What esports teaches about computing ergonomics

Last year, the League of Legends World Champions zoomed esports into the mainstream. The tournament peaked at 44 million concurrent viewers. On average, 21.8 million were watching around the world. Watching the world’s best esports players compete was thrilling. It also gave great insight into modern computing ergonomics. This article looks at the ergonomic tools that pro gamers use to succeed.

Ergonomics is a scientific discipline. Its focus is on interactions between people and physical systems. The goal is to optimize human well-being to improve performance.

Today, top esports tournaments pay out millions of dollars in prizes. To succeed, pro esports players endure a gruelling lifestyle. They spend as much as twelve hours each day sitting at a computer.

Ergonomic computing essentials

When away from the computer, the esports players train like athletes. That means a healthy balance of exercise, rest and nutrition. When at the computer, ergonomics is a priority.

Ergonomic computing chair

Excessive screen-based sedentary time forces poor posture. Sitting full-time in a cheap office chair encourages slouching. Sitting with hunched shoulders and a bent back is like strapping 60 extra pounds to your spine.

As your shoulders sag, the spine must use extra force to hold you up against gravity. Over time, this will ruin posture, tighten limbs and degrade energy levels.

That’s why in the esports industry, most pros use PC gaming chairs. Office chairs are not ergonomic. The user must adapt to the chair. In contrast, gaming chairs adapt to the user.

Gaming chairs have ergonomic features that support the body. These include backrest recline, lower back supports, and adjustable armrests.

The best esports gaming chairs are fully adjustable. You can recline, tilt the seat and adjust armrests in four directions. Adjustable lumbar and neck pillows attach to the backrest. When you lean back, the pillows keep your spine in perfect alignment. Meanwhile, the armrests adjust to support your arms. Adjustable armrests also keep wrists in easy reach of the mouse and keyboard.

Ergonomic wrist supports

Heavy use of a traditional keyboard can lead to wrist strain and carpal tunnel syndrome. A good ergonomic keyboard prevents awkward wrist positions. It also helps you to avoid prolonged use of the same muscles.

Ergonomic keyboards work by keeping the hands in a neutral position when not typing. Contoured layouts put the keys in two depressions shoulder-width apart. This helps to keep the arms perpendicular to the body. What’s more, ergonomic keyboard decrease finger strain with light-touch, ultra-responsive keys.

There’s no better compliment to an ergonomic keyboard than a good-quality ergonomic mouse. An ergonomic mouse has a design that complements the human body. These keep your hands, arms, and wrists in a relaxed, neutral position. Some models mirror the hand to simulate a weightless environment. Others encourage a handshake-style grip. Both types help to reduce fatigue and prevent strain.

Conclusion

Humans are not designed for sitting down all day. The added burden of typing and using a mouse adds extra strain to the arms and wrists.

With poor posture, stiff joints and bad sitting habits, too much energy gets wasted. The spine burns itself out holding up the extra weight of your slouching back. As your strained wrist tendons swell, circulation clogs up. Breathing becomes shallow.

Performing at your best when tied up in knots is almost impossible. The next time you watch pro esports players compete, check out their ergonomics.

Having the right pro esports chair, mouse and keyboard can give you an edge. These can help you sit longer, improve posture and boost your computing performance.