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Pinball injuries and playstyles

David_Vi

David_Vi

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Joined
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Sudbury
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DaveTheTrain
Has anyone had any pinball related injuries?

In pinball we seem to have a variety of play styles and temperaments, I've noticed some players are much more energetic, almost aggressive. Yet others appear calm and collected.

In some videos it sounds like the player is beating the machine up every time they flip, smack! smack! SMACK!, (probably sounds worse due to the microphone!)

A week ago I got my highest score on my DEJP to date and I think I have a pinball injury, probably from a slap save and palm hitting the side of the lockdown bar, where my middle finger meets the knuckle is tender. Same location on the right hand but not as bad.

Hopefully I recover in time for UK pinfest, or should I visit a sports physiotherapist? 😉

And is it just me who gets little nicks or cuts from working under playfields? I used to get similar from working in PC cases.
 
My four-year-old son knocked out one of his front teeth on the casting trigger of our Fish Tales while jumping up and down with excitement...

His adult tooth apparently won't grow in until he's around nine - so, until then, he's got a story to dine out on...
 
Not had an injury from playing, but had a playfield drop down on my back while I was leaning into the machine. That really hurts I can tell you! Like a bed of nails.
 
I had to cut down on my nudging and adopt a gentler play style as I’d get sore / stiff wrists and forearms.

Interestingly I’ve seen people with wrist protectors at shows, but I’ve not tried them myself.

Also a few mysterious cuts from working on games.
 
Rob zombie said:
Not had an injury from playing, but had a playfield drop down on my back while I was leaning into the machine. That really hurts I can tell you! Like a bed of nails.
Click to expand...

Yes!
I made the mistake with Black Rose of having the playfield up, then leaning in and pushing or screwing something right into the bottom back part...
Black Rose has a playfield that pivots on one point so me pushing on the bottom meant the playfield fell...
Onto me.

I reacted quick enough to slow its descent but the cannon assembly hit my head and I suffered a cut or two.
I didn't realise till I touched my head and felt blood.

I feel I diced with death that day...
What a fool😂

Imagine returning home to find someone dead in a pinball cab! That could have been me🥴

Tucks said:
Definitely able to get RSI from too much flipping. As for aggression, if you're shots are accurate you don't need to much nudge action. As Steve Ritchie say ' Play Better'
Click to expand...

I know that hitting a button harder makes no difference really but for some reason it feels like it does, maybe its the speed you're hitting the button, especially when you get into a flow.
There's no doubt on some pins I play better if I'm being more 'aggressive' (for want of a better term, it's not aggression, I'm not an aggressive person!).
 
Bad back and bruised arms from moving games. Loads of cuts, nicks and grazes from working on them. Plenty of electric shocks although the worst of those have been from vid cabs rather than pins 🤣
 
The last 2 years I have had major issues with my elbows, caused purely by my playing style of having my whole weight leaning on the machine. If it hadn't been for lockdown I would almost certainly have needed surgery and had already seen orthopaedic specialists. The enforced rest from competitions (along with the sheer workload at work) meant that I hardly played for nearly 12 months, giving me time to heal.

Have since changed my stance and that has helped somewhat, but nervous about seeing how a full day of playing will impact them.

The takeaway from it all is ensuring a good stance, and as soon as you feel any discomfort stop playing and see a Dr - by then the damage is already done and you need to address it before it becomes significantly worse.
 
Playing High Speed gave me a painful right wrist/forearm from its stronger than usual plunger spring.

And one of works' Getaways, possibly a 'friday afternoon' example, had the playfield somehow slip from its slide 'n lift mechanism when I tried to raise it. I wasn't trapped as such, but couldn't correct the situation without assistance.
 
Smacked my head on the caster on FishTales while setting it up at one of the LPCs, pretty sure I cracked my head on the gun on IJ once too.
Those things are solid
 
Too many injuries to mention but once got a serious cut on my hand from a falling playfield. Saw it happening and dived in to stop it hitting hard. Managed to get my hand between the lockdown bar and the slingshot bracket. Playfield was unharmed. Can’t say the same for my right hand. :oops:

I also have a slightly unusual playing style in that I use the index finger of my left hand to press the flipper button but the middle finger of my right hand.
 
stoptap said:
Too many injuries to mention but once got a serious cut on my hand from a falling playfield. Saw it happening and dived in to stop it hitting hard. Managed to get my hand between the lockdown bar and the slingshot bracket. Playfield was unharmed. Can’t say the same for my right hand. :oops:

I also have a slightly unusual playing style in that I use the index finger of my left hand to press the flipper button but the middle finger of my right hand.
Click to expand...
Anyone else reading that have to stop and think which finger they use ?
 
Numerous broken nails removing the aprons from machines to put machine numbers in for competition [emoji3][emoji3] nobody ever offers sympathy [emoji3][emoji3]
However Colin once slipped on a ramp, going up stairs with a World Cup soccer on a barrow- the whole machine fell on him and it was just his feet sticking out at the bottom- his legs and chest were black with bruises the next day but refused to go to hospital.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
David_Vi said:
In pinball we seem to have a variety of play styles and temperaments, I've noticed some players are much more energetic, almost aggressive. Yet others appear calm and collected.

In some videos it sounds like the player is beating the machine up every time they flip, smack! smack! SMACK!, (probably sounds worse due to the microphone!)
Click to expand...
I know I hit the buttons pretty hard, but I'm not trying to, just trying to time it as accurate as possible, and end up hitting the button so fast that it can sound loud. Nowhere near as loud as some other people are though!

I don't press the buttons with a designated finger, but have all my fingers together as one, and flap them into the buttons. It probably adds to the sound made when hitting the buttons. Before that I used my middle fingers.
 
Andy Hancock said:
Anyone else reading that have to stop and think which finger they use ?
Click to expand...
I only realised myself once I damaged the middle finger of my right hand at work and had it taped up so had to use the index finger of my right hand.
I have absolutely no idea why I play the way I do.
 
Half a splinter from the bottom of a cabinet. I got the other half out at the time but this bit sat in my finger for a couple of days before popping out.
 

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I watched some of the US players that have been playing for years on how they stand and nudge the machine the position and posture you have makes a difference on how you can put more weight into the game without hurting yourself.
 
Having been stood up for about 2 days solid at pinfest 2019, I was having serious back pain moving from sitting to standing & vice versa. A couple of visits to the chiropractor sorted it though.
 
David_Vi said:
A week ago I got my highest score on my DEJP to date and I think I have a pinball injury, probably from a slap save and palm hitting the side of the lockdown bar, where my middle finger meets the knuckle is tender. Same location on the right hand but not as bad.
Click to expand...
Sounds like Pinball Palm!

The only injuries I have suffered so far have been to my ego and self-esteem when I repeatedly struggle to hit the sword swallower trick on Pinball Magic. 😂
 
Being a lightweight at 10.5st dripping wet I’m always jarring my wrist trying to nudge a table and for some reason I too kick like a horse at times but no idea why.
I once had 2 local guys contact me to see if they could come play my pins and as usual said yeah no problem anytime.
I supplied a few bottles and as we started to play both had this crazy nudge technique where the slapped the button incredibly hard to both time the flipper hit with a combined nudge. I too do this but no where near the force of these guys who reminded me of Thor flailing his hammer.
Near the end I notice one of the guys had a handful of sovereign rings and though oh that’s what the noise was but on inspection of my cab noticed the horrendous cabinet damage of only 2hrs play!
So either they were trying to devalue my pins or were slightly envious of my lineup at the time.
Lesson learned that day check how people play and what’s on their hands and needless to say I never invited them back.
Another good reason for my button protectors I fit to all my non lollipop pins.
 
My right wrist aches, tried using the other one as it supposed to feel like someone else playing but that one aches too now. I just have a break and recharge, by my third session of the day I have nothing left though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My back is messed up (not from moving pins although it can't have helped!) and I'm seriously considering a bar stool for when I play. Anyone tried this? Did it detract from your game?
 
Colywobbles said:
Being a lightweight at 10.5st dripping wet I’m always jarring my wrist trying to nudge a table and for some reason I too kick like a horse at times but no idea why.
I once had 2 local guys contact me to see if they could come play my pins and as usual said yeah no problem anytime.
I supplied a few bottles and as we started to play both had this crazy nudge technique where the slapped the button incredibly hard to both time the flipper hit with a combined nudge. I too do this but no where near the force of these guys who reminded me of Thor flailing his hammer.
Near the end I notice one of the guys had a handful of sovereign rings and though oh that’s what the noise was but on inspection of my cab noticed the horrendous cabinet damage of only 2hrs play!
So either they were trying to devalue my pins or were slightly envious of my lineup at the time.
Lesson learned that day check how people play and what’s on their hands and needless to say I never invited them back.
Another good reason for my button protectors I fit to all my non lollipop pins.
Click to expand...
That would really send me over the top.
 
huggers said:
My back is messed up (not from moving pins although it can't have helped!) and I'm seriously considering a bar stool for when I play. Anyone tried this? Did it detract from your game?
Click to expand...
Would certainly effect your street cred… 😀

bit like playing space invaders not in the stance.
seriously though whatever floats your boat
 
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