Physical Therapy for Gamers and Workaholics
Physical Therapy for Gamers and Workaholics
Hit Pause on Pain from Gaming and Computer Work
In the modern world of technology many of us find ourselves sitting for much of the day looking at computers or screens. You might sit in a desk chair for the better part of eight hours doing work on your computer and then hop onto the couch and wind down for a few hours playing video or computer games. If you are one of the many people who spend a majority of their day sitting in front of a computer, phone, or television, you are probably familiar with how your body feels after sitting in one position for a long time. In this article we are going to examine some of the more common physical symptoms and conditions that gamers and workaholics experience and how physical therapy can help you find relief during your workday and while you game.
Neck pain/stiffness/fatigue: Neck pain, neck muscle stiffness, or neck muscle fatigue can happen when you are working on a computer or gaming all day. A few causes are likely to blame. First, after staring at a screen for a while we often begin to experience eye strain or fatigue. Many of us will tend to stretch our heads forward to bring our eyes closer to the screen and this “forward head posture” can lead to neck pain or stiffness. Depending on how your workstation or gaming system is set up you may find yourself spending prolonged periods of time with your head turned to one side to look at papers or your computer or looking up at a raised TV screen. These prolonged postures can also cause neck pain or stiffness. In worst cases symptoms may radiate down into the arms or hands as the nerves exiting the spine are compressed.
Headaches: There are many potential causes of headaches but for those working at a desk most of the day or spending long hours in the gaming chair both eye strain and cervicogenic (originating from the neck) headaches are common. Eye strain occurs after spending a prolonged time looking at a screen. As you contract your eye muscles harder to maintain focus a headache can develop. Similarly those with neck pain or neck muscle stiffness may experience cervicogenic headaches. These headaches are typically one-sided and can feel like a dull ache in the neck, head or face.They can worsen with movements of the neck or pressing on the tender neck muscles.
Carpal Tunnel: Carpal tunnel syndrome refers to a group of symptoms that are caused by pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel of the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway on the palm side of the wrist created by a ligament called the transverse carpal ligament that crosses from left to right between several wrist bones. Symptoms of carpal tunnel include numbness, tingling, or burning in your palm, thumb, index or middle fingers or weakness in the hands. You may wake up with these symptoms and they will often recur when you have been using your hands for a while.
“Gamer’s thumb” (De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis): pain and inflammation in the tendons that run from the wrist to the thumb are characteristic of this condition. This condition is caused by repeated wrist or hand movements and is sometimes called “mother’s thumb” because it is common in parents who are holding infants for long periods of time. More recently the term “gamer’s thumb” has also been used to refer to this condition in persons experiencing these symptoms after lengthy sessions of using gaming controls.
Back Pain: If you’ve ever had to sit for a long period of time you have likely noticed that it can be tough on your back. Unsupportive chairs, tight muscles, and the tendency to remain in one position for too long are likely contributors. Feelings of stiffness in your spine are common after spending a lengthy period of time in one position. You may experience an ache on one side of your spine or tightness on one or both sides. In some cases sharp, burning, or aching pain may radiate down into the legs.
HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP?
If you find yourself in pain or discomfort frequently while working or gaming, it’s time to do something about it. Physical therapy is a great choice to address the underlying causes of your symptoms, improve them, and prevent them from returning. Here is what you can expect from physical therapy for these conditions:
Subjective Assessment: In order to treat your symptoms your physical therapist will need to understand more about your symptoms. They may ask you some of the following questions:
How long have you been experiencing these symptoms?
Where on your body are you feeling pain/discomfort/tightness?
How long can you work or game before your symptoms start?
What can you do now to alleviate the symptoms?
How often do you change positions or take a break while you are working or gaming?
What does your work/gaming setup look like?
Physical Exam: The physical exam will allow your physical therapist to assess your body systems, for example, your joints and muscles, and assess how you move. During this portion of the appointment they will be looking at your muscle strength, muscle length, joint mobility, movements that cause pain, neuromuscular control, and posture.
Treatment Interventions: treatment may include hands-on techniques such as joint or soft tissue mobilization to improve overall mobility and reduce pain. Your therapist may apply modalities such as heat, ice, ultrasound or electrical stimulation to manage inflammation and pain. You will also be given exercises to do both in therapy and at home such as stretching, strengthening, and neuromuscular control exercises to both reduce your immediate symptoms and give you long term relief
Education: modifications to the equipment you use, how the equipment and tools are set up and how you utilize them can play a big role in triggering or relieving symptoms. Education on a more ergonomic work or gaming space, the importance of changing positions throughout the day and how to integrate exercises like stretching into your daily routine can be a game changer for these types of conditions and injuries.
Since many of you will not be able to give up working or want to give up gaming as a solution to your symptoms, it’s time to look for other answers. The physical therapists at Evolve are here to provide you with long term solutions for your pain and discomfort so you can get back to doing the things that matter most! Give us a call today to schedule a consultation! Call: 1-718-258-3300
About EvolveNY-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics- There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!
First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
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