Chris Staniforth Dies From Blood Clot After 12-Hour Xbox Marathons

In the latest example of "everything in moderation," too much Xbox-playing may have led to a young British man's death.

Twenty-year-old Chris Staniforth, who reportedly played the game "Halo" on his Xbox for up to 12 hours at a time, died in May from deep vein thrombosis, a condition triggered by sitting for extremely long periods of time. A coroner said that there was a blood clot that formed in Staniforth's leg that moved up to his lungs to cause a fatal pulmonary embolism, the New York Daily News reported.

Deep vein thrombosis usually occurs among people who have to sit on a long-haul flight, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms include swelling in the leg where the blood clot originates, followed by shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness.

"After my research I saw there was no difference to Chris sitting at a desk on his Xbox and someone on a long-haul flight," Staniforth's father, David, told BBC News.

In a statement, Xbox manufacturer Microsoft said that it encourages gamers to take breaks from playing, BBC News reported.

While David Staniforth said he is not against playing video games, he wants to warn children and parents that playing for too long of a time without breaks can be dangerous and have health consequences, The Daily Mail reported.

Comments

[Research Bench]

07:07 PM on 08/19/2011

First, my sincerest sympathies to the Staniforth family for the loss of their son, Chris.

Second, I review emerging research on DVT, thrombophilia, and Factor V Leiden. I wanted to be sure folks were aware of Factor V Leiden (FVL) in particular because researchers advise it is a genetic mutation that may run in families. I am aware of families impacted by FVL, and several of them have experienced DVT, phlebitis, stroke, blood clots, pulmonary embolism, heart attacks, and other illnesses that we now know may be associated with FVL.

Researchers tell us FVL affects both men and women, including children; however, women are told that there is some additional risks associated with having FVL and pregnancy, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, and smoking. The last article I reviewed cited it as one of the most common genetic blood conditions known and yet, I rarely find anyone who is aware of FVL until it is too late nor anyone who has been briefed or tested by their doctor. My latest research review discusses this: http://researchbench.blogspot.com/2011/08/what-you-should-know-about-factor-v.html .

Whether it is "coach class syndrome" or a young co-ed dying suddenly after leg pain in college, more awareness about possible pre-dispositions to blood clots must be raised. I have also found a Thrombophilia Awareness Project on Facebook. This is a worldwide issue.

Melanie Hundley
Research Bench

[pepper1311]

04:39 PM on 08/07/2011

Take your aspirin before x-box marathons.

[fgbouman]

11:49 PM on 08/06/2011

It would be trivial for developers to detect prolonged periods of activity and to insert mandatory breaks for the user to get up and move around. It probably should be done.

[Ian Tierney]

08:55 PM on 08/04/2011

So its everyone elses fault your son dies?sounds like a personal problem and your stupidity of not doing your job as a parent.so instead you blame the rest of us for YOUR mistake.good job now that you killed your child maybe its a blessing that you should look and see that your just fueling the need for a test or exam before you can be allowed to breed.i dont show pity to the incompetent or to the lazy.its your job to assume the responsibility you incurred. To the rest of you i tip my hat and say its for the best Mr. and Mrs. Staniforth.please for the sake of the rest of us who have a life and deserve to take the time to relax from a long day at work and from our college lives.

[Spleenz]

11:30 AM on 08/04/2011

I remember this time way way back I was playing Quake for PS2 for a little over 5 hours. My mom had come and knocked on my door and when I paused the game and looked away from the screen at my mom I just felt this overwhelming nausea and barfed. I've never played that long without a break ever since.

[Fletch55]

04:03 PM on 08/03/2011

Again common sense just doesn't seem to exist in reality now adays.

[Kardii]

02:15 PM on 08/03/2011

Just sit in a comfortable chair that doesn't cut off the circulation to your legs and maybe get up to take a piss every now and then and you're good to go!

[El Chingaso]

01:34 PM on 08/03/2011

I'm sure the "new" warning labels on the X-Box packaging will make interesting, if not comical, reading. Where are the lawyers, anyway?

[laughingcynic]

01:21 PM on 08/03/2011

Absolutely Darwiniwan.

[Jo Challis]

09:34 AM on 08/03/2011

There was a story here in the UK recently about an eight year old boy who died of a heart attack while playing rounders at school on sports day - we just can't tell these things, who's gonna get a blood clot through lack of activity or who's going to die of a heart attack during apparently healthy activity?? Blaming others isn't the answer.

[Carlo A Mason]

03:08 PM on 08/04/2011

That is such a bad comparison. That child may have been in terrible shape or may have had a heart defect. Do you have more information that perhaps the rest of us should have in relation to that child? It does not fit in here, because this is something that occurs when you sit for long periods of time. Playing video games is not the only way one suffers this, it could also be, as the write responsibly said, after sitting on a long flight.

I only wish he had reported how one could check for it or how it is treated once discovered. Otherwise it was a good article. It certainly was not worth this inane comparison being made!!

[class of 66]

09:28 AM on 08/03/2011

it had to be a suicide.

[Tone67]

07:55 AM on 08/03/2011

Life: Use it or lose it

[binarystar]

02:35 AM on 08/03/2011

it's kind of hard to feel bad for a guy that died from sitting around and playing videogames too much.

[lhanderson86]

01:05 PM on 08/03/2011

The man is dead. It's not appropriate to make fun of him by calling him names.

[bloggomatic]

11:46 PM on 08/03/2011

I have a dark humor, im not going to sit here and pretend I care as if i knew this person . Most people who post on here like to act as if there politically correct all the time. NOT HAPPENING.

[moldth6]

02:23 PM on 08/03/2011

Consider yourself flagged for that one. Despicable!

[bloggomatic]

11:44 PM on 08/03/2011

O no not a flag.....

[Cynth Bage]

12:23 AM on 08/03/2011

I'm glad the young man's dad did not blame the XBox or Microsoft. He actually blamed himself for not making sure his son took breaks every now and then. The difference between parents in the UK and those in the US is this: they believe in taking personal responsibility in the UK.

[moldth6]

02:26 PM on 08/03/2011

Please spare me your values on personal responsibility, Bage! We've seen the fruits of it in the NORWAY SHOOTER and we are not impressed in the slightest. If that is your idea of raising responsible adults you've got room for improvement. Thanks.

[kmvproductions]

11:38 PM on 08/03/2011

Generalize much? I'm from the US and I've taken my share of responsibility for all of my actions. I guess this means that ALL people in the UK MUST be ignorant, like yourself. :D