A German young man suffered a neck fracture due to excessive use of virtual reality headsets and engaging in violent movements while wearing them.
Doctors stated that the 31-year-old had been accustomed to playing virtual reality games for up to 4 hours each day, and the repetitive strenuous movements led to the wear of one of his cervical vertebrae, ultimately causing it to crack.
Experts at the University Hospital of Leipzig, who treated the young man, believe this to be the first documented case in the world of a stress fracture associated with virtual reality. The doctors did not disclose the game the young man was playing, but mentioned it required him to move his body in response to "visual and rhythmic musical stimuli."
Virtual reality headsets can weigh 1.5 pounds (610 grams), but the doctors did not specify the type of device used in the German man's case. Head-mounted displays have become increasingly common among gamers, and the man told hospital staff he was gaming between one and four hours daily, yet claimed he did not fall or collide with anything while playing.
Subsequent X-ray examinations revealed that the man had suffered a fracture in the C7 vertebra located near the base of his neck, just above his shoulders. Doctors attributed the fracture to the rapid, repetitive movements the young man made while wearing the headset.
He needed to wear a type of neck brace for six weeks to support his neck during recovery. He fully recovered after 12 weeks, according to the British newspaper, Daily Mail.
