Do you know “Nintendinitis”? This is the name of the new pathology observed by Dutch researchers, taken from the contraction of the words Nintendo and tendonitis.
Their study was published last Tuesday, December 16 in the scientific journal The British Medical Journal and deals with musculoskeletal conditions caused by excessive use of video game consoles.
By analyzing 38 clinical case studies, describing musculoskeletal conditions linked to Nintendo console controllers, the four Dutch researchers found that the pathologies observed were closely linked to the shape of the controllers.
The first proven case of “nintendinitis” dates back to 1990: a 35-year-old woman suffered severe pain in her right thumb after playing for 5 hours affiliated with the Super Nintendo. Researchers observed similar disorders until 1997, when a new model of the console was released, introducing a new gamepad. More ergonomic, it included an analog joystick instead of the directional pad, thus causing hyper-solicitation of the left thumb. Cases of ulceration (loss of dermal substance) of the left thumb were then observed following prolonged use of the console.
Cases of ulceration of the entire hand have even been identified following the practice of a Mario game, where it was necessary to perform 360° rotations of the joystick as quickly as possible.
In 2006, Nintendo pathologies will expand to other organs, with the appearance on the Wii of a system capable of detecting the position and movements in space of the rectangular controller. The player then solicits many muscles of his body to stick as well as possible to the virtual movement requested. And if few players are tough enough to play it for hours, they risk serious injury (sprains, swelling, fractures, pain, etc.). By wanting to do physical exercise with his console, the player risks creating muscle problems that he would not have had by practicing a sport correctly.
And if the study only focused on Nintendo brand controllers, the researchers believe that these worrying pathologies can very well extend to other types of controllers.
The art of knowing how to play in moderation
Far from blaming console video games, the study simply shows that prolonged and excessive use of controllers can affect the proper musculoskeletal functioning of the body.
On the other hand, the researchers point out that the practice of video games has many virtues, by improving reflexes, memory, or even by slowing down neurodegeneration. They even specify that the Wii is a good way for the elderly to work on their balance, in the context of the disease of Parkinson’s notably. For people in rehabilitation or who want to lose weight, the Wii would also be a good method, in moderation of course.
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