The gaming industry has continuously evolved since the arrival of the first computer, and it’s getting more and more interactive. It has evolved so much through the years that now games are looking close to reality, and they’re so detailed you could easily mistake a virtual character for a real person. Another step forward to playing video games is that you’re no longer restricted to having a few games physically stored somewhere. Now you can have unlimited online storage, giving you so many opportunities to try more games and replay them whenever you want.
As fun as it sounds, games can also contribute to some health problems in gamers and developers. Sitting in a chair in a poor position for too long can lead to ergonomic injuries (tendinitis, muscle strains, pinched nerves). Luckily, there are some ways to prevent them, but first, let’s dig into the world of gaming injuries.
Stressful working conditions
Working in the gaming industry is fun until you face poor management and many disturbances. It seems that the most common problems in these environments are stress, low air quality and a lot of noise. Constant exposure to loud climates might lead to hearing loss, high blood pressure and sleep disturbances. Turning down the noise doesn’t seem to be successful because managers are underestimating noise consequences. Therefore, you can fill an accident at work claim in the UK for loud noise exposure in case you can prove that it severely damaged your hearing.
Besides the physical damages, this environment also affects employees psychologically and socially due to overworking and not having enough time to socialize. But not only working in the gaming industry seems to be causing health damage. Gamers also experience different injuries due to bad posture and lack of physical activity to balance sitting for many hours. Are you wondering how people can remain seated for a long time while playing? Game addiction might be the answer. Just like any other obsession, games give people further motivation to engage in too much playing even though they know it’s time-consuming and damaging for their health.
Back injuries
Back pain is the most common problem gamers are faced with. Depending on the platform you’re playing, you can get back injuries from sitting in a bad posture for long hours. For example, if you’re playing on a console (PlayStation, Xbox), you might experience shoulder, neck and back strain.
The most obvious tip for avoiding back injuries is good posture. You should keep your lower back against the chair to avoid a slouched position and, if possible, adjust your chair to be slightly reclined to take off the pressure from your back discs. Then, take regular breaks. A 5-to-10-minute pause to go for a walk or any other physical activity will help warm up your muscles.
You can also consider massage therapy or cold/heat packs. All these techniques will improve blood flow and reduce the sensation of pain. The packs will show results if you place them on the affected area for 15 minutes.
Tripping and falling
Even if it sounds unusual, you can get these injuries while playing. Virtual reality games (VR) are based on virtual reality hardware through which you can experience physical adventures. This type of playing is done by having a headset with stereoscopic displays and controllers. Basically, you have a three-dimensional reality that you can get into while the equipment tracks your movements.
Therefore, each move you make in real life will be the same in virtual reality. While this activity can be fun and an exceptional experience, you might forget your sense of space and therefore fall or trip. There were plenty of cases when people hit the walls around them or had injuries due to falling.
Tendonitis
If you choose your PC as the main gaming platform, you might overuse your hands and wrists, the leading causes of tendinitis (and inflammation of the thumb, hand and wrist) and carpal tunnel syndrome (a pinched nerve that can cause pain or numbness). These issues can be caused by repetitive motions, forceful exertion and awkward positioning. You can prevent it from becoming worse by stretching or following some ergonomic tips:
- Sit on a chair with back support and maintain a good posture
- Keep your feet on the floor or a footrest
- Relax your shoulders
- Don’t rest your elbows on the edge of the desk
- Keep your wrists in a neutral or straight position
- Take breaks
Carpal tunnel syndrome doesn’t differ much from tendonitis, but many other factors than gaming can lead to it, including diabetes, arthritis, obesity and certain medication. Although you can implement the same tips for managing the pain, it’s more likely to develop this condition in a cold environment, so it would be good to keep your hands warm while playing.
Eye problems
You already know that digital screens can be damaging to your eyes. The blue light coming from phones and screens is causing many issues, especially when you’re overexposing yourself. You can get eye fatigue, dry and irritated eyes, and loss of focus. But when it comes to gaming, you’re at risk of digital eye strain caused by screen glaring, poor lightning and the wrong distance between the screen and your eyes.
Fortunately, there are some things you can do to avoid these problems, like:
• Resting your eyes
• Choosing a screen filter
• Placing your screen at around 20 to 28 inches from your face
• Fixing your chair’s height so that the center of the screen is about 5 inches below the eye level
An exercise you can practice regularly for your eye health is going outside and looking into the distance at a fixed point for 20 seconds.
Final thoughts
The gaming industry has an enormous potential to provide the best services for gamers, but we need to become aware of the physical consequences on our bodies. Poor posture and lack of knowledge regarding the hand, feet and screen placement will lead to injuries and constant pain. If you’re considering these tips next time you try a new game, you can enjoy it without the discomfort and soreness in your muscles and fingers.