TORONTO - Computers have long been linked to repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, but the equipment is increasingly being blamed for other physical harms, especially among young children.
A U.S. study shows that the number of people seeking emergency treatment for cuts, bruises, strains and head injuries from computer-related mishaps has soared over the last decade or so.
In fact, the 1994-2006 study in Tuesday's issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found a 732 per cent jump in acute injuries, most caused by tripping over computer equipment, monitor falls and other physical incidents.
"Various agencies have recommendations for making our kitchens and our bathrooms and our bedrooms and our homes as safe as possible, especially for children," said senior author Lara McKenzie of Nationwide Children's Hospital's Center for Injury Research and Policy.
"But nobody so far has done research on making the home office or the computer work station one of those areas," McKenzie said Monday in an interview from Columbus, Ohio.
"Computers are a product found in most homes these days and used by people of all ages, including children, so it's definitely an area of the home that we want to make as safe as possible."
Using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), the researchers analyzed acute injuries caused by mishaps involving computers and related components like printers and scanners.
During the study period, they found that almost 79,000 patients aged one month to 80 years old were treated for acute computer-related injuries in hospital ERs across the country. Most were released, but almost one per cent of patients had to be admitted to hospital.
About 93 per cent of the incidents occurred in the home, said the authors, noting that the seven-fold-plus rise in the number of injuries from 1994 to 2006 more than doubles the 309 per cent increase in household computer ownership during the 13-year period.
"We found that injuries to children and adolescents aged 20 years and younger accounted for 35 per cent of the cases in our study," said McKenzie.
Children under five had the highest injury rate of all age groups, the study found, with the most common cause tripping or falling into equipment.
"Most children were injured while they were playing near or climbing on the computer equipment," she said.
While injuries to the arms and legs were most common, children under 10 were the most likely of all age groups to hurt their heads.
Those who sought treatment reported a range of causes for their injuries: bumping against or getting caught in computer equipment; tripping or falling over components; and having the equipment fall on top of them.
The component most often linked to acute injuries was the monitor.
"Other components involved were laptops, desktop towers, the keyboard or the mouse, other large accessories like printers, scanners, fax machines, computer furniture, the cords, the plugs, the wires and other internal components," McKenzie said. "So you could probably find something that involved just about every part of a computer or computer equipment."
McKenzie said the NEISS database compiled by the U.S. Consumer Products Association collects data only from hospital emergency departments, so case estimates likely don't capture the true scope of the problem.
Other people injured could have chosen to not bother with treatment or gone to their family doctor or a walk-in clinic, she said.
"Future research on acute computer-related injuries is needed as this ubiquitous product becomes more intertwined in our everyday lives ... Given the large increase in acute computer-related injuries over the study period, greater efforts are needed to prevent such injuries, especially among young children."
Some steps to avoid injury:
-Keep computer and related equipment away from edge of desk and out of reach of young children.
-Position computer on stable work surface free of clutter.
-Only allow young children to use computers with adult supervision.
-Keep kids' play area separate from computer work station.
-Organize and secure wiring and cables.
-Install safety covers on unused electrical outlets.
-Anchor furniture and heavy computer components to the wall or floor to prevent tip-overs.
-When moving a computer, ensure pathway is clear and use proper lifting posture to avoid back injury.
?? The Canadian Press, 2009