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Over the course of his career, he earned more than $500,000 in tournament prize money. However, in 2020, Jian announced his retirement after chronic wrist and arm injuries cut his storied career short. At that time, he was just 25 years old. Video games have a reputation for keeping people glued to the couch. In 2011, British gamer Chris Staniforth, who would play for as long as 12 hours at a time, died of the condition. As more esports injury research has been published, more treatment and prevention strategies have emerged.
Chinese esports player Jian “Uzi” Zi-hao was more than a star “League of Legends” player. He was so talented that his team built its entire strategy around him, funnelling resources to him and another teammate, Shi “Ming” Sen-Ming, so the duo could lead the team to victory. Even at the recreational level, esports players cite the mental toll: playing hours a day, every day, to hone their skills and “climb the ladder.” A 2021 study of Portuguese esports players found that 37% experienced anxiety and depression, and 45% experienced sleep disturbances. Furthermore, screen light appears to contribute to sleep disturbances by disrupting the release of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Many esports players, professional or otherwise, also battle hand and wrist pain, with repetitive button-smashing causing injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and “gamer’s thumb,” which arises from overuse or irritation of the tendons around the thumb and wrist.
But for those who compete against the best players in the world, gaming can be surprisingly physically and mentally taxing. The best esports players often have grinding schedules. They’re expected to practice regularly, participate in scrimmages, and compete in official matches. The most common physical injuries in esports generally fall under eye problems and musculoskeletal issues. Prolonged screen time leads to many vision problems in gamers, from common eye fatigue to decreased focus. Many of the overuse injuries seen among video game players are also familiar to assembly-line workers, whose jobs can involve similarly repetitive movements. Then there are the back injuries. Players can remain seated for three or more hours without a break, and this prolonged sitting can take a toll on the lower back and spine. The sedentary nature of esports has also led to a lesser-known, sometimes fatal, injury called deep vein thrombosis: a blood clot, often in the leg, that can become life-threatening if it travels to the lungs. Top esports teams now have physical therapists, performance psychologists, athletic trainers, and even massage therapists on staff to optimise their players’ performance and recovery.
Because the physical and mental stresses of musical performance overlap with esports competition: long stretches of sitting, small dexterous hand movements, and performing without real-time input from a coach. For example, biomechanics research has found similar patterns of forearm muscle fatigue among esports players and piano players, this is.
In this vein, much esports injury research draws on the training methods of traditional sports. However, according to one exercise science scholar, injury treatment and prevention strategies could be further improved by viewing esports competitors more like musicians and dancers than football and basketball players. Performance optimisation and injury research on professional performing artists has existed for centuries, and the scholar argues it represents a valuable, untapped resource. Even Jian, the player who retired in 2020, returned to play for a few splits, or partial seasons, in 2022 and 2023. In July 2023, “League of Legends” star Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok was sidelined with cubital tunnel syndrome, an injury caused by arm and hand overuse. He went on to win three consecutive world championships, with his support team helping prevent injury recurrence throughout each season. Thanks to his rehabilitation, Lee’s fans can follow his hunt for his fourth “League of Legends” World Championship, which kicks off in October 2026 in the US.
Teams often incorporate group exercise activities to build rapport among players and reduce injury risk. During competition, proper positioning of the spine and limbs has become an essential injury prevention strategy. For example, selecting a chair that encourages an upright posture can reduce pain and injury risk, especially when gamers couple ergonomics with an exercise program that centers on functional strength, mobility and stretching of the upper limbs. When esports began gaining mainstream popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s, proponents were eager to compare it to traditional sports and athletic competition. The parallels helped establish esports’ legitimacy and gave non-gamers a familiar framework for understanding the competition. As esports became a big business and a lucrative career path, players and teams hired a web of support staff, including trainers, coaches and therapists, that mirrored the structure of professional sports. However, no studies to date have directly compared the two groups. Researchers have also raised the possibility of applying interest in joint hypermobility or hand size among performing artists to esports populations, and whether popular piano warm-up exercises could be effective for esports athletes who use keyboards. Even research on sports like car racing might offer valuable insights, since, as with gamers, many people overlook how physically demanding car racing can be, including the extended periods of sitting it requires. Prevention and rehabilitation techniques keep improving. Through a treatment plan that included changing his gaming posture and intensive physical therapy, Lee was able to return to play just a month later. Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.