Imagine having chronic physical and mental disabilities for the rest of your life. This is the case for many people who become addicted to gaming and tech, forgetting that gaming injuries are in fact a reality.
Gaming injuries may not seem like a big deal, but they most certainly can lead to physical and mental injuries that stay with you forever. In fact, the US National Electronic Injury Surveillance System reported 696 injuries due to video games between 2004 and 2009.
Maybe you are not a big tech person, or maybe you don’t even play video or PC games. However, you probably know someone who is and does. Gaming injuries are so prevalent in global society even doctors are dedicating their practice to helping eSports professionals.
If you are worried about gaming injuries and other tech related illnesses, let’s take a closer look at the most common and tips on how you can play safe. You can always talk to a doctor online and ask online questions about your gaming injuries as well.
- Carpel Tunnel is one of the Most Common Gaming Injuries and Tech Related Injury
Carpal tunnel is no longer for the older generation. It has become a big risk for gamers and those addicted to tech devices. Like most people, you may work on a computer during the day at work, and enjoy a few hours of gaming on the weekends. Well this puts you at higher risk for carpal tunnel.
The Mayo Clinic defines carpal tunnel syndrome as numbness, tingling and pain caused by pinched nerves in the wrist. If tech is unavoidable in your life, using an ergonomic mouse can help. To decrease your risk for gaming injuries, try to game with your wrist as straight as possible. There are also special gaming controllers available too.
- Eyestrain and Fatigue is a Gaming Injury that Also Extends to Tech Use
Eyestrain and eye fatigue are serious gaming injuries that can affect your physical and mental health. Eyestrain and eye fatigue can be caused by excessive screen time. This can be during marathon gaming sessions or simply a long day staring at the office computer.
There are a few ways your can prevent these gaming injuries, whether caused by your gaming console or work computer. Keeping your peepers 20 to 40 inches from the TV or laptop, matching your computers light with your environment, and positioning your screen so that you are looking slightly down at it are all great gaming injuries preventive measures.
- Poor Posture is Causing Chronic Gaming Injuries
Your video gaming time may be wearing down your posture in a negative way. If you want to maintain a healthy posture into your well-deserved golden years, it is imperative to focus on how you are playing or using your tech.
An ergonomically correct gaming chair is one excellent way to protect your posture from gaming injuries. Staring down at your tech devices will also cause shoulder, back, and neck pain. Sitting up straight and keeping your melon balanced and centered is a gaming and tech best practice for better posture.
- Contact Gaming Injuries and Blunt Force Trauma is a Real Tech Threat
Gaming injuries happen, and some of them are actually full-contact trauma injuries. This may be due to the growing popularity in augmented reality apps like Pokémon Go and Wii games. The rise in Virtual Reality (VR) is also causing gaming injuries that pose a real tech threat to humans.
Reports of people walking into traffic and stationary objects while playing Pokémon Go alone are startling. To prevent full contact gaming injuries and trauma, ensure you are a safe distance from other gamers. You may also find those Wii straps more than useful for you and the décor in your home.
- Gaming Injuries also Serve Up Muscle Aches and Strains
Staring down at your tech devices or having marathon Wii tennis matches can cause some serious gaming injuries. You may find your muscles to be sore the next day after long gaming sessions.
In order to keep your body healthy while gaming, do some warm-up exercises. Wii games and the VR games you may be playing are similar to doing exercise. And you most certainly want to stretch out before exercising. You may even find stretching a healthy way to prevent those muscle gaming injuries as well.
If you suffer from a chronic physical or mental issue due to gaming injuries and you need relief, talk to a doctor online or ask online questions. yourdoctors.online has top medical professionals who specialize in orthopedics, eye care, and even psychological issues like gaming addiction.
Submitted by Dr. Asim Cheema: https://stmichaelshospitalresearch.ca/researchers/asim-cheema/
