Video games can be a real pain in the neck

Video games have already been blamed for making children fat, ruining their eyes and inspiring violent crime - now there are claims they could also be causing back and neck injuries.

Leading physiotherapists say teenagers who spend hours on computer games could be at risk of chronic back complaints.

New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association spokesman Duncan Reid said low back pain was a "major contributor" to sick days off work and was a growing concern among adolescents.

Neck and back injuries were expected to increase significantly as people became less active.

"This seems on the cards considering the associated health problems of obesity, reduced levels of activity, and the popularity of passive entertainment systems such as PlayStations that encourage further inactivity and prolonged sitting posture in the adolescent age group," Mr Reid said.

Though 80 per cent of the population were likely to experience low back pain, there was a worrying trend of back pain being experienced by teenagers.

Mr Reid said it appeared children fell into two categories - those who did very little activity and those doing too much - and both groups were equally prone to back problems.

Australian physiotherapist Peter O'Sullivan said incidents of back pain tended to develop during the early teenage years, increasing to adult levels in late teens.

It was commonly caused by sporting activity or "static postures", he said.

Back pain is a big contributor to loss of work productivity, with ACC spending $130 million each year treating back injuries.

The issue will be the focus of the association's national conference, to be held in Rotorua next week.