Playing video games for a long time without taking breaks may be deadly, Live Science reported on Wednesday.

Extended video gaming often involves no movement for a long period, which can increase the risk of developing a potentially lethal condition known as deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT, the report said.

The report cited a 31-year-old man from New Zealand who spent eight hours a day playing PlayStation games for four days, and a doctor told him that deadly blood clots developed in his leg.

DVT can also be developed during long car rides or flights. While thrombosis induced by long-hour flights is called “economy-class syndrome,” the symptom linked to playing video games for long periods of time is referred to as “gamer’s thrombosis,”

The risk is higher for extreme gamers, who spend 48.5 hours a week playing games on average.

Experts said people should take frequent breaks, drink enough water and exercise regularly every two or three hours when sitting to avoid developing DVT.

By Im Woo-jung, Intern reporter
(iwj@heraldcorp.com)