Repetitive Stress

[Cam]

I think I gave myself a repetitive stress injury to my left thumb from gaming. Anyone that is on my XBL friends list knows that I game a lot. I play at least an hour a day. Regularly I game 2-4 hours a day. My thumb has been hurting this week, in the area of the second knuckle and fleshy area on the palm. I would think that I would have built up those muscles from decades of hard gaming, you know, like an athlete. :lol: Maybe all that gaming is finally taking its toll on this ol' guy. I guess I need to take a break from it for a little while.

[Yobbo NZ]

Don't worry, I get bad eye strain in my left eye due to my right being lazy.
Found gaming glasses, or as my wife calls them, geek goggles, seems to help a bit.

[Rare White Ape]

Cam I get that too, albeit very mildly.

And you know what? We're not teenagers any more. Bits will hurt over time. In 20-30 years we will be the first generation reporting arthritis for gaming injuries!

Hopefully in the coming decades medical science will have progressed and there will be a cure for arthritis, as well as Alzheimer's and all forms of cancer, and when we're 80 years old we won't have to worry about it.

[Yw-slayer]

Join the Glorious PC Gaming Race and switch to Mouse/Keyboard?

[Cam]

That's not much better for carpal tunnel. :lol: One of my first jobs out of college was working for an Internet service provider designing web sites. I forced myself to learn use my off-hand with the mouse to prevent carpal tunnel. NOW WHO'S SUPERIOR? :assclown:

[Yw-slayer]

Oh, it's not better for carpal tunnel, but it could give the left and middle parts of your left thumb a bit of a rest.

[MR2 Fan]

I was getting pretty bad carpal tunnel using PS3 controllers for a while, I think certain games and the use of the analogue sticks, etc. can make it worse.

[sandydandy]

I’ve never heard of this problem when playing video games. I’ve had frustrations with controllers before, but it was usually rectified by smashing the controller against the wall.

Then buying another one.

[dodint]

I have a big picture window in my living room and I'm pretty proud of myself for not launching the PS4 controller through it at least once.

[Cam]

:lol: Thankfully, I have never been a rage gamer.

[dodint]

I'm not normally either, and if I throw a controller it's usually just onto a big cushy ottoman. But I'm not going to lie, the temptation is there. Only with Rocket League though. I think it's because the mental processes you're using are fundamentally the same as regular sports, but there is no way to blow off frustration when things go tits up. If I'm playing hockey and someone gets around me and scores I can tap my stick on the rink, punch the boards, or just skate a little and it wears off. With Rocket League you're on edge for 5-7 minutes and the *poof* the match ends because of a mistake you made. Gahhhhhhhh.

[Rare White Ape]

One of my brothers used to light up while playing video games. I distinctly remember the N64 controllers copping it on a few occasions. Thankfully Nintendo took this into account and made em sturdy.

[sandydandy]

I would only abuse PS2 controllers. PS3 and 4 controllers are too damn expensive to keep replacing.

[drew]

Back in the Genesis days, I found that if you swing a wired-controlled like an axe onto the concrete floor, it can be instantly dis-assembled completely. I never did find all the bits...

[Cam]

Since my wife got word of her new job, I've been doing a lot of waiting. I am 99% sure I have a job lined up, but it would not start until Oct. 9. What does a gamer do to spend some time? Play games, of course. Alas, it seems I have given myself "tennis elbow" from using a controller too much. I started to feel pain in my left elbow about two months ago. I procrastinated seeing a doctor about it because of the move and stuff. Yesterday, I really aggravated it by using a rowing machine in the gym. I went to a walk-in clinic today. There was nothing unusual on the x-ray and my symptoms are consistent with lateral epicondylitis. I will be regularly taking ibuprofen and taking a break from controller use for at least a week. We will see if it improves.

I figure I can still play ETS/ATS though. :D

[MR2 Fan]

/me sees thread creator..../me sees most recent person posting.


I'm seeing a pattern :p

[balki]

Had similar elbow pain (not from gaming) and six months rest didn't help much at all (early pandemic, was easy to not strain it).
Working out in a rehab manner (less weight, maximum range of moti9on and much slower movements) did help and even when there's pain it's just minor.

Did have a game related thumb issue, was in teh same boat : how after decades of d-pad use is it just catching up to me now. It just fixed itself after a while.

[Rare White Ape]

using a controller too much

I know life can be hard sometimes. Look out for yourself :D