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GAMERS playing Pokémon Go are risking damaging their neck and back muscles and could develop a condition one of the world’s leading experts on back problems is calling ‘Pokémon Posture’.
As well as the risks inherent in not looking where they are going, Pokémon players are training their muscles in a way that could lead to health problems if they continue for a long time.
That was the warning from international posture expert Dr Steven Weiniger, who trains thousands of doctors and therapists around the world in how to improve people’s posture.
Dr Weiniger said that while playing Pokémon Go is great for getting people to exercise, they could be causing problems for themselves by the way they walk around – head down, shoulders forward, looking at their phone screens.
“A huge benefit of walking is exercising the diaphragm and other muscles you use to breathe deeply,” he said. “But by collapsing your torso onto your pelvis Pokémon Posture makes it harder to take a deep breath, and adds to the muscle imbalances that cause neck and back pain.
“When the people walking towards you see the top of your head instead of your eyes, you have Pokémon Posture.
“People are chasing Pokémon everywhere, with the beneficial side effect of becoming more active. On the other hand, players of Pokémon Go are stumbling into real-world people and objects.
“However, the larger health risk for most people is Pokémon Posture. Walking while obsessing over capturing virtual monsters adds to the real world problems familiar to frequent texters and computer-users.
“Walking while facing down and focused on the game trains muscles to push your head forward and roll in your shoulders which folds your body into a ‘C’. The postural problem is aggravated because your arms are made to swing when you walk, but Pokémon posture locks the arms to throw Pokéballs, and folds the chest towards the pelvis.”
The doctor’s warning has been backed up by other health advisers. Carrie DeVries of the Spine-health website, said: “The game is being lauded for its health benefits as players spend hours and walk miles in search of Pokémon to capture. But if you’re looking down at your phone the whole time you’re playing, you’re putting your health at risk in other ways. Specifically, you may be at risk of suffering text neck.
“Text neck is posture in which the neck is bent forward and down as someone looks at their handheld phone or device. If this posture is held for an extended amount of time, it can strain the muscles, tendons and ligaments in the neck, causing pain and stiffness.”
