Software Soft Targets

April 08, 2002 00:00 IST Software Soft Targets -0001-11-30T00:00:00+0553

Hit hard by recession, there are just too many casualties to lifestyle diseases in India’s IT industry today. Bangalore’s Mallya hospital, says consulting physician Dr Sitaram V. Chowti, throngs with software professionals who come in with complaints of sleeplessness, lack of appetite, impaired bowel movement, muscle pains and cramps. "Agitation is writ large on their faces," he notes.

But even without the recession, professionals who spend hours peering into monitors are surfing dangerous territory. A host of health problems already have them in an unhealthy net: computer vision syndrome (dryness/ watering of eyes), carpal tunnel syndrome (stiffening of finger joints due to excessive keyboard use), migraines and backaches which often become chronic cervical and lumbar illnesses. Coupled with the fact that such professionals are forced to lead sedentary lives, the potential risk of obesity, blood pressure and other allied diseases doubles. Not to be hyperlinked to the cyberworld all the time, therefore, is a healthy idea.