Cervical spine injury after virtual reality gaming: a case report

Abstract

Background We report a patient who fractured the seventh cervical vertebra while playing a virtual reality (VR) game, without any other trauma. This case report aims to describe the spinal trauma incurred during the use of a VR headset in a video game. Case presentation The Caucasian patient presented with pain and swelling in the lower cervical spine at our clinic after playing a video game involving a combination of shoulder, arm and head movements while wearing a VR headset. Preexisting comorbidities were not present in the 31-year-old male. No history of regular medication use or drug abuse was recorded. After performing a clinical examination and radiological diagnostics, we found a dislocated traumatic fracture of the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra. After a soft tissue defect was excluded through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnostics, a conservative therapy regimen with pain therapy and immobilization was started. After hospitalization, outpatient controls were conducted at 4, 6 and 12 weeks. At 6 weeks after hospitalization, the patient had recovered from the injury without complications. Conclusions Rapid movements during VR gaming can lead to injuries of the cervical spine. In addition to rapid movements, the additional weight of the VR headset as well as the decoupling of audiovisual stimuli from the perceived proprioceptive information should be considered. Determining whether this is an isolated incident induced by unknown preexisting factors or whether the trauma mechanism alone can lead to severe spinal trauma needs to be studied further with additional cases.

Major traumatic injury sustained during use of a virtual reality (VR) headset

“…The use of VR may result in specific biomechanical considerations for the mechanism of injury, for example the wearing of a headset may alter the movement of the cervical spine during landing. Baur et al 7 reported a case of C7 vertebral fracture after rapid movements in VR, and hypothesised that the additional weight of the VR headset could contribute to cervical spine injury. It is logical that having a headset protruding from the face could increase cervical hyperextension on impact.…”

“…5 Insurer Aviva has also reported an increase in home contents insurance claims relating to VR incidents. 6 Despite this, there has been only one report in a medical journal of injury resulting from VR use, 7 and none of significant, potentially life-changing traumatic injury, suggesting the injury burden is being underappreciated in medical literature.…”

Application of Virtual Reality Technology Based on Artificial Intelligence in Sports Skill Training

“…Based on the research results of the above scholars, we find that the academic circles generally believe that the role of artificial intelligence virtual reality technology in sports training has the following points, to avoid irreversible body injury caused by improper or not in place actions in the training process [10], break the limitation of time and space in physical training [11], and Fully tap the teaching potential in the process of training [12]. But at the same time, most of the domestic research on virtual reality technology in sports training mostly stays at the theoretical level and lacks the analysis combined with specific cases [11]; At the same time, for the application of artificial intelligence virtual reality technology in sports training, it only expounds the advantages and application role of relevant research [13]; rarely analyzes the problems encountered in the practical application process, such as the computer hardware settings, the uneven products of artificial intelligence virtual technology, and the public consumption concept, and puts forward the countermeasures [14].…”

An Overview of Virtual Reality

“…If the user's back, neck, or spine are sore do not continue to use the HMD. This disclaimer is brought about due to a very recent report of a German VR gamer breaking their C7 neck vertebra while playing VR [3]. This is the first ever case of a VR induced stress fracture, despite the sixty years of HMDs before this point.…”