While the action seen through virtual reality headsets is a simulation, injuries to those wearing them are very real, according to a study published on PubMed.
And as viral videos of gaming sessions gone wrong demonstrate, as sales of the high-tech devices rise, so do the number of people getting actually — not virtually — hurt wearing them.
“The growing popularity of virtual reality devices and increasingly widespread distribution of VR products into the home exposes users to risk of bodily harm,” the researchers say.
The researchers noted that the first VR-related injury was reported in 2017, according to The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. There were an estimated 125 instances of such oopsies back then.
However, “Incidents of VR-related injuries amplified as increased VR units sold, and by 2021, there was a 352% increase in VR injuries totaling a weighted estimate of 1,336 [emergency room] visits,” the researchers said.
The most common injuries noted were fractures, say from kicking an onscreen enemy that in reality was your coffee table.
At 18.6%, “laceration” was second, followed by “contusion” (13.9%) and “other” (11.8%).
By age, more than 62.3% of the injuries in kids up to age 5 were to their faces; 6- to 18-year-olds more commonly injure their hand (22.3%) and face (12.8%).
VR wearers in the 19 to 54 demographic more commonly hurt their knees (15.3%), and gamers 55 and up “disproportionately” suffered injuries to their “upper trunk” (49.1%) and upper arms 25.2%.
“Safety features are integrated into the devices themselves, but the burden of cautious use rests upon the end user,” the researchers conclude.