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Maybe so if the results of a new research project into the long-term effects of tech use on the human body are to be trusted.
The project, commissioned by TollFreeForwarding.com, had researchers come up with a model showing how future humans may evolve due to problems caused by long-term use of cellphones, tablets, and computers.
What they came up with was a 3D model with a face only a mother could love named Mindy.
And all that sitting in front of a computer has left Mindy with a major case of hunchback syndrome.
“Spending hours looking down at your phone strains your neck and throws your spine off balance,” said Caleb Backe, a health and wellness expert cited in the project.
“Consequently, the muscles in your neck have to expend extra effort to support your head.”
Researchers also predicted that humans will develop so-called “text claw” from constantly holding cellphones, along with elbows that are permanently bent at a 90-degree angle.
“This syndrome is caused by pressure or the stretching of the ulnar nerve which runs in a groove on the inner side of the elbow,” Dr. Nikola Djordjevic from Med Alert Help was cited as saying.
“This causes numbness or a tingling sensation in the ring and little fingers, forearm pain, and weakness in the hands – keeping the elbow bent for a long time.”
Mindy is also apparently a big fan of TikTok, as evident from her “tech neck,” which researchers described as the result of muscles growing to limit the damage caused by poor posture.
Perhaps her most bizarre development is a second eyelid, which the model predicted humans may end up with in order to protect against too much blue light from digital devices.
“Humans may develop a larger inner eyelid to prevent exposure to excessive light, or the lens of the eye may be evolutionarily developed such that it blocks incoming blue light but not other high wavelength lights like green, yellow or red,” said Kasun Ratnayake from the University of Toledo.
Mindy also has a thicker skull to help protect her from damaging radiofrequency waves allegedly coming from smartphones, as well as a smaller brain from her sedentary lifestyle, the project found.
“Technology gives us so much. Convenience, connectivity, entertainment, and so much more – but there is a trade-off,” said Jason O’Brien, COO of TollFreeForwarding.com
“Overexposure to technology can sometimes come to the detriment of our health, and Mindy is our visual representation of a growing body of scientific research," he continued.
“While the benefits of technology to individuals and businesses are too great to ignore, it’s worth evaluating your usage to ensure your health isn’t being damaged in the long-term.”
Read the complete research project on TollFreeForwarding.com’s website.
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