Earlier this year, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that a teenager in England fractured her foot after an intense Wii Fit session. Injuries resulting from interactive video games, such as Nintendo's Wii, are apparently not unusual, according to research presented today at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.
In the study, researchers reviewed National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data on video game-related injuries, sustained by people of all ages, from January 1, 2004 to January 1, 2009. According to the AAP release, they found:
A total of 696 video game-related injuries were reported over the 5-year period. The mean age of those injured was 16.5 years with an age range of 1 month to 86 years. There were 604 injuries resulting from traditional games with 92 injuries from the newer interactive games. Of the interactive game injuries, 49 were sustained by males (53.3 percent) and 43 by females (46.7 percent).
When compared to the traditional video game group, participants in the interactive group were significantly more likely to injure their shoulder, ankle, and foot. Bystander injuries occurred in both the interactive and the traditional groups with significantly more bystander injuries in the interactive group.
The study detailed the different injuries, such as included abrasions, shoulder sprains and ankle and foot injuries.
Previously: Excessive TV or computer use might (literally) be painful
Photo by Martin Thomas
