You’ve played for hours and found the perfect move for the final boss of your game. You finally made it. You feel euphoric and totally satisfied with your achievement. You stand up to head to the kitchen for a well-deserved refreshment—but on the way there, you nearly fall!
That’s the result of your leg falling asleep after sitting in a tense position for too long. On top of that, you now feel a pulling in your wrist from repetitive gaming motions, and worst of all, your vision is blurry—you blink to restore clarity after so much screen time.
Excessive video gaming was first recognized as an addiction by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019. Today, in 2023, the number of gamers has risen to over 2.5 billion, and it’s more important than ever to educate people on healthy gaming habits so we can continue enjoying gaming as a positive experience.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled our top five tips to fight these aches and pains caused by extended gaming sessions!
1. Sit upright
So simple. So effective. Sitting with a straight back can do wonders for improving your posture and reducing the risk of long-term injuries. Back pain is most common when you’re hunched over for long stretches. The back is the most frequent injury site among gamers, but luckily, sitting upright also corrects your posture and reduces strain in other parts of your body.
Using specially designed gaming equipment, like the Couchmaster® products by nerdytec, gives you the support you need for an ergonomic setup. Whether you prefer gaming from a chair or your sofa, invest in equipment that lets you maintain an upright position to protect your body from unwanted aches and discomfort.
2. Keep your distance
Eye strain is another common issue among gamers. Staring at screens for hours can lead to tired, dry eyes. Screen glare and low contrast settings on your monitor increase strain, as your eyes constantly try to focus. Gamers often experience itchy eyes and blurred vision—or have trouble sleeping due to overexposure to blue light.
Keeping your monitor at a minimum distance is the best way to reduce eye strain. It’s recommended that HD TVs be placed at 2.5 times the screen’s diagonal size. For example, a 55‑inch screen × 2.5 = 137.5 cm. That means your screen should be at least 1.30 m away to avoid unnecessary eye strain.
3. Keep wrists extended
Over 60% of e-sport athletes suffer from hand or wrist pain, and in worst cases it can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. This syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist, and can result in pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands and fingers.
Keeping your wrists straight—and at a 90° angle to your elbows—is the best way to reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Too much pressure on your forearms increases the risk. Make sure your arms rest gently on armrests or surfaces rather than being tense. Regular stretching of fingers and wrists is also a good practice and helps prevent other musculoskeletal issues like tendonitis.
4. Take small breaks
Remembering to take frequent breaks while gaming is the best way to reduce the impact on both mind and body. As much as we love gaming, regular breaks are key to making it a safe and sustainable long-term hobby.
Taking a break is a great chance to give your eyes and body a rest—and to do some gentle stretching to help further prevent health risks.
Being seated is sometimes referred to as the new smoking, but thankfully its risks are much easier to mitigate. The Heart Foundation recommends 60–75 minutes of moderate exercise—such as leisurely walking—to counter the effects of too many hours sitting. Regularly standing up and moving helps maintain blood flow and prevents muscle fatigue.
5. Loot some food
Just like you have to feed and water your favourite characters in games like Fallout and The Sims, don’t forget to take care of yourself. As soon as you decide to take a break, replenish your real‐life energy reserves!
It is recommended that men drink 3.7 liters and women 2.7 liters of fluid per day. Water makes up around 50–70% of your body weight, so staying well‑hydrated is vital to support health and protect against stress to joints and sensitive tissues that could be affected by gaming.
With these five tips—and choosing the perfect Couchmaster® for you—you’ll have the ideal gaming setup in no time. Remember: if you start feeling pain or discomfort, don’t play the hero—that can make things much worse. Take a break and seek medical advice if the pain persists.
Enjoyed these tips? Then check out our other blog posts where we show you how to create the most ergonomic gaming setup, or browse our full Couchmaster® product range to optimize your posture perfectly.
Meet the team: Roman Jakob, CTO & Co-founder