We’re all used to aspects of the impacts of gaming on health, with many scare stories having appeared in the national press. However, this has focused largely on the psychological, neurological or social effects.
In exploration, whilst there have been some links between gaming and a rare type of photo-sensitive epilepsy, the arguments that gaming has a negative psychological or social effect is inconclusive at best, and that’s putting it kindly; many would counter that it has a net benefit, particularly as more of our engagement requires dextrous digital skills.
There is, however, one key health impact that has not been explored in too much depth, but which does present a serious potential issue based on what we already know – seating position.
Anyone who has worked in an office will have sat through a video showing exactly how best to align your seat to prevent undue stress points, and there are very solid reasons for this; in short, clear linkage between poor position and debilitating muscular-skeletal pain.
It’s not something we think about sat at home on the Playstation, but it really should be. Think about it next time you play; if you’re hunched with rounded shoulders, leaning forward, cross-legged… you’re setting yourself up for future pain.