Experts at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy argue that Brits are losing strength in their arms because safe shopping online is eliminating the need to lug heavy bags of shopping back from high street stores, according to the Telegraph.

Analysts questioned 2000 adults and revealed that almost a quarter of respondents over the age of 65 said that they do not make any regular effort to strengthen their bodies, which could lead to a higher likelihood of injuries occurring later in life.

Hauling bags of shopping is one of the ways that NHS specialists recommend that people can keep their muscles in a suitable condition, but as safe shopping online is so popular it is a rarer activity than ever before.

Report spokesperson, Karen Middleton, said that people were flocking to use e-commerce sites because of the convenience they offer, but warned that without taking action to promote strengthening exercises in other areas, people could find that they are prone to other problems further down the line.

She also explained that the very act of having to leave the house to buy items in the past, or at least to browse bricks and mortar stores, stimulated more activity.

She said that online shopping was not in itself problematic, so long as people develop healthy habits in other areas so that they do not suffer the consequences of an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.

The idea that weakness and frailty are inevitable in old age is something of a myth, according to Middleton, who said that healthcare guidelines could be followed to avoid the worst effects of growing older. This is something for younger generations to bear in mind, as those who have grown up with online shopping may face even bigger issues in the future.