The number of tech enthusiasts may be increasing in all workplaces, just as the number of tech-related medical consults has increased since smart phones and laptops were introduced into the lives of practically everyone who can use computers.

The New York Times over the weekend called on the readers to look around and spot the signs of heavy gadget use: hunched shoulders, angled necks and wrists, hands twisted like claws.

As gadget users continue to abuse their bodies into mindlessly using gadgets without regard for straining the muscle put people at risk of injury, the symptoms of which are hardly noticeable on the onset.

An ergonomics professor at Cornell, Alan Hedge, notes that anyone could start making observations at any airport waiting area, where people are always seen using laptops in uncomfortable positions. He says too much of this disregard for ergonomics and proper posture will eventually take a physical toll.

Over two decades ago, employees worked mainly on desktop computers with hardware designed for user adjustment and maximum comfort. With laptops, tablets and smartphones in the picture, the use or misuse of gadgets at work, at home, at restaurants and in odd places open possibilities for muscle aches.

By disregarding posture and overusing gadgets, people are at greater risk of eye strain, tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, to name a few conditions. The hands, shoulders, neck and back are most prone to muscle aches resulting from misuse and abuse of electronic devices at improper posture.

"[Laptops] do not meet any of the ergonomic requirements for a computer system," Hedge told the Times. The keyboard and the screen are connected, so if the keyboard is placed at the ideal position for typing, the screen will not be at the best distance for viewing. To avoid discomfort in using laptops, docking stations with extra keyboard or monitor could prove helpful.

Moving on to touchscreens, Hedge said keys that move up and down somehow provide cushion for the fingers, while the motion of drumming fingers against screens is harsher and can lead to soreness. Hedge noted a tablet should not be relied on for typing.

Professor Hedge also noted the gadgeteers' thumbs have been forced into a level of service they were never meant to provide. He said heavy thumb users should be reminded that thumbs are more vulnerable than fingers because they have two bones instead of three.

"If you want to get injured, do a lot of texting," he added, noting that texting has led to an increase in a condition known as De Quervain's tenosynovitis, where the tendons become so inflamed that it becomes painful to move the thumb, affecting one's ability to hold things.

When using electronic devices, "match the technology to the task you want to perform," Professor Hedge said. "If what you're doing is a lot of typing, you need a keyboard," he added. "Don't try to type 'War and Peace' with your thumbs."

Carol Stuart-Buttle of Stuart-Buttle Ergonomics in Philadelphia offered tips in solving the aches and pains usually experienced as a result of too much use of electronic devices.

To trace a pain's origins, a device user must look for any repetitive and sustained activity in all the devices being used. Her client who recently began typing on a propped-up tablet computer at home suddenly experienced discomfort when typing at work due to the extra strain on her wrists.

Psychological factors also play a role in the pains, she added. Mental stress can cause you to tense your muscles, aggravating any existing physical stress. Consulting an ergonomics expert is the best option when pains and aches from gadget use persist.

The Times concluded its feature with a simple advice: take a break. As useful and amazing an electronic device may be, any user would do well by taking breaks from using it.