SLOUGH, BERKSHIRE, U.K.—A new study reveals that the heavy use of smartphones is leading to physiological changes to users’ bodies.
The O2 Mobile Life Report, which explores the evolving relationships between users and their phones, has found that one-third (30%) of smartphone users said they’d begun to see physiological changes to their body, which could be attributed to the tapping of touchscreen, the report concluded.
Two-in-five (37%) of the population say they expect their bodies to further evolve over time as smartphones continue to transform society, relationships and everyday life.
“The average of two hours a day that people spend using their smartphones has led to the fact that 2.5 million of us (one-in-20 of the adult population) now have one thumb that has grown larger than the other – rising to over one in ten (13%) of those aged between 18 and 34,” telecommunications services provider 02 stated. “This could be a result of us swiping phone screens and grappling with handsets that have grown in size.”
People have reported that the thumb of their “swiping hand” is on average 15% larger than the thumb on their opposite hand as the muscles have been given a workout, the report indicated.
“Furthermore, just under four million people say their little fingers have started to change for the same reasons. Eight% of the population report that they have developed an indent in their little fingers from the way they hold their phones – developing a distinctive curve in their fingers as a result of cradling their handsets,” O2 said.
As well as physical effects, a further 5% of smartphone users say they have started to experience “phantom vibrations” ringing sensation as they imagine their phone alerting them to a call or message in their pockets, even when it isn’t, the report said.
“It’s now the new normal that smartphones have become an extension of our ourselves – it’s difficult to tell where our hands stop and the handset starts,” said Nina Bibby, O2 marketing and consumer director.