Physical Consequences

[Godavari]

My question to the Escapist community today is:

Have you ever physically damaged yourself playing videogames?

Various diseases, like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, come from repeated use of muscles for long periods of time. Videogames usually make use of a fairly small number of controls, meaning that you will make use of certain muscle groups repeatedly. It would then seem intuitive that some kind of damage could come from playing videogames for extended periods. Have you ever experienced something like this?

I recieved MW2 for Christmas a few days back, and I'm starting to experience pain in my left ring and pinkie fingers. It probably comes from my holding down the left stick to sprint (I do this habitually for some reason).

 

[SantoUno]

My wrists have hurt from playing Halo on my laptop. That's about it.

Mouse and keyboard is clearly not for me.

 

[TheSeventhLoneWolf]

I got a cramp once in my leg for standing up too fast. That's 'bout it.

 

[orangebandguy]

I've banged my head trying to plug a lead in the back of the television from underneath. does that count?

 

[grimsprice]

My left thumb swelled up because i had the joystick pressing into it aproximately 43 out of 48 hours one weekend.

 

[targren]

I'll often suffer crushing head-and-neck aches after 7-10 hour gaming stints. I've never quite figured out why. I've changed positions and posture, taken bio-breaks, etc...

 

[FluffyNeurosis]

I get a sore wrist from playing a lot of Total War.

 

[Disaster Button]

Once playing Sonic and Mario at the Olympic Games I had to do the sprint.

To do this you gotta connect the Nunchuck (or whatever) to the Wiimote with a cable inbetween. Naturally I started fake running like crazy to win the sprint, at which point the motion of me moving my arms at such speed made the cable flick up at great speed and catch me square in the manbits.

I was on the floor for like 10 minutes whilst the "you lose" screen just sat there and taunted me.

 

[ProfessorLayton]

There have been many times where I am in the middle of a good Counter-Strike round where I have to pee or am really hungry but I continue playing as to not screw up my streak. So I've had my stomach constantly growling or just straight up hurting and I've not done anything about it because I was having a good round. That's not really that bad, though.

 

[Capachinola]

I broke my wrist pushing a TV out the window one time.

 

[effilctar]

I sit on the floor in my room while playing online on an FPS, and when I stand up, my legs just feel like theyve been cut off.

 

[lukey94]

I get so angry at people on MW2 with set-ups like: Marath0n/Lightweight/Commando + tactical knife

or the old dual ranger deal

and this anger causes my blood pressure to rise, my veins to stick out slighty and i get a throbbing noise in my head, which is why I gave up Mw2 today before it kills me with rage ... I mean how hard is it to use a bloody gun then charging right into the opposition, that's not a tactic!!!

 

[The Red Spy]

I'm sure I've been hit (and also hit them) with a game controller in the past.
Bit indirect to gaming I suppose.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Nope.

First one in this thread to say that! You guys get hurt a lot.

EDIT: Or should I say FIRST!!@!!#! LOLZ

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

I got RSI from playing Rayman too much on my Dad's PC ages ago. I've still got the pad, it's made to break your wrists.

I also remember throwing the Xbox pad at my bed, causing the battery pack to fly off and smack me in the head. All frustration was lost, I couldn't even take myself seriously and started laughing.

 

[Capachinola]

Oh, not to mention. My brother would beat me up if I ever did better than him for more than a few minuets.. and thats how I learned how to play video games.

 

[Frankydee]

My arthritis flared up after playing Guild Wars for hours everyday for over 3 years. After laying off it's gotten a lot better.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

I broke my wrist pushing a TV out the window one time.

I'll take it you were either angry or wnated to watch tv in the great outdoors but didn't want to have to carry it outside.

 

[JMV]

I once punched my keyboard, giving myself a nasty bruise and breaking the little stands on the back of it. I somehow get the feeling that was my fault.

 

[Wadders]

I get pains in my mice fingers (first and 2nd fingers on right hand) if I spend too long playing FPS games. I also get pins and needles in my feet, as I have a habit of sitting at my desk with 1 foot resting on the other, cutting of blood supply.

We suffer for our art, do we not?