Music video game linked to injuries 

The video game, Guitar Hero that lets anyone be a rock star, has been linked to a growing number of injuries.

Guitar Hero's been a smash hit around the world and it's even available to Kiwi gamers.

But the popularity and the continuous use of the hand held guitar has led to many players having symptoms that are really painful and disabling.

The idea of the game is simple. As the coloured notes appear on the screen, the player must try and play the same ones on the guitar.

Problem is, to get better, you have to play longer, and faster, and that's when the trouble starts.

Jenna Ward, a self confessed Guitar Hero addict, says she started to feel pain in her arm muscle and her palm seemed to lock up after one really hectic night of playing the video game.

"We started playing at nine o'clock at night, and we finished at two in the morning".

While the time spent on Guitar Hero may have been one reason for Ward to experience the pain, it seems not even the experts are safe from the game.

Music band Coldplay's Chris Martin suffered a broken arm from Guitar Hero and a Detroit Tigers pitcher was sidelined with an inflamed wrist after a music marathon.

There have also been cases of people injuring their knees from landing and pivoting doing a particular move and they would be the same sort of knee injuries one sees with people who play rugby.

John Haywood, a physiotherapist, says people playing on Guitar Hero for too long can experience night pain and a feeling of pins and needles and tingling which he says is pretty concerning.

And Haywood says kids are particularly at risk.

"They just focus on the game, and before they know it, half an hour's gone by, and that may be too long".

But he has advice for kids, and adults, who use the video game for a little too long.

According to Haywood, breaks between each song, and regularly stretching the neck, shoulders and fingers are essential to help prevent injuries.

That he says leaves the player free to rock and roll all night.