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 study out of Sweden found that returning to the office could prove equally detrimental to one’s health.

“A lengthy commute to work is associated with being less physically active, being overweight, and having sleep problems,” wrote researchers from Stockholm University, who surveyed more than 13,000 Swedes aged 16 to 64. “And, depending on where your office is located, you may also be more likely to drink in excess.”

They added, “People who worked more than 40 hours and commuted more than five hours each week were more likely to be physically inactive and experience sleep problems, compared with times when they only commuted one-to-five hours a week.”

Anxiety

Of course, the adverse effects of working from home aren’t just physical. Furniture@Work claims that remote employees could experience isolation, loneliness and depression due to missing out on the social interactions that come with being in the office.

A Japanese survey conducted during the height of the pandemic in 2020 found that 35% of workers who telecommute experienced poor mental health due to working from home. Meanwhile, another study from around that time found that nearly 70% of Americans struggled to maintain a healthy work-life balance while working remotely.

Meanwhile, 56% of respondents claimed they’ve been more stressed about work than ever before, per the poll. Remote work is apparently not just taking a toll on the employees. It’s also wreaked havoc on offices with workplace occupancy in New York City falling from nearly 90% to 10% during the pandemic and only recently bouncing back to 48.4%.

As a result, fewer companies are renewing their leases, which is causing the value of office buildings to plummet. The number of newly signed leases reportedly plunged from 285.4 million feet per year pre-pandemic to only 62.4 million feet annually during the same period the year after.