Mobile gaming may cause physical harm to young people, according to new research. Problematic gaming was associated with a significantly higher frequency of pain in the neck, upper back, elbows and wrists.
As gaming increasingly becomes a routine part of young people’s digital lives, taking a few additional breaks — and perhaps spending a little less time hunched over a phone — could be important not only for physical health but also for digital well-being, researchers say.
The study surveyed 364 medical students at universities in Jordan to determine whether mobile gaming addiction was associated with musculoskeletal problems, Euronews reports.
About 9% of the students — 34 people — met the criteria for mobile gaming addiction.
Differences in pain complaints were particularly noticeable in the upper body areas most commonly involved in prolonged use of handheld devices.
Among students classified as addicted, 85.3% reported neck pain, compared with 65% of those who did not meet the criteria for addiction. Upper back pain was reported by 64.7% of students with gaming addiction, compared with 55% of their peers. The difference was even more pronounced for elbow pain: 41.2% of addicted students reported it, compared with 12.5% of students without gaming addiction. Those with gaming addiction also more frequently reported pain in their wrists and hands — 41.2% versus 34%.
The study found that musculoskeletal problems among students with gaming addiction were more likely to interfere with daily activities, including studying and hobbies. Some of these students were also more likely to seek medical care because of pain in their wrists and hands, hips and knees.
Long mobile gaming sessions also create an ergonomic problem: prolonged gripping, fixed positions of the hands and neck, and repetitive movements can all place additional strain on the body.
The authors emphasize that gaming should not be viewed solely as an issue of screen time or psychological well-being.
The researchers call for greater attention to digital health, ergonomic education, posture training and behavioral changes among students. Universities, they suggest, should incorporate recommendations on taking breaks, positioning devices and developing healthy gaming habits into their health programs, particularly for groups that spend long periods studying or working in front of screens.
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