Tech Shout!

Are you hoping that you receive an iPod, Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii from Santa this Christmas? If you aren’t, then be careful about what you wish for, because your wish could come “painfully” true! And mind you, we have not turned into some anti-gaming squad. On the contrary, we at Techshout love all things to do with gaming, but this time around we are bringing out the true facts for your own safety. So read on.

Sore thumbs, inflamed elbows and stuff shoulders are just few of the musco-skeletal injuries that have been linked to excessive use of many popular gadgets and next-generation gaming consoles that are often seen as the best gifts for the holiday season.

According to William Lenihan from Singapore’s Osteopathic Pain Relief Center, “This is a pretty big issue, especially as more and more people are using gadgets a lot more. These repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are in the long term very detrimental to the whole body and once RSI comes on, it’s very difficult to get rid of,” he told Reuters. “The secret to avoiding this is knowing when to stop.”

It was only a few years ago, when things hadn’t got so high-tech, that RSI used to strike computer and jackhammer operators, who spent hours performing the same movement again and again. Majority of the IT users remains RSI-free, but nowadays, with the availability of newer gadgets and consoles, children as young as seven tend to develop symptoms of RSI.

Take for example mobile phones. As the years go by, mobile phones get smaller and smaller. Their keypads also shrink, and this requires finer finger movements that could just aggravate joints. Some Apple iPod users have also been complaining about the intensive thumb movement that has led to a lot of pain around the thumb area.

“Hospitals have reported an increase in RSIs of the thumb from usage of gadgets and mobile phones, primarily from sending sms [text messages],” Dr. Er Beng Siong of Singapore’s Physiotherapy Associates said. “It’s a disease of modern times.”

Gamers also need to take care, as video game consoles can also contribute to repetitive strain injuries. Gamers usually sit for hours on end on their sofas, totally immersed in whatever game they may be playing. For some it may be an ideal way to unwind, but could also prove to be risky.

Daisuke Ito, the head doctor at Senzoku Orthopedic Plastic Surgery in Tokyo and who often treats RSI, said he expects to see more game-related cases in the future. “Once you do suffer from tenosynovitis,” he said, referring to a type of inflammation of the wrist and hand tendons, “we can treat it with shots. There’s also medicine to ease the pain and braces to wear on the wrist. Of course, the most obvious way to treat it is to stop playing the game.”

The Nintendo Wii that was recently launched is now forced to come with health warnings, due to the main Wii-related injuries that have taken place.

This bit of news certainly puts a wet blanket on the holiday festivities and af course free time on one’s hands. But what the heck, we’ll still play our Xbox 360. But, remember, you can avoid RSI by not overdoing it.