Video Gamer Posture Can Lead to Muscle Spasms

You’ve heard about hours upon hours of television watching not only creates a sedentary lifestyle, but the slouched posture can contribute to aches and pains. But did you know that a video gamers’ pose while playing games on the computer can also lead to injuries or muscle spasms?

It’s true! Unlike couch potatoes who typically relax in front of a television, video gamers have their eyes glued to the television are engaged in hand-eye coordination and constant tensing of their muscles as they react to the action they are seeing on screen. As we age, symptoms of a stiff or sore back or neck may turn into chronic muscle spasms, complete with painful inflammation and sore areas. These trigger points — areas where the muscle spasms typically occur — may lead to a person being unable to voluntarily relax those muscles.

If a person ignores the symptoms and continues to play a lot of video games on the computer even while their body is screaming for relief, more chronic pain can result. Eventually, a person’s lifestyle can be impacted by back or neck pain to the point where intervention is needed.

Just how common is video gamer illnesses? According to the Entertainment Software Association, the average video gamer is 35 and has been playing for more than a decade. Since typical posture is often with a keyboard or handheld device held with the hands while seated or on your lap, people often slouch and hunch over with their back and neck. Frequent play while sitting in this position can aggravate spinal conditions.

Of course, nobody is saying you shouldn’t play video games. Many of us play video games as a form of stress relief or for family entertainment. But consider how you sit, how often you play, and recognize that if you have an increasingly sore or achy back or neck then you may need to adjust what you are doing so you don’t cause permanent injury as a result. Stand-up game consoles such as the Wii allow you to avoid the ìslouches,î but they can present their own health risks if you’re not careful!

Tags: Posture