Topic: "Gamer's Thumb"

So I was taunting my sister about her small hand size (long story, and I know I am such a supportive twin brother), when she noticed this about my thumbs:

On the right, my right thumb, which has a "normal" alignment; on the left, my "crooked" left thumb with a fishhook-shaped alignment to it. It doesn't hurt, it's only noticeable when I extend that thumb out, I don't think it's a result of growth or puberty (I'm 18, so aside from being unable to flesh out my beard I think I'm done with drastic body changes), I've never severely broken/fractured/injured my thumb, and my thumb functions normally; it only looks off. I'm not 100% sure what caused it, but I have a theory: video games, since I know that's one activity (aside from maybe tennis) that I do a lot of that my sister doesn't. So, over the years, my thumb, through large amounts of video game playing, adapted its shape to help me play better. Anyone else have something similar to this or have a better idea as to what may have caused this?

Gaming has only slightly twisted my middle fingers to allow for a better grip for handheld consoles (though that's just a theory too). My thumbs are perfectly aligned.

I guess it's worth to mention that I usually play only on portables ever since I started playing games, which rarely have analog sticks and usually have plain backsides.

I think that may be the case. I'm 14 and I grew up with the DS line so my fingers seemed to mold around the way I hold them.

I have been playing games full on since the Atari 2600 and my hands/fingers are in perfect alignment.

Those hands mean your experiance with video games is approved of.
Its sorta like back centuries ago people assumed Left Handed people were witches.

Same here. I could do it with my right thumb but I really wouldn't. It's not right lol.

My thumbs have been naturally weird since I was born, and they bend backwards almost to 90 degrees (so it looks like I'm freakishly double jointed). It's influenced the way I play most videogames, that's for sure.

When I put my left hand on the keyboard, it almost always goes into the "WASD" shape haha. I also press the up arrow key with the tip of my third finger, and the down arrow key with the middle of my third finger, meaning it's a little more rigid than my other ones D:

Well, my hands have never cramped while holding a controller for hours on end, including things like holding the 3DS with one hand for 4+ hours at a time while playing KI:U. and my fingers can do this.

I don't know what it means, but I can.

Ditto, in typing class I get yelled at for not putting them on asdf. My thumb can bend behind my hand.

Same here. I've had it since launch.

I've noticed that I have an extremely powerfull grip in both hands. And that the tendons in the palm of my hands are bulkier than most peoples, especially for my thumbs, but they're not grotesquely large enough that people would notice straight away.

Playing a lot of with the Wii has given me a little bump on my right hand's middle finger.

look what it did to me

Wait, you don't seem to have the opposable thumbs required for gaming.

SomETHING iS WrONg!?!

Congrats Sir you have played games enough it starts effecting your body now keep playing, I recommend playing some Vita, that'll take and wake your body to new experiences.

I have no idea how it happened.

Having a hitch-hikers thumb isn't that uncommon, you know? Both of my thumbs can bend backwards and I know plenty of other people who can do that also.

Both my thumbs bend way too far it seems and it always creeps a lot of my friends out. I always attribute it to gamer thumb cause I don't remember it being as such when I was younger.

lmao xD whats up deidara!

but its actually natural of your hand to change like that over some time not crazy change though to the point were it looks deform xD but like if you were to go ask a cop to show you his/her hands it would be shaped like when they use a gun for example or a chef that uses knifes often if you were to stop doing what you do often it would change back after a while

i think it be a bit weird if you thumb was like megan fox's xD now thats just weird