Taking care of your health while gaming.

(Gaming discussion not related to Shenmue)

Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby Anonymous81 » Wed Jan 18, 2017 6:46 am

I'm generally an extremely health conscious person, because I have a ton of health issues and if I don't monitor and manage them constantly, I end up really sick. That said... I'm also human, and as a human sometimes I do very blatantly stupid things.

Ten days ago, I got really sucked into one of those super grindy games that takes hours to accomplish anything in. When gaming, I tend to always get up and walk around every hour, stretch, do ankle circles, etc. to ensure good blood flow. But on this one occasion... despite having the nagging thought that I should get up... I just didn't. Worse still, I was exhausted after the game, and went straight to bed. That's a lot of hours of being sedentary.

The next morning, I woke up with terrible pain my right calf. I tried to feel for what was wrong, and immediately felt a rock harm lump that was so painful I couldn't even touch it. I started to move around and found that my calf was extremely tight. I began looking up the symptoms of a blood clot or DVT. I found many, many stories like mine.

Still, I tried to hope for the best. I had been walking more and doing a lot of calf raises during workouts, so perhaps it was a muscle strain from a few days back that simply hadn't manifested until now. After 9 days, it was still there, although the pain was somewhat less. It wasn't warm to the touch, red, etc. and there was no edema (diffuse swelling that pits when you press.) So I still thought, surely this can't be a clot. But... it just isn't going away despite rest and ice and stretching.

Then I read online countless stories of people who never had more frank symptoms - just a knot and pain like mine - and turned out to have clots. Even the ER docs they saw insisted they didn't, but ultrasound revealed they did. I decided not to chance it, and went to the ER yesterday.

After hours waiting, my calf had swollen considerably larger than the left, which really worried me. "Damn. There's the swelling," I thought to myself. They examined me thoroughly, and said I did the right thing by coming in, because it definitely could be a clot. They were so sure it might be, they forewent a blood test called D-dimer that is usually used to establish the likelihood of a clot before spending money on imaging, and went straight to the ultrasound.

They looked very thoroughly and... thank GOD... I did not have a clot. Instead, I have a somewhat uncommon form of hernia called a fascial hernia due to what is known as chronic lateral exertional compression syndrome. Not at all serious, just painful. They don't really even treat it other than with pain control and physical therapy.

So great is my relief and joy that I'm okay, and so intense was my fear prior to that, I just thought I'd remind my fellow gamers:

Always get up every hour and move around. And if you're on long flights or sitting for any reason longer than an hour, constantly move your toes, ankles, etc. And get up when you can. And as often as you can, elevate your feet (above your heart, it you can.)

Anonymous81 has received 5 thanks from: Axm, Himuro, Let's Get Sweaty, Raithos, sand4fish
User avatar
Anonymous81
Man Mo Acolyte
Man Mo Acolyte
 
Joined: June 2015
Favorite title: Shenmue
Currently playing: Witcher 3

Re: Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby Himuro » Wed Jan 18, 2017 1:18 pm

Really glad you're okay and really good advice. What game had you so enthused that you didn't get up?

Himuro has received a thanks from: Anonymous81
Himuro
Banned
Banned
 
Joined: May 2006

Re: Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby Anonymous81 » Wed Jan 18, 2017 2:11 pm

Himuro wrote: Really glad you're okay and really good advice. What game had you so enthused that you didn't get up?


That's the dumbest part. Earth Defense Force lmfao
User avatar
Anonymous81
Man Mo Acolyte
Man Mo Acolyte
 
Joined: June 2015
Favorite title: Shenmue
Currently playing: Witcher 3

Re: Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby Himuro » Wed Jan 18, 2017 2:38 pm

Which EDF?
Himuro
Banned
Banned
 
Joined: May 2006

Re: Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby Anonymous81 » Wed Jan 18, 2017 2:59 pm

Himuro wrote: Which EDF?


4.1 lol.
User avatar
Anonymous81
Man Mo Acolyte
Man Mo Acolyte
 
Joined: June 2015
Favorite title: Shenmue
Currently playing: Witcher 3

Re: Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby Let's Get Sweaty » Wed Jan 18, 2017 7:06 pm

Please go to the press with one of those "I almost died from playing a videogame" stories. It'll be the most publicity Earth Defense Force has ever had! [-o<

Let's Get Sweaty has received a thanks from: Raithos
Let's Get Sweaty
Machine Gun Fist
Machine Gun Fist
 
Joined: January 2012
Favorite title: Shenmue IIx
Currently playing: truant

Re: Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby sand4fish » Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:05 pm

Yeah, it doesn't help we are getting old too. That's a reason I avoid sport games. If it's something I can experience in real life, I'll stick with the real thing.

But I'm glad you are okay though Anonymous81!

sand4fish has received a thanks from: Anonymous81
User avatar
sand4fish
"After Burner...Great!"
"After Burner...Great!"
 
Joined: November 2013
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: Taking care of your health while gaming.

Postby Anonymous81 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:56 am

Let's Get Sweaty wrote: Please go to the press with one of those "I almost died from playing a videogame" stories. It'll be the most publicity Earth Defense Force has ever had! [-o<


:rotflmao: :p
User avatar
Anonymous81
Man Mo Acolyte
Man Mo Acolyte
 
Joined: June 2015
Favorite title: Shenmue
Currently playing: Witcher 3


Return to General Gaming

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

Powered by phpBB © 2000-
ShenmueDojo.net