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These Are The Most Common Esports Injuries

Written by: Jasmine Chiam
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If you’ve been to your local rugby match, you may have seen a group of paramedics on standby, ready to deploy medical assistance at any instance. Compare this to an international esports competition, where you likely won’t see any medical personnel on duty. While physical injuries are thought to be part and parcel of traditional sports, the same degree of attention to physical health and wellbeing isn’t translated to the esports industry.

Of course, esports athletes are less likely to require medical assistance during competitions as compared to rugby players, but they are still susceptible to physical injuries and ailments.

Because sports professionals have practice sessions and competitions tied to their career obligations, they commonly train for around 5-10 hours per day [1]. And to put things into perspective, an office worker performs 130-180 actions per minute (APMs) on the keyboard and mouse in an 8-hour workday. Meanwhile, an esports athlete performs up to 500–600 APMs per training day [1].

Because of these prolonged forceful and repetitive movements and extended periods spent arched in the same position, esports players are at risk of experiencing specific injuries.

We’ll cover the most common esports injuries in this guide. But as ‘doom and gloom’ as this article may sound, keep in mind that most of these injuries are highly preventable and treatable. Importantly, try not to neglect any worrying symptoms. Instead, get them checked out as soon as possible, as early-stage treatment is often successful.

#1 Back Pain

Back pain from computer use is a highly prevalent physical ailment that esports gamers struggle with. If you’re gaming for more than five hours each day, you could be at risk of this condition. Sitting in suboptimal and awkward positions in combination with prolonged hours plopped in front of the computer screen and a sedentary lifestyle could all contribute to back pain [2]. Because musculoskeletal injuries can affect your ability to participate in esports injuries, it’s best to get it treated early, which may include the use of painkillers, muscle relaxant medications, or acupuncture. You’ll likely have to break up sessions with adequate rest and increase physical activity to prevent recurrences, too.

#2 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Some hallmark symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include a burning sensation, tingling, or numbness that affects your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and a portion of your ring finger. Because playing video games mainly involves repetitive movements of the hands and wrist, this could increase your risk of experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome from gaming in the long run. If left untreated, the tingling and weakness could hamper your ability to grasp tiny objects and perform manual tasks. Your doctor may recommend splinting or corticosteroid injections to treat this disorder [3]. Some people experience cold hands with carpal tunnel syndrome. While it may be a symptom of this condition, gamers also commonly experience cold hands when gaming for normal reasons, especially during frosty weather.

#3 Trigger Finger

You could experience trigger finger from gaming, which typically involves the uncomfortable clicking and popping of your fingers whenever you extend or bend them. If left to progress, the creaking sensation, discomfort, pain, and occasionally locked digits may reduce your flexibility and range of motion, ultimately affecting your gameplay performance. Treatment may include ice application, splinting, anti-inflammatory medications, or corticosteroid injections [4].

#4 Gamer’s Thumb

Gamer’s thumb, also known as de Quervain’s tenosynovitis, is characterized by pain that affects the inner side of your wrist closer to the thumb. This pain may come hand-in-hand with swelling and tenderness and can be aggravated by hand and wrist motions. Because of this, you may have some difficulty navigating day-to-day tasks, such as opening lids. Similar to other overuse injuries, gamer’s thumb is typically treated via anti-inflammatory medications, splinting, or corticosteroid injections [5].

#5 Wrist Tendonitis

It is possible to experience tendonitis in the wrist from gaming, which is another repetitive strain and overuse injury. You may notice weakness and pain in the affected wrist, which can be accentuated with movement or applied pressure. These symptoms may also be accompanied by swelling, redness, and inflammation. The pain presents as a pesky dull ache in most cases, but this can develop to significantly hinder your daily gaming sessions and activities. Recovery can be facilitated via splinting, corticosteroid injections, and anti-inflammatory medications [6].

#6 Headaches

If you’re an avid gamer or esports athlete, you’ve likely experienced a headache from video games before—and you’re not alone. Though over 70% of gamers have experienced some form of a headache from their gaming activities, many choose to shrug it off and continue to play [7]. More often than not, headaches result from a condition known as computer vision syndrome rather than a deadly brain tumor (we’ve all been down that ‘Google-your-symptoms’ rabbit hole). Training and competing with a throbbing headache is one surefire way to dampen your performance. So it’s best to prevent them by getting adequate sleep, having breaks between training sessions, getting your eyesight checked, and staying well-hydrated.

#7 Rashes

Suppose you’ve noticed your gaming headphones causing rashes on your ears. In that case, you could look into these possible causes—you could have some form of eczema, the cleaning solution you use may be aggravating your skin, or you might be allergic to the materials used to manufacture them. Though these rashes aren’t life-threatening, no one enjoys gaming with hot, red, and itchy ears. Figuring out a solution may come with some experimentation, but you can start with cleaning your headphones, switching earcups, or seeking the advice of your dermatologist. You may be prescribed corticosteroid or antifungal medications to help combat your symptoms.

#8 Tinnitus

Conclusion

Physical injuries are among some of the negative effects of gaming that esports athletes may experience. Based on a study, over 50% of gamers experience some form of physical ailment or discomfort from gaming [8].

The esports industry can be highly competitive, physically demanding, and mentally draining. However, many common esports injuries can be preventable with simple and practical habits. Slotting adequate breaks between training sessions, ensuring you get sufficient high-quality sleep, staying physically active, and seeking professional medical advice when necessary are great ways to keep your physical health in check.

Don’t discount the effects of simple healthy habits in the long run. Maintaining your physical wellbeing is, after all, one key to unlocking your greatest potential during training sessions, competitions, or even casual matches (tryhard!).


Disclaimer: This is an educational post on the most common esports injuries. It should not substitute the advice given by your healthcare professional. EsportsHeadlines.com and the author of this post disclaim any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, as it is not meant for diagnostic or treatment purposes.