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Research Christmas 2014: Going to extremes

Nintendo related injuries and other problems: review

BMJ 2014; 349 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g7267 (Published 16 December 2014) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g7267
  1. Maarten B Jalink, medical doctor1,
  2. Erik Heineman, professor, paediatric surgeon1,
  3. Jean-Pierre E N Pierie, professor, general surgeon23,
  4. Henk O ten Cate Hoedemaker, abdominal surgeon12
  1. 1Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, Netherlands
  2. 2Postgraduate School of Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
  3. 3Department of Surgery, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, Netherlands
  1. Correspondence to: M B Jalink, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, Netherlands maartenjalink{at}hotmail.com
  • Accepted 6 October 2014

Abstract

Objective To identify all reported cases of injury and other problems caused by using a Nintendo video gaming system.

Design Review.

Data sources and review methods Search of PubMed and Embase in June 2014 for reports on injuries and other problems caused by using a Nintendo gaming system.

Results Most of the 38 articles identified were case reports or case series. Injuries and problems ranged from neurological and psychological to surgical. Traditional controllers with buttons were associated with tendinitis of the extensor of the thumb. The joystick on the Nintendo 64 controller was linked to palmar ulceration. The motion sensitive Wii remote was associated with musculoskeletal problems and various traumas.

Conclusions Most problems are mild and prevalence is low. The described injuries were related to the way the games are controlled, which varies according to the video game console.

Footnotes

  • Contributors: MBJ conceived and designed the study and is guarantor. All authors helped interpret the data and draft the paper.

  • Funding: No funding was sought for this study. There were no study sponsors.

  • Competing interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare: MBJ is an experienced gamer, a Nintendo collector, and a long term editor for the biggest video game websites in the Netherlands as well as several large children’s magazines, for which he is paid; he also tests video games for Nintendo and other video game publishers and can keep the games afterwards; all other authors declare no support from any organisation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

  • Ethical approval: Not required.

  • Data sharing: No additional data available.

  • Transparency declaration: The lead author (the guarantor) affirms that this manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported; that no important aspects of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned (and, if relevant, registered) have been explained.

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

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