Pain From Poor Posture And Sitting
Even when you sit with the best posture, sitting too long is not good for you. Your body is meant to move. Its easy to forget this when absorbed in an exciting game, but the pain you feel after is a nagging reminder to change some habits. Minor lower back and neck pain could eventually turn into major disk problems with pain, numbness and tingling. You dont have to stop gaming to prevent this, just take some time in preparation to set yourself up for success.
Some quick tips to prevent back and neck pain during gaming:
- Add core strengthening exercises, like planks, bridges and superman stretches, to your daily or weekly routine.
- Warm up and do some dynamic stretching or yoga before gaming for long periods.
- Choose a chair that supports you and reinforces good posture.
- Switch positions while gaming, at least once an hour, from sitting with good posture to standing.
Video Gamers Now Spend A Collective Three Billion Hours Per Week In Front Of Their Screens
Written by Agencies | Updated : May 20, 2015 4:34 PM IST
Spending too much time playing video games may increase your risk of developing neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, says a new study.
Playing too much video games could lower functional brain activity in the hippocampus that plays a major role in memory formation and spatial navigation, the researchers said.
People who spend a lot of time playing video games may have reduced hippocampal integrity, which is associated with an increased risk of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, said Gregory West, assistant professor at the University of Montreal in Canada. Read about whether an epilepsy drug can treat Alzheimer’s.
A Behind The Scenes Look
Mannon, who works full-time for GameStop, is a celebrity of Twitch games with around 5,000 followers. Her gaming days began as a child and her favorite game to play was Fable on Xbox. Although she has years of experience, Mannon said that she believes her skill is not the reason she has been able to gain such a large online following. I would have to say that people watch me because I make them laugh and forget about the pains and terrible things that they may be dealing with. Im like an escape for people, and in turn, they may donate or subscribe to my channel to show their appreciation she said.
Three years ago, Mannon started streaming her game playing for viewers to watch. Now, if they enjoy it, they can donate or subscribe to enable her to continue in her streaming efforts. My boyfriend and I had just moved and got way better Internet, so I said why not try and see if I like it. I had always watched people stream and even supported some of my favorites, so I set everything up and I hit Go Live she said.
There are some games that Mannon would say she is pretty knowledgeable about and others can watch her get better and learn things. But there are also games, like Fortnite, which she says that occasionally result in her falling off the map or falling to her death. But people find it funny and watch anyways she said.
Staying in the game with RA
Promoting engagement with an invisible coach
A trend on the rise
References:
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What Causes Tennis Elbow
Aside from traditional repetitive use, prolonged grip on a gaming console without proper posture, and particularly, without regulated breaks can cause these tendons to become inflamed, causing elbow pain. This is the most typical cause we see in esports enthusiasts. While we learned that there are several risk factors for other video-game-related injuries, tennis elbow doesnt typically involve any specific risk factors beyond activities or careers that involve repetitive arm movements.It typically comes down to repetitive gripping and bending the wrist up or down. This is exacerbated if the shoulders are not retracting and moving to help assist this movement. To decrease the stress on your elbow, avoid moving just your wrist instead, retract your shoulders to help take some of the pressure off your elbow. According to Mayo Clinic, most cases are seen in adults ages 30-50.
What Impact Do Horror Games Have On The Heart
Even though researchers emphasize the risk is low and not a common happening for video gamers, the risk to the heart from violent, scary, or emotionally taxing video games does exist.
In recent years, some video game players have passed out when intense gaming sessions caused their heartbeat to lapse into an irregular rhythm . This happens when electrical impulses that direct and regulate heartbeats dont function properly. This causes the heart to beat:
1.5% to 5% of the population. Some are likely unaware that they are living with this undiagnosed heart disorder.
Not all of this is a novel area, as its been studied since the earliest days of video gaming. In fact, this landmark 1 983 study points to the cardiovascular concerns that can arise. That research linked video games of that era to seizures, psychological disturbances, higher blood pressure and increased heart rate.
In view of these results, other cardiovascular changes might be expected to occur during video-game playing, the study authors wrote. Although the changes reported here were minor, even minor cardiovascular alterations could potentially prove serious in persons with cardiovascular disease.
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Are Gamers Thumbs Permanent
No, gamers thumbs are not permanent in most cases. However, if you go too long without rest and recovery from gamers thumb, the damage can sometimes last permanently. If youre taking care of your hands and thumb properly, gamers thumb may last only about five hours after playing video games or typing.
Managing Repetitive Stress Injuries
The first step in managing your RSI is to identify and modify the task or activity that is causing your symptoms. Other tips for managing RSI include:
- Take frequent breaks and rest
- Use a heat or ice pack on the sore spot
- Take anti-inflammatory painkillers
- Take a contrast bath after extended periods of use to reduce potential swelling and inflammation
- Immobilize the area with a support or splint
If your symptoms persist and you continue to experience pain, its advisable to consult with a health care professional.
One question asked by many isCan prolonged use and/or Repetitive stress injuries eventually lead to arthritis? Although constantly used joints of the hand and wrist may be especially susceptible to Osteoarthritis or Inflammatory Arthritis, there is no conclusive evidence to date, that gaming or texting will actually lead to arthritis in later years.
So Good news for all you gamers and texters! It appears the answer to the question Can Gaming Cause Arthritis In My Thumbs is a big no.
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Hand Surgeon Believes Texting And Gaming Causes Arthritis At Early Age
HOUSTON – It used to be fifty years and older before most people first experienced the onset of arthritis.
“Fifty, sixty seventy year old patients are the ones who developed arthritis,” said Houston hand surgeon Dr. Mark Ciaglia.
Ciaglia says he’s now seeing patients 40 and younger dealing with arthritis.
“With the advent of texting and video games and excessive use of computers and typing you’re wearing the joints out sooner so we’re actually seeing a shift in the demographics of patients that get the arthritis because they’re just wearing their joints out so much sooner,” Ciaglia said.
We’ve becoming a society that seems to constantly use our hands.
While gaming devices are a fun past time the repetitive motion we do while playing them can put too much stress on our hands.
“At the end of the day it’s a wear and tear how many times are you moving a joint back and forth where the cartilage that covers the bone within the joint,” said Ciaglia. “The more things you do and the more aggressive you are with it the sooner you will develop this.”
Most people can’t just give up gaming and texting but there are things we can do to avoid osteoarthritis joint pain or repetitive stress injury.
“All good things in moderation,” Ciaglia said. “Don’t do it 8 9 10 hours straight a day.”
And try to take frequent breaks.
Take A Break To Prevent Video Game Injuries
The best way to prevent gamers thumb and other video-game-related injuries is to take a break every hour. Get up and walk around for just a few minutes. It helps to set a timer or alert on your phone to make sure you dont get distracted and remain stationary for too long. Many gamers will take ~30 seconds, shake their hands out, and return to playing. Doug warns this is not enough. The prolonged sitting position causes stress on your tendons running all the way down to your hands. The only way to properly care for your body and prevent these injuries is to stand up, put the console down, and walk around for a couple of minutes before returning to play. These few minutes can prevent painful injuries down the road. Its always better to sacrifice a few minutes upfront so that you dont have to sacrifice a few weeks off later on due to an injury.
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How Do You Keep Gaming And Limit Your Pain
You may have already found relief by taking Goodys® Back & Body Pain powder when youre in pain. While its ingredients will temporarily relieve the pain, it is not a preventive answer. For long-term solutions, you need to address the two basic causes of video gaming pain: poor posture and repetitive movement.
Do Gamers Get Carpal Tunnel
The majority of computer games require the player to use either a computer keyboard or some form of controller, and this often means repetitive and rapid movements of the fingers, wrists and forearms. As a result, gamers are more likely to suffer from RSI which can trigger the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.
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What Are The Most Common Video Game Injuries
The most common video game injuries we see are gamers thumb, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow. However, the world of video games is more expansive than just console games. Doug breaks common video game injuries into 4 main categories:
- Console video game injuries. These are the most common injuries that bring gamers into the clinic. Most common injuries include gamers thumb and tennis elbow.
- Computer video game injuries. These injuries are consistent with desk-job injuries, with carpal tunnel syndrome being the most common.
- Wii Sports & active video game injuries. Its true you can develop the same injuries as tennis, soccer, bowling, etc. by playing the e-sport equivalent. We encourage active game players to follow the same prevention techniques as athletes playing that sport. Make sure to warm up properly, keep good form , and keep up strength and mobility work. And remember to take a break since you wont get as winded or play as long as if you were really playing the sport.
- Virtual reality video game injuries. Virtual reality has opened up a whole new world of video game experience where players are fully immersed in the game. While doing this, faces and eyes are covered, and players are unable to see whats around them. There has since been a surge in falls and acute injuries in virtual reality players that weve seen in our clinics.
How Can Someone Prevent Carpal Tunnel
Though not many kids get carpal tunnel syndrome, it’s a good idea to develop good habits now that can prevent this problem when you are older. When you spend a lot of time on the computer or when you text, be sure to take breaks and not overdo it. Just getting up to stretch or do something else for a while can help. You might even set a timer to go off every hour or so to remind you to take your breaks.
At the computer, be sure your work area is comfortable. Use a chair that can be adjusted for your height so that you aren’t sitting down too low or up too high. Your chair, computer screen, and keyboard should all be in line. And try to follow these rules while sitting:
- Hold your elbows at your sides with your wrists in front.
- Keep your forearms and wrists straight and don’t bend your wrists up or down.
- If you use a wrist pad, don’t press into it when you type.
- Place things you use a lot within close reach, so you dont have to reach too far.
When you take these steps, you’re treating your wrists just right and keeping them healthy.
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How Many Hours A Day Do Pro Gamers Play
The average amount of time professional gamers practice per day. The average practice time per day for a professional gamer will be around 7-9 hours. be a bit lower, but dont doubt that these professionals play a lot of hours each and every day. players are better at taking breaks from their game than others.
How Long Does Gamer’s Thumb Take To Heal
On average, it takes about four to six weeks of rest and treatment to heal gamers thumb. When healing from gamers thumb, it’s best to not only avoid playing video games but also to avoid any activity that might agitate your gamers thumb including texting, typing, knitting or even carrying a child.
It’s also important during the healing period to work with a physiotherapist, physical therapist or occupational therapist. They’ll work with your through exercises to help rehabilitate the affected area and teach you how to tape your hand properly to aid in the healing process.
Then, in a month or two, your thumb should be ready to get back to gaming with far less pain. Just remember to keep stretching before and after you start gaming and to take breaks to ensure your gamers thumb doesn’t return.
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Work In Some Movement
Games that get you moving, sometimes called exergaming, can keep you entertained while helping you meet several workout goals greater flexibility, overall fitness, stronger muscles, weight loss, or wider range of motion that are helpful in coping with RA. More good news: exergaming counts towards the recommended practice of getting moderate physical activity every day. Scientists have found that 30 minutes of exergaming is equivalent to a 30-minute brisk walk and burns 226 calories.
What Is Gamers Thumb Or Wrist
Tenosynovitis of the first compartment of the wrist, more commonly known as gamers thumb, gamers wrist, or de Quervains syndrome. This condition is characterized by inflammation of the tendons in the wrist and thumb, typically presenting as a sore thumb or wrist pain. This is caused by repetitive use, and in this case, repetitive video game play. Its also especially common for new mothers due to the repetitive action of lifting their new baby.
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How Many People Get Hurt Playing Video Games
According to the AAP release, they found: A total of 696 video game-related injuries were reported over the 5-year period. The mean age of those injured was 16.5 years with an age range of 1 month to 86 years. There were 604 injuries resulting from traditional games with 92 injuries from the newer interactive games.
Texting Gaming And Arthritis: Whats The Connection
Opposable thumbs are what separate humans from most of the animal kingdom, and modern man has put the thumbs dexterous ability to use in many ways. As video games and mobile devices have become popular, our thumbs, wrists and fingers are getting more of a workout than ever. And weve got the arthritis to prove it.
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Pro Tips To Prevent Gamers Thumb
We asked board certified orthopedic hand surgeon Dr. Jason Somogyi to share his tips for preventing gamers thumb. Heres what you need to know to help reduce your risk for injury.
Take a break. Its important to set and adhere to structured screen times for kids to prevent overuse injuries and poor posture habits. Adults benefit from breaks too! Slouching for long periods of time can cause aches and pains in the back and neck. Try using a chair that supports the lower back and keeps the head and shoulders upright.
Keep moving. Exercise and outdoor activity promote healthy lifestyle choices and strengthen the muscles to help reduce the possibility of aches and strains.
Stop when your thumb starts to hurt. As with any sports or activity-related injury, you can get hurt when you push too hard. If your thumb or wrist gets sore, its time for a break to prevent further injury.
Wear protective gear. Dr. Somogyi recommends a thumb spica brace to rest the tendons responsible for the pain in gamers thumb. Topical anti-inflammatories can also provide relief when experiencing pain.
Stretch. Gentle stretching exercises before gaming activity can help prevent later symptoms. Stretching is also important as a cool down if needed.
Friday August 13 2021
These days, many of us find it hard to tear ourselves away from technology, whether it’s video games, texting, or spending the whole work day at your laptop. The last thing on your mind is injuries from such activities.
But, don’t be so sure you’re safe in your gaming chair. Have you ever heard of gamer’s thumb?
Here, we’ll explain what gamer’s thumb is, its symptoms, how to fix gamer’s thumb, and preventative measures you can take to avoid it.
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