The list of small hazards related to technology seems to be growing.
First there was “text neck” and late-night eye strain. Now, there’s “Candy Crush thumb.”
According to the medical journal JAMA, a 29-year-old man ruptured a tendon in his thumb after weeks of playing Candy Crush.
The man told doctors he played the mobile puzzle video game on his phone “all day for 6 to 8 weeks.” The man had to go into surgery to fix the problem.
Study authors say they have reason to believe the game actually helped the man perceive less pain:
“Future research should consider whether pain reduction is a reason some individuals play video games excessively, manifest addiction, or sustain injuries associated with video gaming.”
Millions of people play Candy Crush. The game’s parent company KING has more than 195 games, averaging 356 million monthly unique users. KING is traded on the stock market and currently trades for more than $17 per share, putting the company’s worth at more than $7.5 billion.
