Heavy Gaming Might Lead to Skin Sores

By Geoff Duncan February 25, 2009

Heavy Gaming Might Lead to Skin Sores

The British Journal of Dermatology has described a condition dubbed PlayStation palmar hidradenitis, wherein a 12-year-old Swiss girl developed painful sores and lumps on her hands. Doctors concluded the cause was heavy PlayStation gaming, combined with a skin disorder called idiopathic eccrine hidradenitis that can cause red, sore lumps on the hands and feet.

Idiopathic eccrine hidradenitis is most commonly seen on the feet of children who engage in heavy physical activity such as running and jogging, but can also impact the hands. According to reports, the Swiss girl had not been engaging in any new or strenuous sports or exercise and had not injured her hands, but had recently started playing a PlayStation game for several hours a day. Doctors suspect the sores were caused by a combination of continuous gripping and use of the PlayStation controller, combined with perspiration caused by the tension of the game.

The girl made a full recovery—by staying away from the PlayStation for 10 days.

There have been isolated cases of gamers having adverse skin reactions to plastics and materials used in game controllers, and even smoe cases of acute tendonitus—sometimes dubbed “Wiitis”—in some heavy gamers. Researchers have also looked into cases of psychological addiction to video gaming.

Both doctors and game manufacturers recommend gamers use common sense and follow reasonable health and safety recommendations when playing video games, just as people would with any other activity. Basically, if folks find their hands hurt while playing video games…they shoudl really think about putting the games aside, at least for a little while.

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Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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