If only you could take a trip to a Pokemon Centre to heal (Picture: Getty)

If you’re in your late teens or early 20s, you’re probably seriously hyped to go out catching Pokemon soon.

Unless you’ve been in a Jigglypuff-induced slumber, you’ll know that Pokemon Go – a smartphone game where you catch Pokemon in the real world (!!!) – will be released in the UK soon.

Police officer sacked for chilling in his pants

But while wannabe Pokemon masters patiently bide their time, there are warning signs coming from the US.

Our lucky American friends already have access to the game, where they have discovered an unexpected side effect – Pokemon-related injuries.


Yes, trainers are trying so hard to catch the elusive beasts that they aren’t paying attention to where they’re going.



Take this guy, who posted his story on Reddit.

Pokemon Go put me in the ER last night. Not even 30 minutes after the release last night, I slipped and fell down a ditch. Fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in my foot, 6-8 weeks for recovery. I told all the doctors I was walking my dog lol… Watch where you’re going, folks!

Now that’s a critical hit.

We imagine it looked something like this (Picture: Getty)

Frustratingly, there’s no word on whether the player still managed to catch the Pokemon in the process.

Other Pokemon trainers have weighed in with their own stories of injuries while playing the game, which was only released this week.

R.I.Bee message and pot of honey left at scene where bees were killed

Redditor AlgebraExe wrote: ‘I got excited about a Weedle and slammed my face on my desk. Down for a week.’

Really not worth it for a Weedle, bro.

User KurtGG added: ‘My buddy was trying to catch a Raticate and fell into the water down at the docks.’

You can catch Pokemon in real life but also pick up real life injuries (Picture: Getty)

Others have warned about the dangers of driving while playing, while the app itself features a warning that asks players to be aware of their surroundings.

What is Pokemon Go? The free app makes Pokemon appear on your phone screen through the camera as you walk around – as if they actually exist. When they pop up, you can catch them by flicking Poke balls, and you can battle in Pokemon gyms that appear in public places. It’s only a matter of time before Britain joins the Pokemon frenzy, although a UK release date has not yet been announced.