No matter how much you love gaming, there’s likely to come a time when sitting down to play a game causes a few aches and pains in the lower back.
And yes, it’s usually easy to power through by just changing the way you sit or leaning back a bit, but the problem will crop up again when you turn your console on tomorrow. And if you’re honest with yourself, it’s kind of ruining your fun!
So let’s make sure you’re not accidentally hurting yourself when you’re gaming. If you’re dealing with a bit of back pain that seems to come on when you sit down and pick up a gamepad – or put your hand on your mouse – here’s what you need to think about doing.
A Few More Stretch Breaks
Yep, you need to get up and let those back and leg muscles breathe for a bit! Sitting down for hours on end isn’t good for anybody.
You need a bit of upright movement to keep your body feeling good, supple, and like you aren’t slowly going so stiff you might never move again.
And these stretch breaks don’t need to be long either – but they do need to be frequent. Maybe every 90 minutes for a longer session, or just the once halfway through when you’re online for only a couple of hours.
A Proper Gaming Chair
If your back is hurting, you’ve got a problem with your posture. Something about the position gaming gets you into is causing all kinds of havoc with your lower lumbar and spine.
And when that happens, it’s important to get yourself some extra support in these areas, i.e., a proper gaming chair that helps to keep you sat up straight at all times. And no, that doesn’t mean you’ll be uncomfortable!
Even budget friendly gaming chairs all come with padded cushioning around the lower back, to make sure you’re always sitting in a way that prevents your spine from getting too heavy or compressed.
A Setup Adjustment
Let’s face it, there’s probably something ever so slightly wrong with the way your gaming setup has been, well, set up.
Your monitor might be at the wrong height for your eyes, and your keyboard may not have the right level of hand rest, compared to the size of the keys and how close they’re set together.
Because it’s not just a lack of back support that’s leaving you with pain, not at all. It’s the need to constantly overstretch or warp yourself just to try and use your gaming accessories.
And while it might not feel like much of an issue to you right now, if you’ve ever needed to take your hand off your mouse and shake it out because of an ache, your setup could be doing more damage than you know.
If gaming seshes have left you with back pain, it’s time to focus on ergonomics. Get into the right position and get some support!
