Computer Game Player Gets Blood Clot In Leg

Thanks to BBC News for its article discussing a UK teenager who developed a blood clot in his leg after playing videogames in one position for too long. The piece explains: "Dominic Patrick, 14, from Merseyside, developed deep vein thrombosis after a rainy day inside with a games console... The potentially dangerous condition was caused because Dominic had his legs tucked under his body." A doctor interviewed suggested this was a relatively rare case, however: "The only risk factor we could find in this case was the fact that Dominic had sat on his legs for 10 hours playing computer games without moving... [however, it] doesn't mean that the government should be putting health warnings on PlayStations."

Comments

Healthy gaming

[Psykechan]

Every current console game has warnings in the manual for seizures and most have warnings for repetitve stress injuries. I can see blood clots being added to the list.

Microsoft also recommends some healthy gaming methods that should be followed.

I don't expect to see a surgeon general's warning on game boxes anytime soon.

Re:Fittest and healthiest of children?

[PainKilleR-CE]

Somehow I doubt that a kid who can, and does, put in 10 hours straight playing videogames is the "fittest and healthiest of children." My guess is that the 10-hours type of kid is something less than fit and healthy.

It did state that it was a rainy day. Once the kid is stuck indoors, he's much more likely to do something that involves little or no movement, especially after his parents have yelled at him a couple of times for running around in the house. He could've just as easily been working on a puzzle, playing card games, or reading a book.