 | Gaming makes us move our muscles in ways we aren't used to. Could they be causing injury? |
We've all been there before: slouched over in a chair 1 foot away from the screen, dry eyes, 10 hours into a video game session. There's nothing wrong with excessive gaming. In fact, video games are a form of digital therapeutics. However, prolonged sitting, especially with improper posture, can be devastating on the spine.
As a result, you may end up with muscle pain. In fact, everyday activities like sitting at a desk may lead to biomechanical instability, muscle tightness, and pain. Even though some complaints can start small, like small aches, it's important to treat them correctly before they become worse. Even minor issues can lead to long-term injuries such as musculoskeletal disorders such as Carpal Tunnel and Tendinitis.
On top of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Tendinitis of the elbow, Justin W. Zumsteg, MD writing for Orlando Health, has confirmed many other types of eGaming injuries. Gamer's Thumb is the common name of De Quervain's tenosynovitis: the inflammation of the tendons that help with the extension of the thumb. It is typically caused by excessive repetitive use of the thumb. As it becomes more pronounced, you will experience pain with simple things like turning your wrist, grabbing things, or even making a fist. Our research also found that repetitive activities like typing or heavy lifting lead to muscle tightness and pain - most often affecting the back, wrists, and hands.
Neck pain can also form from extensive gaming periods. Neck caused by this sort of activity is also known as "Tech Neck" or "Text Neck." This pain is created when one looks down at the gaming device, which creates a strain on the neck muscles. Our heads are around 10 to 12 pounds when neutrally afloat. However, looking down adds an addition 50 to 60 pounds of force to the neck muscles, which is where the pain is caused.
Nonetheless, muscle tightness and pain can be treated. Physical and massage therapy, as well as Muscle Activation Techniques, provide possible solutions, and are scientifically/consumer backed. You can read more about muscle pain and how to fix it in the link below.
Click to see the infographic
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honestgamer - June 15, 2020 (06:00 PM) I'm kind of glad we don't play Wii games much these days, because that's the worst pain I've ever experienced from gaming. A select few titles basically required pretty substantial jerking of the arms while holding a Wii Remote to make things happen. Now that I think about it, the worst two offenders were both developed by SEGA and featured the infamous blue hedgehog. But anyway, gaming is something I seem to do in moderation these days. If I'm playing a handheld game for long, I tend to prop up my head, so that limits neck pain. My problem seems to stem more from regular computer use. Writing and web design and data entry and so forth are all a pain, but I also take a lot more breaks these days than I did when I was younger. It seems to help a lot. |
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