Xbox 360
The Health and Safety section of an instruction manual. At one point in any gamers life they would have accidentally turned onto this page when attempting to ascertain the button combinations for the quickest way to shoot/stab/punch/kiss someone in the head. More often than not this page will be hastily flicked over as, frankly, reading that information is taking up valuable shoot/stab/punch/kissing time. Let's face it, who buys a game for the excellent and attentive safety information in the manual? And more so than that, who EVER takes heed to the notice about 'taking regular breaks from gaming'?
No-one.
Looking back on it however, part of me wishes that I had observed the rules and regulations set out by major manufacturers. At the ripe old age of 23 I am very very close to having full blown R.S.I. and I can solely attribute this condition to my stubborn insistence that I didn't need to rest, that I could play games forever and beyond.
Repetitive Strain Injury is an increasing dilemma in a business world heavily reliant on the mouse and keyboard, and a casual world heavily reliant on the control pad. If you prefer your games on the PC (like myself), this can compound the problem even further. If I may quote from the medical bastion that is Wikipedia:
"Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an injury of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical compression (pressing against hard surfaces), or sustained or awkward positions."
So that covers basically all gamers then! Whilst most games contain repetitive actions, with the advent of MMORPG's and achievements people are spending even more time repeating the same tasks, stuck in the same chair for hours on end. Ach, who am I kidding, all games since the beginning of game-time are guilty of causing this problem! Sustained and awkward positions are also a hallmark of the gamer as, lets face it, none of us have good posture, just the relaxed gamer slouch and the competitive gamer forward-lean. From years of these positions, and hammering triggers and buttons until my arms ached, I can safely say that this was the main reason why my wrist muscles are now chicken wire sinews attempting to support heavy, bony hands. My day consists of constantly stopping what I'm doing in order to stretch or just relax, with shooting pains and wrist fatigue arising almost as soon as I start my work every morning.
Essentially, the best way to stop RSI is not to let it begin in the first place. That regular break warning in the manual...adhere to it! If not for your eyes, do it for your wrists. RSI is not something that will appear as soon as you begin gaming, but it is instant and when it hits, you'll know it. More importantly, sure as hell, you'll feel it! If you are starting to get a sense of discomfort when gaming, be sure to take time out to stretch, maybe invest in some weights or grip aids to strengthen your wrist muscles. Please do consult a specialist before carrying out any sort of preventative measures though, I would hate to receive a million medical bills from people who have made their conditions worse by improvising a remedy!
Most of my generation are very susceptible to this condition, and I dread to think what the next few generations are going to have to deal with in their old age. There are many alternatives available in terms of peripherals, but nothing is going to help more than taking regular breaks and doing regular stretches/exercises. I am fully aware that most people will laugh this off, consider themselves beyond the reach of this problem and carry on, but I felt exactly the same until it started happening to me. It's not a life threatening affliction, but when your life revolves around the things your hands can do (dammit, I swore I was going to avoid smutty implications!) it can be a life crippling one, no doubt.
Sean