Gorilla arm is a VR injury Oculus Quest 2 users must beware of

Virtual reality is more prominent than ever within the gaming PC scene, and VR headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 offer high-quality immersion at an approachable price. Yet, according to ergonomic health experts, delving into the metaverse could come with real-world repercussions, as you might end up developing an injury dubbed “gorilla arm.”

As reported by The Times, gorilla arm is a term used by the Occupational and Biomechanics Research Laboratory at Oregon State University to describe a VR-related ailment. According to associate professor Jay Kim, extending your arms in virtual games “can increase the shoulder strain in a way that’s different from conventional workstations. By sticking your arms forward far away from your body, that creates shoulder strain that’s called gorilla arm syndrome.”

Gorilla arm is hardly comparable to the ‘you die in the game, you die for real’ premise of the movie horror Stay Alive, but it could become an RSI risk for players as we venture forth into a VR gaming future.

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