Whoever said that being a gamer is easy probably hasn’t played a single game his/her entire life. There is more to being a gamer than just putting hours in front of the computer. You are only as good as the skills you possess. If you aren’t good enough, then even those prolonged sessions wouldn’t do you much good. Similarly, if you have the skills to make it into the eSports industry, you must put in those long hours to keep those reflexes sharp.
Professionals worldwide spend countless hours in front of their gaming setup every day. And even more, if they are also interested in online casinos and try to find at least a minute for their game in the card registration bonus casino. They go to great lengths to ensure that they have the perfect setup to get maximum output. Right from the mouse bungee to the chair, gamers tend to have everything in order. But no system is foolproof. Despite taking every adequate measure to ensure a smooth and immersive gaming experience, every gamer suffers from one common problem, wrist pains. Unfortunately, wrist pains are relatively common in the gaming industry.
All those flick shots and mouse drags tend to take their toll on your wrist. Even if you have a mousepad or mouse that comes with excellent wrist support, wrist pains are imminent. But there is a way using which you can either minimize or altogether avoid wrist pain from gaming. In this article, we will discuss all the different ways to prevent wrist pain from gaming.
Note: Mentioned below are some of the ways to avoid wrist pain. However, it is recommended to visit a doctor if the pain is prolonged and severe. Failing to see the doctor during a wrist injury can lead to the development of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
5 Ways to Avoid Wrist Pain from Gaming
Wrist pains can be a result of several things. As we mentioned earlier, all those flick shots and mouse drag eventually take their toll on your wrist. In addition, poor ergonomics and hardware are also the reason why one experiences wrist pain from gaming. To tackle this problem, we have listed five ways to avoid wrist pain from gaming.
1. Have the Right Hardware in Place
Inappropriate hardware is primarily the reason the majority of us develop wrist pain when gaming. For example, if your mouse doesn’t fit in hand, we tend to grip it short without realizing that we are damaging our wrists by doing so. Similarly, applying too much pressure on keyboard keys tends to put excessive stress on the joints, hands, and fingers.
2. Ergonomics and Posture
As we mentioned earlier, poor ergonomics is one of the primary reasons gamers develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. To tackle wrist pain, we must use proper posture when in front of the computer.
Changing your position and device placement can have a massive impact on your arm muscles and tendon fatigue. Therefore, ensure that your chair is tall enough so that your forearms are in level with your keyboard or extending downward toward it. Also, use wrist pads sparingly since they put your joint at a wrong angle, causing more stress to the nerve and tendon in the carpal tunnel.
Mouse
An ergonomically poor mouse is often the cause of why gamers develop pain in their wrists. If your mouse doesn’t fit perfectly onto your palm, it is time you replace it right away. There are different mouse grips available that provide good functionality and comfort.
Each grip is designed explicitly to suit your gaming or office needs. But if you continue using your old mouse by gripping it too tight, it creates a strain on the Carpal Tunnel. Therefore, it is recommended to invest in a mouse designed for prolonged usage or explicitly for gaming.
There are three different types of mouse grips – Palm grip, Claw grip & Fingertip grip. The meanings of each grip are self-explanatory. As per Just Gestures, no single mouse is suitable for all types of grips. So, make sure you get a mouse that is suitable for your gripping style.
Keyboard
The majority of the modern-day keyboards give us a neutral wrist while gaming. But if you are using a traditional keyboard, it causes a slight deviation that internally rotates our shoulder. All this causes strain on our elbows and forearms.
To tackle this, opt for an ergonomically sound keyboard that comes with wrist rests and has an adjustability feature. This allows the equipment to match with our body and helps us attain a good posture. In addition, mechanical keyboards have their keys converging in from both ends, which helps eliminate shoulder stress.
Armrests
Having an armrest setup can have a significant impact in relieving wrist pain when gaming. This is because armrests allow our elbows to be comfortably supported and keeps our shoulders relaxed.
In addition, keeping your forearms parallel to the ground takes off the excessive stress from your forearm. This will reduce the amount of strain on your shoulder, alleviate pressure on the forearms, and keep you with neutral wrists throughout the gaming session.
3. Take Breaks
Competitive gaming can take its toll on your body. Even if you win or lose, you’ll end with excess stress build-up on your neck, shoulder, back, forearms, elbows, and lower-back muscles.
To prevent this, you must take periodic breaks to allow your muscles to recover. For example, it is recommended to take a 15-minute break every 45-minutes. And if the soreness continues to persist for days at a stretch, it is advisable to take a break from gaming altogether.
4. Stretching
No matter what part of our body you’re focusing on, there are a few stretches that come along. These stretches are essential as they focus on untangling the nerves and removing the stress build-up by improving our blood circulation, maintaining a good range of motion, and reliving the overused muscles.
Check out this video to get help against wrist pains while gaming:
5. Wrist Exercises
Just as there are exercises designed to train every other part of our body, a few exercises are designed primarily to reduce wrist fatigue. These exercises are trivial in strengthening and conditioning our wrist, forearm, and hand muscles. This will help offset muscle fatigue and decrease the total amount of load that our wrists take:
Final Thoughts
Competitive gaming tends to take its toll on our body muscles, so it is vital to consider the ergonomics, hardware, and several other factors if you are looking to put in those prolonged gaming sessions. However, it is recommended to visit a doctor at once if the pain is prolonged and severe. Failing to see the doctor during a wrist injury can lead to the development of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
