vpFREE2 Forums

Body Wear & Tear

#1

Hi Gang:
I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping
to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time
to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.
The problem/condition is wear and tear on the body after years of intense
video poker play. I recently celebrated my 68th year on this planet and it
seems that the inevitable aches and pains of "old age" have been
accelerated and exacerbated by thousands of hours of play at mostly upright machines
with chairs bolted to the floor that leave my arms in an uncomfortable,
stretched-out position and my body in a ergonomically incorrect position.
This has resulted in sometimes unbearable pain in my arms, neck and
shoulders, and chest. In fact, the pain in my chest got so bad a few weeks ago I
wound up in the emergency room at a local hospital, fearing that I was
having a heart attack. All tests were negative, thank God, and the diagnosis was
that my problems were all muscle-related. So, it was logical to assume
that the repetitive motion of playing video poker was the culprit.
The nerve impingement in my left shoulder/neck area has gotten so bad I
have numbness and tingling in my left arm and it has seriously curtailed my
ability to play long sessions any more. Hedy and I have been playing
seriously since 1998 and the millions of hands we've played and the thousands of
hours we've logged doing so are definitely taking a toll on our bodies.
I've found that in recent months I've cut short my sessions and have
reverted to being a cheerleader for Hedy, who is six years younger and has a lot
more stamina than me at this point in our VP careers. I find myself
taking more and more breaks during my play, getting up and stretching at regular
intervals and basically cutting down on my play time.
Chiropractic treatment and muscle-strengthening exercises have helped
somewhat but I don't see the situation getting much better as we move forward
and I get older.
If anyone has experienced these same symptoms/problems and has some magic
elixir or advice to alleviate this pain and suffering I'm all ears.
Thanks.
Regards,
CoachVee & Hedy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

Sitting for long hours at vp machines without a regular program of walking, jogging, and/or working out is only going to make you become unhealthy faster than expected, create numerous aches and pains, and it'll give you a video poker butt & gut that you'll be denying for years. I've always told people who play not to sit at the machines for hours on end for various reasons--the main one being their health. Few people can help themselves, however. I'd say that at 68, it's time for you to think about making a serious change in your habits for your own good.

···

From: "coachvee@aol.com" <coachvee@aol.com>
To: acvpp@yahoogroups.com
Cc: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com; vpmail2@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 7:42 AM
Subject: [vpFREE] Body Wear & Tear

Hi Gang:
I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping
to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time
to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.
The problem/condition is wear and tear on the body after years of intense
video poker play. I recently celebrated my 68th year on this planet and it
seems that the inevitable aches and pains of "old age" have been
accelerated and exacerbated by thousands of hours of play at mostly upright machines
with chairs bolted to the floor that leave my arms in an uncomfortable,
stretched-out position and my body in a ergonomically incorrect position.
This has resulted in sometimes unbearable pain in my arms, neck and
shoulders, and chest. In fact, the pain in my chest got so bad a few weeks ago I
wound up in the emergency room at a local hospital, fearing that I was
having a heart attack. All tests were negative, thank God, and the diagnosis was
that my problems were all muscle-related. So, it was logical to assume
that the repetitive motion of playing video poker was the culprit.
The nerve impingement in my left shoulder/neck area has gotten so bad I
have numbness and tingling in my left arm and it has seriously curtailed my
ability to play long sessions any more. Hedy and I have been playing
seriously since 1998 and the millions of hands we've played and the thousands of
hours we've logged doing so are definitely taking a toll on our bodies.
I've found that in recent months I've cut short my sessions and have
reverted to being a cheerleader for Hedy, who is six years younger and has a lot
more stamina than me at this point in our VP careers. I find myself
taking more and more breaks during my play, getting up and stretching at regular
intervals and basically cutting down on my play time.
Chiropractic treatment and muscle-strengthening exercises have helped
somewhat but I don't see the situation getting much better as we move forward
and I get older.
If anyone has experienced these same symptoms/problems and has some magic
elixir or advice to alleviate this pain and suffering I'm all ears.
Thanks.
Regards,
CoachVee & Hedy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#3

*if impingement is debilitating, impingement surgery can be out-patient,
arthroscopic, in-and-out, short recovery. check with your doctor if that is
a viable option.

···

*
On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 10:42 AM, <coachvee@aol.com> wrote:

**

Hi Gang:
I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping
to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time
to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.
The problem/condition is wear and tear on the body after years of intense
video poker play. I recently celebrated my 68th year on this planet and it
seems that the inevitable aches and pains of "old age" have been
accelerated and exacerbated by thousands of hours of play at mostly upright
machines
with chairs bolted to the floor that leave my arms in an uncomfortable,
stretched-out position and my body in a ergonomically incorrect position.
This has resulted in sometimes unbearable pain in my arms, neck and
shoulders, and chest. In fact, the pain in my chest got so bad a few weeks
ago I
wound up in the emergency room at a local hospital, fearing that I was
having a heart attack. All tests were negative, thank God, and the
diagnosis was
that my problems were all muscle-related. So, it was logical to assume
that the repetitive motion of playing video poker was the culprit.
The nerve impingement in my left shoulder/neck area has gotten so bad I
have numbness and tingling in my left arm and it has seriously curtailed my

ability to play long sessions any more. Hedy and I have been playing
seriously since 1998 and the millions of hands we've played and the
thousands of
hours we've logged doing so are definitely taking a toll on our bodies.
I've found that in recent months I've cut short my sessions and have
reverted to being a cheerleader for Hedy, who is six years younger and has
a lot
more stamina than me at this point in our VP careers. I find myself
taking more and more breaks during my play, getting up and stretching at
regular
intervals and basically cutting down on my play time.
Chiropractic treatment and muscle-strengthening exercises have helped
somewhat but I don't see the situation getting much better as we move
forward
and I get older.
If anyone has experienced these same symptoms/problems and has some magic
elixir or advice to alleviate this pain and suffering I'm all ears.
Thanks.
Regards,
CoachVee & Hedy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#4

*p.s. assuming there is no rotator cuff tear; just impingement.

···

*
On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 11:02 AM, Agonpd <agonpd@gmail.com> wrote:

*if impingement is debilitating, impingement surgery can be out-patient,
arthroscopic, in-and-out, short recovery. check with your doctor if that is
a viable option.
*

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 10:42 AM, <coachvee@aol.com> wrote:

**

Hi Gang:
I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping
to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time

to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.
The problem/condition is wear and tear on the body after years of intense
video poker play. I recently celebrated my 68th year on this planet and it

seems that the inevitable aches and pains of "old age" have been
accelerated and exacerbated by thousands of hours of play at mostly
upright machines
with chairs bolted to the floor that leave my arms in an uncomfortable,
stretched-out position and my body in a ergonomically incorrect position.
This has resulted in sometimes unbearable pain in my arms, neck and
shoulders, and chest. In fact, the pain in my chest got so bad a few weeks
ago I
wound up in the emergency room at a local hospital, fearing that I was
having a heart attack. All tests were negative, thank God, and the
diagnosis was
that my problems were all muscle-related. So, it was logical to assume
that the repetitive motion of playing video poker was the culprit.
The nerve impingement in my left shoulder/neck area has gotten so bad I
have numbness and tingling in my left arm and it has seriously curtailed
my
ability to play long sessions any more. Hedy and I have been playing
seriously since 1998 and the millions of hands we've played and the
thousands of
hours we've logged doing so are definitely taking a toll on our bodies.
I've found that in recent months I've cut short my sessions and have
reverted to being a cheerleader for Hedy, who is six years younger and has
a lot
more stamina than me at this point in our VP careers. I find myself
taking more and more breaks during my play, getting up and stretching at
regular
intervals and basically cutting down on my play time.
Chiropractic treatment and muscle-strengthening exercises have helped
somewhat but I don't see the situation getting much better as we move
forward
and I get older.
If anyone has experienced these same symptoms/problems and has some magic
elixir or advice to alleviate this pain and suffering I'm all ears.
Thanks.
Regards,
CoachVee & Hedy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#5

I found myself having some severe pain, that could only be explained by playing
VP. I called it "Upright Shoulderitis" but after looking around on the net, I
discovered that it wasn't really the shoulder but the biceps, specifically bicep
tendinitis. There is good information on this site, including self-treatments.
I've pretty much alleviated the symptoms, other than an occasional morning
stiffness that works out quickly.

Hope this helps:

http://www.itendonitis.com/bicep-tendonitis.html

If anyone has experienced these same symptoms/problems and has some magic
elixir or advice to alleviate this pain and suffering I'm all ears.
Thanks.
Regards,
CoachVee & Hedy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#6

http://www.google.com/search?q=sitting+bad+for+health

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Rob Singer <rob.singer1111@...> wrote:

Sitting for long hours at vp machines without a regular program of walking, jogging, and/or working out is only going to make you become unhealthy faster than expected, create numerous aches and pains, and it'll give you a video poker butt & gut that you'll be denying for years. I've always told people who play not to sit at the machines for hours on end for various reasons--the main one being their health. Few people can help themselves, however. I'd say that at 68, it's time for you to think about making a serious change in your habits for your own good.

From: "coachvee@..." <coachvee@...>
To: acvpp@yahoogroups.com
Cc: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com; vpmail2@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 7:42 AM
Subject: [vpFREE] Body Wear & Tear

Â

Hi Gang:
I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping
to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time
to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.
The problem/condition is wear and tear on the body after years of intense
video poker play. I recently celebrated my 68th year on this planet and it
seems that the inevitable aches and pains of "old age" have been
accelerated and exacerbated by thousands of hours of play at mostly upright machines
with chairs bolted to the floor that leave my arms in an uncomfortable,
stretched-out position and my body in a ergonomically incorrect position.
This has resulted in sometimes unbearable pain in my arms, neck and
shoulders, and chest. In fact, the pain in my chest got so bad a few weeks ago I
wound up in the emergency room at a local hospital, fearing that I was
having a heart attack. All tests were negative, thank God, and the diagnosis was
that my problems were all muscle-related. So, it was logical to assume
that the repetitive motion of playing video poker was the culprit.
The nerve impingement in my left shoulder/neck area has gotten so bad I
have numbness and tingling in my left arm and it has seriously curtailed my
ability to play long sessions any more. Hedy and I have been playing
seriously since 1998 and the millions of hands we've played and the thousands of
hours we've logged doing so are definitely taking a toll on our bodies.
I've found that in recent months I've cut short my sessions and have
reverted to being a cheerleader for Hedy, who is six years younger and has a lot
more stamina than me at this point in our VP careers. I find myself
taking more and more breaks during my play, getting up and stretching at regular
intervals and basically cutting down on my play time.
Chiropractic treatment and muscle-strengthening exercises have helped
somewhat but I don't see the situation getting much better as we move forward
and I get older.
If anyone has experienced these same symptoms/problems and has some magic
elixir or advice to alleviate this pain and suffering I'm all ears.
Thanks.
Regards,
CoachVee & Hedy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#7

I played so much video poker over the course of my first 3 years of playing that, after one time of about 3 consecutive days of intense play, I was so exhausted that I could hardly stand up for months. I had been in a field and gotten ticks on me, so I thought I might have had lyme disease. I had recently had a relationship with a girlfriend who, not long before meeting me, had been a drug addict and very promiscuous, so I thought I might have had AIDS. All tests were negative and eventually, with enough rest, I recovered, but I've been more careful to pace myself ever since. I find playing machines which give me no support for my elbows much more tiring than those which do.

Hi Gang:

I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping

to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time

to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.

The problem/condition is wear and tear on the body after years of intense

video poker play.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

···

----- coachvee@aol.com wrote:

#8

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, coachvee@... wrote: Hi Gang: I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.

FK Reply:
This problem is indeed so prevalent in the VP community that I devoted nearly a chapter in my book to it entitled, "Yo Ho Ho & a Bottle of Rum". (Piracy was the first job description in America with health benefits, if you missed the connection).

I also devoted a radio show to VP related health issues. I was planning on doing another show on this topic, but Bob ruled that it wasn't gambling related (enough). If you'd like to hear it you can find it at:
https://www.progressivevp.com/radio_show.php It's the Feb 17th show.

The reasons for body pain are too varied and person specific for me or any non-doctor (or even a doctor that hasn't examined you) to give you solid advice here in forum. You should see a specialist, tell them of your hobby, and ask if there is anything you can do to mitigate the stress it puts on your body. If the answer is, "not much" you should find another hobby.

You appear to be a recreational gambler, and don't need it to pay your rent. Therefore, getting another hobby that's less stressful should be your best course of action.

No one has to play video poker, not even us pros. Life is too short to spend it in pain.

Best wishes to you,

~FK

#9

Well, the number #1 hazard use to be smoking and second hand smoke. With better ventilation systems, and many of those chain smoking old-timers passing to greener pastures , we are left with Chairs and Glares. Staring at a VP screen for hours on end is not good. Its sort of like staring into a flashlight all day long. You might want to consult with your opthamologist, but it might not be a bad idea to ask the attendant to lower the screen intensity. Hazy, fuzzy, blurred , dirty, or bouncy screens are something you should not put up with.
Chairs is a huge problem, more so in Atlantic city. Most of their chairs are fixed at the wrong height and the wrong reach. So you constantly strain your neck , back , hands, shoulders,or combos of next day pain by compromising for the "one-chair-fits-all" casino mindset. So most of us over 4 0 folks, really want an adjustable chair to avoid a trip to the CHIRO.
BTW - there is an excellent CHIRO , Dr Derek Dey, on Eastern.

best...Tom

···

----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank" <frank@progressivevp.com>
To: <vpFREE@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 4:31 PM
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: Body Wear & Tear

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, coachvee@... wrote: Hi Gang: I've been meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping to open up some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time to see if it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.

#10

This advice won't fly.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Frank" <frank@...> wrote:

You appear to be a recreational gambler, and don't need it to pay your rent. Therefore, getting another hobby that's less stressful should be your best course of action.

#11

No idea how vp pros play 8 or more hrs daily on uprights. Even some of the new ones that have a "pitch" or whatever you call it are only slightly better for me. I can't avoid fatigue no matter what position I get in. I could play ancient touch screen video bj back in the day 12 hrs but vp kills me. I think you are right about height and reach,
you would think by 2011 IGT would have come up with a better mousetrap.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "tomflush" <tomflush@...> wrote:

Well, the number #1 hazard use to be smoking and second hand smoke. With
better ventilation systems, and many of those chain smoking old-timers
passing to greener pastures , we are left with Chairs and Glares. Staring at
a VP screen for hours on end is not good. Its sort of like staring into a
flashlight all day long. You might want to consult with your opthamologist,
but it might not be a bad idea to ask the attendant to lower the screen
intensity. Hazy, fuzzy, blurred , dirty, or bouncy screens are something you
should not put up with.
Chairs is a huge problem, more so in Atlantic city. Most of their chairs are
fixed at the wrong height and the wrong reach. So you constantly strain your
neck , back , hands, shoulders,or combos of next day pain by compromising
for the "one-chair-fits-all" casino mindset. So most of us over 4 0 folks,
really want an adjustable chair to avoid a trip to the CHIRO.
BTW - there is an excellent CHIRO , Dr Derek Dey, on Eastern.

best...Tom

----- Original Message -----
From: "Frank" <frank@...>
To: <vpFREE@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 4:31 PM
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: Body Wear & Tear

> --- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, coachvee@ wrote: Hi Gang: I've been
> meaning to pose this question to these forums for awhile hoping to open up
> some dialogue to a problem I've been experiencing for some time to see if
> it's as prevalent in the VP community as I believe it is.
>
>

#12

Oddly, after working outside as a lineperson for 30+ years, with arthritic hands, I find I feel no pain when I play video poker!

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, coachvee@... wrote:

The problem/condition is wear and tear on the body after years of intense