degenerative conditions can also develop because of prolonged sitting and inadequate posture (especially when no one is watching).”

In September, a survey of UK workers found that 63.7% had newfound back issues since working from home.

Red Eyes

“Without enough natural light or the bright lights provided in commercial offices, remote workers will be putting extra strain on their eyes which could lead to headaches,” the site writes.

To mitigate this ocular side effect, remote workers should employ the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes spent staring at a screen, work-from-homers should look away at something that is 20 feet away from them for 20 seconds, per Healthline.

Claw hands

Just as fish sprouted legs to walk on land all those years ago, we could develop “text claw” from excessive typing in awkward positions. While not an official medical diagnosis, this condition is defined by the Atlanta Hand Specialist site as wrist and hand pain caused by continuously performing fine-motor movements such as typing.

“Long hours using a mouse or smartphone while working from home, curling your fingers around into an unnatural position, could lead to repetitive strain injuries and permanent ‘Text Claw’ for remote workers of the future,” claims Furniture@Work. In other words, going full goblin mode could literally have us looking like goblins.

Weight gain

Working from home can lead to obesity, which Furniture@Home chalks up to remote workers’ sedentary lifestyles. While working from an office might not seem like a triathlon, it does involve commuting, walking to meetings, getting up for meal and drink breaks, and other fat-fighting activities that are oft-avoided during a home-office arrangement, per the site.

Conversely, a stu