THE ULTIMATE WRIST HEALTH GUIDE I get constant questions about wrist health in gaming so I wanted to just put everything in one place. I will try to keep everything in understandable terms 🧵:
Relevant Anatomy The wrist joint is made up of 3 bones (scaphoid, ulna, radius), numerous ligaments, nerves, tendons on either side, and a joint capsule around the entire joint. Irritation or injury can occur at any of these tissues but will present differently depending on which is affected. In general but not always: Numbness/tingling/burning: nerve Pinching/sharp: ligament Sore/aching: muscle/tendon
Most Common Gaming Wrist Issues The easiest way to begin categorizing wrist pathologies are by pattern. -Hypomobility (stiffness) -Hypermobility (too much movement) -Overuse (repetitive use injury) -Traumatic injury (least common) I’m not going to talk about the last one here because those warrant seeking professional medical assessment.
Hypomobility This is the easiest to treat. If you’re feeling stiff, you need to stretch more. General rule: range of motion at your wrist should match the other side in all directions (up, down, side to side, rotation) Exercises: tendon glides, wrist flexion/extension stretches, nerve glides Frequency of stretching should be between every game and after each session
Hypermobility This is a very common issue I see in gamers but often undiagnosed or untreated. Excessive range of motion of a joint necessitates more strength+control. Stretching more will actually make it feel worse! Exercises: dumbbell curls (multiple directions of hand), grip training, forearm strengthening, dumbbell presses Frequency should be once a day or less if sore
Overuse Probably the most common issue I see on gamers. Overuse is a combination of excessive load (too much time or intensity) with poor ergonomics and rest time after. Treatment needs to address all of the above. Make sure desk/chair are set up so forearms stay level and wrist is neutral when playing (15-20° incline) Exercises: dumbbell curls (normal and pronated), dumbbell presses, specific wrist strengthening (resisted extension/flexion), stretching lightly Frequency should be once a day on non-heavy gaming days
All of the above exist in everyone in varying degrees! You can pre-emptively prevent many of these issues and improve your overall wrist health by regularly stretching, strengthening, and setting up your ergonomics correctly. I’ll make a video soon with the basic exercises I use
@doc_respawn Would this stuff apply to activities like drawing too?