Most Common Tech Ailments 

Harmony Healthcare IT share with Healthy Lombard that for many remote workers, working from home meant ditching suits for sweatpants and long commutes for later alarms. As of September, 45 percent of Americans are still taking advantage of their remote setup, according to a recent Gallup poll.

But that doesn’t mean employees are more comfortable on their couches. Increased screen time and makeshift office furniture have strained our eyes and stiffened our joints over the last 18 months.

Tech Ailments by State

At Harmony Healthcare IT, our consultants are here to help health systems, hospitals, and physicians navigate a dynamic industry. To find out how employees are getting through these unprecedented times, we analyzed Google search volume to determine the most common tech-related ailments, aches, and pains Americans have been suffering due to our tech-obsessed lifestyles.

The results are a real pain in the neck or rather, the hands. Wrist, hand, and finger pain dominated as the most common tech ailment across the country, with 32 percent of states searching for a remedy online. Both lower joint pain and eye irritation claimed 16 percent, while neck pain bothered 14 percent of Americans.

So, what technology caused so much pain? According to our research, it’s not work-related technology that’s afflicting us the most. Gaming addiction landed the top spot among tech ailment searches, followed by computer vision syndrome. And video games aren’t Americans’ only addiction. The third most popular search is “nomophobia” or the fear of being without your phone. 

It’s clear that the pandemic took its toll on Americans’ eyes, backs, and joints. Since October 2019, searches related to back pain from working at a computer increased by an astounding 142 percent. And between Zoom work calls, Zoom happy hours, and Zoom conferences, Americans were glued to their screens more than ever. Perhaps that’s why we found a 78 percent increase in searches related to eye strain from working at a computer. All those stresses combined might explain the 40 percent increase in searches for all tech ailments since the start of COVID-19.

To read the entire study, click here.