Nintendinitis

alternative Nintendonitis

1. humorousinformaluncountablemedicineA form of repetitive strain injury, which may include tendinitis, affecting the thumbs or other fingers of frequent video gamers, often from the excessive use of the d-pad on a game controller.First known use 1990

   The Journal of School Health described a condition known as nintendinitis, or a pain in the right thumb developed as a result of playing video games excessively (Dorman 1997).

   Steve M. Dorman (April 1997), “Video and Computer Games: Effect on Children and Implications for Health Education”, in Journal of School Health, volume 67, number 4, Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Blackwell for the American School Health Association, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 133–138

   5 more examples

   I wish to report a sports injury attributable to the excessive playing of video games. A 35-year-old woman visited my home during the Christmas holidays, at which time my sons received a Nintendo video game. The woman, who had not previously engaged in this recreational activity, pursued it with enthusiasm, playing without interruption for five hours. The following day, she had severe pain in the region of the extensor tendon of the right thumb, which had been used to press a button repeatedly. […] I suggest that this sports-related injury be called "Nintendinitis."

   [1990 May 17, Richard Brasington, “Nintendinitis [letter to the editor]”, in The New England Journal of Medicine, volume 322, number 20, Boston, Mass.: Massachusetts Medical Society, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 1473–1474

   Michigan's 17-year-old Michelle LaBruzzy is suing Nintendo after developing an inflamed thumb from playing the home video game too much, Insight reports. Unable to write, LaBruzzy claims her "Nintendinitis" interferes with her schoolwork.

   1991 October 15, “The Critical Eye”, in The Carolina Critic, volume 5, number 4, Chapel Hill, N.C.: Carolina Critic Society, →OCLC, page 2, column 1

   Nintendo stimulates children to do extreme things. […] A female school aide from Hammond, Indiana, played it for 4 months, 4 hours a night, until her doctor gave her a thumb splint for her "Nintendonitis" and told her to lay off video games. She started playing with her palms.

   1997, F. Philip Rice, “Social Development: Peer Relationships, Television, Gender Roles, and Moral Development”, in Peter Janzow, editor, Child and Adolescent Development, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, →ISBN, page 357, column 1

   The medical profession has voiced a number of concerns about computer game playing. […] Rheumatologists have described cases of "Nintendinitis" and "Space Invaders' Wrist," in which players have suffered, skin, joint and muscle problems from repeated button hitting and joystick pushing on game machines.

   2005, Barrie Gunter, “Psychological Effects of Video Games”, in Joost Raessens, Jeffrey Goldstein, editors, Handbook of Computer Game Studies, Cambridge, Mass.; London: MIT Press, →ISBN, page 151, column 1

   Video games have spurred a whole new "Nintendo thumb" or "Nintendinitis." "Text message injury" is the most recent malady addressed by physicians, and is characterized by soreness in the thumbs due to overuse while entering information into small electronic devices like cell phones and Blackberries.

   2010, Martha Lindsey Hanson, “The Unintended Detour: The Pitfalls of Accelerating Intellectual Development with Early Academics and Electronic Media”, in The ABC’s of Childhood: Active Play, Best Educational Practices and Consistent Discipline, University Park, Pa.: Eisenbrauns, →ISBN, page 30

   Synonyms: gamer's thumb, Nintendo thumb