Smartphone Pages Swiped Up by Finger Total 13.2 Million Times a Day

Analysis shows that the total distance smartphone users scroll up or down on their screens with their fingers in a day amounts to approximately 13.2 meters.

On the 13th (local time), the UK newspaper The Times reported this calculation based on a survey conducted by the British price comparison site 'Uswitch.' Among the 2,000 respondents, 25% said they use their smartphones for at least 3 hours daily, and 10% reported using their smartphones for more than 5 hours a day.

Researchers analyzed smartphone usage time data, scrollable screen length, respondents' reading speed, and the number of sentences displayed on the screen at once. They estimated that modern people scroll an average of 519 inches (about 13.2 m) daily on their smartphones. This equates to about 93 meters per week and approximately 396 meters per month. Over a year, this amounts to a staggering 3 miles (about 4.8 km) scrolled with their fingers. The weekly scroll distance is comparable to the height of London's iconic clock tower 'Big Ben' (96 m; official name Elizabeth Tower), and the monthly scroll distance exceeds the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (330 m) by 66 meters.

[Image source=Pixabay]

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However, 13.2 meters represents an average user, and for 'heavy users' who spend significantly more time on their smartphones daily, this distance can increase by 2 to 3 times.

Many studies have shown that excessive smartphone use is harmful to health, especially the thumb or index finger movements used to swipe the screen, which can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the 'carpal tunnel,' a passageway on the palm side of the wrist through which nerves pass, narrows, increasing internal pressure and compressing peripheral nerves. The main symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include wrist tingling and numbness, and in severe cases, finger paralysis. In fact, 20% of respondents in this survey reported having experienced carpal tunnel syndrome.

Respondents also reported problems not only with their fingers and wrists but also with their eyes and mental health due to smartphone use. Twenty-two percent of respondents experienced eye strain while using smartphones, and 16% reported headaches and dry eyes. Additionally, more than one in three respondents (33%) said their mental health had deteriorated because of smartphone use.

The Times stated, "Young people who use smartphones for more than an hour a day are more likely to experience mental health issues such as anxiety and lowered self-esteem."

Uswitch advised, "It is necessary to reduce smartphone usage time by using methods such as screen time tracking applications that monitor smartphone usage. If self-control is still difficult, locking the smartphone in a box can be one solution."

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