Gaming Pro Tip: Sit Up Straight to Avoid Neck Pain from Playing Video Games

Gaming Pro Tip: Sit Up Straight to Avoid Neck Pain from Playing Video Games
Do you or someone you know experience neck stiffness or soreness after playing video games for long periods of time?
Do you notice yourself leaning forward towards the TV/monitor, craning your neck up at the screen? Ever notice your shoulders tend to be rounded while gripping the controller? Has it crossed your mind to have good sitting posture or do neck exercises after playing games?
It might not be immediately obvious from watching E-sports stars in their professional performances, but the life of a pro gamer can actually be quite physically taxing. E-Sports ergonomics expert Frank Maas's tips for improving your physical approach to gaming includes: the correct sitting position, screen height, & taking breaks often with proper stretching & exercises to keep healthy. With that said, you don’t need to be a pro gamer to have encountered these neck & back issues. The everyday gamer can be just as vulnerable to impact.

Gaming Positions: There are 2 common gaming positions for gamers: The “couch slouch”, where the gamer is relaxed with feet up on the coffee table & slouched back into the couch. Then, there’s the “full-on” position – usually in the heat of an FPS battle – that involves leaning forward, elbows on knees, head tilted forward, & all attention focused on the screen.

Many gamers play video games using a game chair or even a bean bag. Some have found that using the gaming chair has improved their posture & eliminates the forward head & rounded shoulders position.

Good Posture is Key. Poor Posture is one of the most common causes of neck pain. Be sure that you are sitting back & leaning forward. When the knees are crossed, the elbows are usually on top of them while the head will be looking up at the screen. After hours of this position, your neck & other areas of your body will most likely be stiff or sore from this kind of restricted movement.

Gaming chairs can provide a health benefit of sitting correctly & reduce neck tension or strain. Even if you don’t have a gaming chair, simply being mindful of sitting up properly will help reduce any potential neck strain.

Posture Pump® specializes in neck & back Disc Hydrators®. Posture Pump® helps decompress & reshape the proper cervical curve, improves range of motion, & gets to the cause of neck pain stiffness fast!

Neck Exercises During Game Loads. Doing some simple neck exercises while games are loading can help. You can do a mini neck workout & help ease your neck into a better neck posture while playing video games. These are quick neck exercises you can do within a minute or two.

  • Chin tucks
  • Shoulder rolls, shrugs & blade pinches
  • Head range of motions
  • Head rotations
  • Neck extensor stretches

It’s even better if you can do the chin tuck while playing the game. By bringing your chin back towards the chair or the wall behind you, you can strengthen the front & stretch the back of your neck muscles. Combining any of the neck exercises will help keep neck tension from building when playing.

Final Tip: Don’t clench your teeth or let your shoulders rise towards your ears when playing.

These motions will make your head & neck tensed. Have fun playing games & don’t forget to do neck exercises!

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