Video game-related health problems
Encyclopedia
Video game-related health problems can induce repetitive strain injuries
, skin disorders or other health issues. Other problems include video game-provoked seizures in patients with epilepsy
. In rare and extreme cases, deaths have resulted from excessive video game playing (see Deaths due to video game addiction).
There may or may not be an accompanying video game addiction. Video games have also been linked in some studies to aggressive behaviour and violence
or fearful behaviour by its players in the short term although other studies have not supported this link.
Studies have mainly reported health problems in children, mainly boys. Several specific names have been given to video-game related health problems, for example PlayStation thumb, Nintendinitis and acute
Wiiitis; however, the literature does not seem to support these as truly separate disease entities.
Video game console
s linked to medical problems include the PlayStation
and the Nintendo
Wii
, although it is unknown whether certain types are more connected to these problems than others.
Physical signs linked to excessive video game playing include black rings in the skin under the eyes and muscular stiffness
in the shoulders, possibly caused by a tense posture or sleep deprivation
.
Treatment of these health problems usually involves abstaining from video game playing.
Ergonomic measures could improve postural problems associated with video game playing.
A 2004 case report in The Lancet
, authored by a 9-year-old boy, mentions the Playstation thumb, which features numbness and a blister
caused by friction between the thumb and the controller from rapid game play.
Using dermoscopy, dermatologists found point-like hemorrhages and onycholysis
(letting go of the nail) in a patient who presented with hyperkeratosis
.
Nintendonitis has been used to describe tendon injuries (tendinosis
) of the hands and wrists in Nintendo players.
A 2010 case report in the New England Journal of Medicine
reported a fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal after using a Wii balanceboard; this was dubbed a Wii fracture.
PlayStation palmar hidradenitis
is a skin disorder induced by console gaming. Painful lesions on the palms and fingers are the main features. It differs from recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis
in that it affects only the hands.
Repetitive strain injury
Repetitive strain injury is an injury of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by...
, skin disorders or other health issues. Other problems include video game-provoked seizures in patients with epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
. In rare and extreme cases, deaths have resulted from excessive video game playing (see Deaths due to video game addiction).
There may or may not be an accompanying video game addiction. Video games have also been linked in some studies to aggressive behaviour and violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
or fearful behaviour by its players in the short term although other studies have not supported this link.
Studies have mainly reported health problems in children, mainly boys. Several specific names have been given to video-game related health problems, for example PlayStation thumb, Nintendinitis and acute
Acute
Acute may refer to:* Acute accent* Acute angle* Acute * Acute * Acute toxicity...
Wiiitis; however, the literature does not seem to support these as truly separate disease entities.
Video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
s linked to medical problems include the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, although it is unknown whether certain types are more connected to these problems than others.
Physical signs linked to excessive video game playing include black rings in the skin under the eyes and muscular stiffness
Delayed onset muscle soreness
Delayed onset muscle soreness , also called muscle fever, is the pain and stiffness felt in muscles several hours to days after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise. The soreness is felt most strongly 24 to 72 hours after the exercise. It is caused by eccentric exercise...
in the shoulders, possibly caused by a tense posture or sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. It adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. Few studies have compared the...
.
Treatment of these health problems usually involves abstaining from video game playing.
Musculoskeletal problems
When questioned, children often admit to having physical complaints during video game playing, for example pain in the hands and wrists, back and neck.Ergonomic measures could improve postural problems associated with video game playing.
A 2004 case report in The Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
, authored by a 9-year-old boy, mentions the Playstation thumb, which features numbness and a blister
Blister
A blister is a small pocket of fluid within the upper layers of the skin, typically caused by forceful rubbing , burning, freezing, chemical exposure or infection. Most blisters are filled with a clear fluid called serum or plasma...
caused by friction between the thumb and the controller from rapid game play.
Using dermoscopy, dermatologists found point-like hemorrhages and onycholysis
Onycholysis
Onycholysis refers to the detachment of the nail from the nail bed, starting at its distal and/or lateral attachment. It is said to occur particularly on the ring finger but can occur on any of the fingernails. The most common cause of onycholysis is psoriasis. It can also occur in thyrotoxicosis...
(letting go of the nail) in a patient who presented with hyperkeratosis
Hyperkeratosis
Hyperkeratosis is thickening of the stratum corneum, often associated with a qualitative abnormality of the keratin, and also usually accompanied by an increase also in the granular layer...
.
Nintendonitis has been used to describe tendon injuries (tendinosis
Tendinosis
Tendinosis, sometimes called chronic tendinitis, tendinosus, chronic tendinopathy or chronic tendon injury, is damage to a tendon at a cellular level . It is thought to be caused by microtears in the connective tissue in and around the tendon, leading to an increase in tendon repair cells...
) of the hands and wrists in Nintendo players.
A 2010 case report in the New England Journal of Medicine
New England Journal of Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It describes itself as the oldest continuously published medical journal in the world.-History:...
reported a fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal after using a Wii balanceboard; this was dubbed a Wii fracture.
Skin problems
Nintendinitis has been associated with skin ulceration.PlayStation palmar hidradenitis
PlayStation palmar hidradenitis
PlayStation palmar hidradenitis is a medical condition where a person develops painful lesions on their palms and fingers. It differs from palmoplantar hidradenitis, in that it affects only the hands...
is a skin disorder induced by console gaming. Painful lesions on the palms and fingers are the main features. It differs from recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis
Recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis
Recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis is primarily a disorder of healthy children and young adults, characterized by lesions that are primarily painful, subcutaneous nodules on the plantar surface, resembling...
in that it affects only the hands.