Whenever
you talk about gaming or gamers, if an image of a teenager playing video games in the basement pops up, you probably need to move on. The movies or media have heavily influenced its portrayal, but things are changing rapidly. Do you know that 48% of gamers identify as female in the US? Strange, isn’t it if you had an image of a teenage boy playing video games? According to the research,
nearly 214 million Americans play video games. It is said that we live in the golden age of gaming, and enjoying a game has never been easier. Today, many people consider free time gaming time and play games on phones.
Even the pandemic is a significant factor in turning everyone into a gamer. The video game industry had remarkable growth as more and more consumers bought consoles, and those who already had one bought more games. The restrictions made people spend more time on indoor activities, including playing video games, thereby driving up the time a user spent playing video games. Many people started playing online games for experience and played with multiplayer. The whole experience becomes incredible for some with multiple players. Today, it has become more than just a hobby; it has become one of the biggest markets in the entertainment industry.
Studies show that gaming can improve your mental health and make you happy. It is great news, but sometimes everything appears too good to be true. It makes you feel good and happy, but excessive gaming comes with a price. Research also suggests gaming is linked to anxiety, depression, obesity, sleeping disorders, and stress. People likely remain physically inactive for a more extended period due
to gaming. It could strain your eyes while playing video games for long periods. Often regular excessive gamers complain of musculoskeletal problems, such as pain in the hands and wrists to the back and neck are some of them. The most common video game injuries are gamer’s thumb, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow. It can be categorized into four main types such as:
Console video game injuries
The most common injuries include the gamer’s thumb and tennis elbow. Gamer’s thumb is inflammation in the thumb and wrist which is caused by repetitive motion of consoles or keyboard usage. Some of the most common signs can be pain in the thumb, wrist pain, or pain while rotating the thumb. Whereas tennis elbow happens when gripping a gaming console without proper posture or not taking any breaks while gaming. It is a painful condition with repetitive wrist twisting or frequent forearm rotation.
Computer video game injuries
These injuries are consistent with desk job injuries, with carpal tunnel syndrome being the most common. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve. Some of the symptoms are numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Virtual reality video game injuries
It has opened many new opportunities in the gaming world. It takes the player into a virtual space, fully immersed in the game. Their eyes are covered, which doesn’t allow the person playing to see what’s happening around them in the real world. The person will likely fall or hurt themselves with the stuff around them.
If you are a gamer experiencing any of the above symptoms, we can help! Reach out to The Form Hand Therapy at (510) 350-3030 for a pain-free life.
