Kids Get Physical Injuries from Video Games and Computers
May 21, 2006 by Melissa
“The word ‘arthritis’ comes to mind,” concerned mom Mitali Perkins wrote in an e-mail to CNET News.com.
Her children, thirteen-year-old twins, are already showing odd physical traits that she thinks is the result from too much gaming. Both kids can bend their thumbs all the way back to their forearms, stretch and crack their knuckles with ease, and use their thumbs only for tasks like ringing a doorbell or dialing a phone number. Perkins’ children have three computers, two Sony PlayStations, a Nintendo GameCube, and a Microsoft Xbox for playing video games.
A study from Australia in 2000 focused on the effects of computers in schools. They found that 60 percent of students aged 10 to 17 complained of neck and back discomfort.
Kids nowadays can spend hours cradling a cell phone with a crooked neck, slumping over a computer game, slouching in front of a PC while text messaging friends and listening to music. And that’s on top of time they might spend in school on a PC surfing the Web to research topics and do homework.
The article focuses on the high occurance of Repetitive Stress Injuries in children and the importance of ergonomics in computer use. Methinks perhaps time management, a few less gaming options in the home, and more exposure to physical activity, along with better ergonomics, could help counteract these startling findings.
Read the full article: “Is Tech Injuring Children” by Stefanie Olsen.
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- Computer games can help adults bond with their kids, casual gaming survey reveals
- Relieving boredom, strengthening family relationships with new activities
- Encouraging children to do physical activity
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Absolutely.
I used computers a fair bit when I was young, but nothing to the extent they are used now.
I must admit, I have suffered with RSI-like afflictions from time to time and the main cause has been poor posture when using computers and laptops. Children need to be educated about posture, stretching, exercise, and diversification of activity.
It’s bad enough when you have no choice but to work on a computer all day, but the addictive nature of games means that hours pass in what seems like minutes, with no thought of physical (or indeed mental) well-being during that time.
It’s only afterwards when they complain of muscle cramps, sinus problems, aches and pains, that it becomes obvious why they’re getting them.