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Dr. Kim Mulvihill ReportingWhen you think of video games, most people think of kids, and lots of parents think their kids spend way too much time playing these games. But a new study suggests your doctor might do a better job with a little video game time.
While it may look like pure entertainment, video games can actually do a lot for hand-eye coordination, a valuable skill for surgeons.
Orthopedic surgeon John Tierney spends a lot of time fixing knees. He also spends a lot of time playing video games.
Dr. John Tierney, New England Baptist Hospital: "It could be any one. It doesn't matter."
And that may be a good thing. Researchers studied more than 300 doctors who perform laparoscopic surgery. That's where doctors manipulate chopstick-like instruments through tiny incisions in the body. Surgeons watch a television monitor to get a magnified view inside the patient.
This type of surgery requires hand-eye coordination, similar to what's used when playing video games.
In the study, doctors played video games before taking a performance test using laparoscopic instruments. They found the surgeons who played video games finished the test faster and with fewer mistakes than those who didn't play the games.
The results don't surprise Dr. Tierney.
Dr. John Tierney, New England Baptist Hospital: "You develop eye and hand coordination and with arthroscopic surgery it's the exact same thing."
So do a lot of surgeons play video games?
Dr. John Tierney: "I think you'll find some that admit it and the closet video addict that doesn't want anybody to know that he does it."
Reassuring news for all those who worry their kids are wasting time playing video games.
