Ergonomics for the serious PC Gamer

Gaming is all fun and, well, games. And while it is true that time spent playing video games on your computer definitely should be an enjoyable escape, it also has the potential to lead to some injuries and/or ailments if proper ergonomics is not involved.

You’d never let your in-game character suffer unnecessarily. So why let your body?

During a marathon gaming session, how long are you sitting down? Human beings were not designed to be in one position for such long periods of time, so sitting for too long can cause a variety of health problems.

Did you know that the best sitting position for gaming is exactly the same as a desk job posture? But it’s harder to apply because all your attention is going to be on the game and you won’t notice your awful posture until you are hurting.

So the best thing to do is to train yourself to sit well.

Learn to sit well with a good gaming posture in front of everything as it’s turned off. Really, Turn it off (it’s too much of a stimulus and will override your postural awareness at first). The best sitting position for gaming is learned with it all turned off.

When sitting, pay attention to these points:

• Head and neck. Ideally, you should keep your head and neck in line with the rest of your body, rather than pushing forward. You should never be bending your neck to look at your monitor, and if you are, you need to either readjust your posture or the screen.
• You should have your gaming monitor placed at the best height for your neck. This means keeping your screen level to your face while your back is straight.
• Shoulders. Don’t allow them to slump forward. Rather sit up straight and keep your shoulders strong and moving downwards. Never allow them to bunch up around your neck when the gameplay gets suspenseful!
• Back. Your back should be flat – no rounding.
• Eyes. Your eyes should be perfectly aligned with the centre of the screen to avoid any temptation to hunch forward.
• Arms. Proper arm support is a must for a solid posture. Avoid resting your arms on your legs or knees. Instead, place them on your chair’s armrests to help relax your shoulders and keep them in a neutral, upright position.
• Hips. Ensure adequate support for your hips by sitting all the way back in your chair and resting your back firmly on the backrest. You’ll also want to position your knees at the same height as your hips, which will help with maintaining your posture while making it easier to straighten your back correctly. This also encourages good blood circulation.
• Feet. Place your feet firmly on the floor, adjacent to one another. A lot of gamers will tuck their feet back behind themselves by bending their knees – without realizing it, this leans your weight toward the screen. Tucking your feet back is a chain reaction that puts tons of stress on your neck and can lead to a long-term crooked placement of your head.

Benefits of Good PC Gaming Posture

From better core strength to maintaining your ability to walk without a cane in 20 years, the physical benefits are plentiful. When we use our muscles and joints in the way that nature intended, it requires less energy to maintain this position. In fact, you’ll notice a stronger core that will provide more energy and endurance overall. More energy will result in a stronger flow state while you’re in the concentration zone. Once you can sit straight without even thinking about it, you know that you’ve corrected your posture and formed a very beneficial habit.

Avoiding the loss spent on a corrective professional—or even surgery—could also be considered a financial benefit.

How will this make you play better?

1. Less stress on the body means fewer aches and pains
2. Better breathing means clearer thinking and less fatigue
3. Better circulation means a good blood flow to where you need it most
4. Less likelihood of the dreaded Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Repetitive Strain Injury, Text Neck, rounded back, tight hips, indigestion, shoulder and neck pain. I could go on forever here!
5. Being poised and alert helps you react quickly.
6. You can play for longer before you’re destroyed!

How to Maintain Good Gaming PC Posture

Knowing how to sit properly is only half of it, now you have to maintain that position.

A strong will and determination will be your leading asset.  Remember how important it is for your body to stay upright, and repeat the benefits in your head whenever you’re feeling like you want to give up and hunch over.

Switching positions helps blood circulate through the body. In turn, this lessens numbness in the fingers and limbs. We also encourage you to stretch your shoulders and neck often. Investing in a sit-stand desk gives you an easy way to change position from sitting to standing, allowing your blood circulation to help you play better; you’ll think faster and you won’t tire out as quickly as you stay energized moving around. Plus, you’ll be able to keep all of your monitors at perfect eye level.

How can you change your environment for the best gaming posture?

• Make sure to have a large enough screen or even the new and popular curved screens. You may end up leaning in to get a more immersive experience if your screen isn’t huge. Also, a large screen means you can see the detail better, so you’re less likely to lean in. Think of keeping your back against your chair.
• Have your screen attached to a dynamic monitor arm to easily rotate, pan and tilt into the best viewing position.
• Invest in a good chair – but watch out for over-hyped expensive chairs. Many gaming chairs are built to *look* great, but may not be as useful as a good ergonomic chair.
• Make your practice sessions shorter, with more breaks. Set a time, get up, and move about. Give your eyes a rest too by looking out of a window, where they can adapt to a longer focal length, rather than just a foot or two in front of your face.

Ultimately, maintaining a good computer posture is something every gamer should focus on.

Whatever you do, don’t go back to your old hunched ways. Posture is a habit, the position you sit in the most will be the one that your body naturally resorts to subconsciously.

With this in mind, try to keep your mind on your back, neck, and shoulders while you’re gaming and try to keep your back touching your chair. It’s much better to lie in bed to rest your back than it is to hunch over for a break.