Esports is one of the largest entertainment industries globally, and players can make a lot of money by being exceptional at specific games. Becoming a professional esports player requires incredible amounts of practice, and that starts from a personal PC gaming setup. Players need to put in hours of play every day, which can negatively impact their health if they do not take much care of their posture and seating position. So, making simple adjustments and using the appropriate furniture, such as an ergonomic gaming chair, can help improve comfort and game performance. What this means is that you can spend more time gaming while lowering the risk of injury (which can take you out of practice for months).
This article, therefore, is a complete ergonomics guide on how to improve posture for esports. It focuses on utilizing high-quality ergonomic gaming furniture to help you reach your fullest potential. Also, note that this guide focuses on PC gaming done with a keyboard and mouse specifically. However, you can use the ergonomic tips mentioned below to also improve your posture when gaming with a controller.
A Crucial Aspect to Consider When Buying Gaming Furniture for Esports
It's crucial to understand that esports can become a full-time job if you pursue it seriously. Therefore, you will need to spend countless hours working on your craft. In that case, it's always a good idea to invest in your future by purchasing high-quality furniture from a reputable manufacturer. In turn, you can increase the number of adjustable features with your furniture (for example, adjustable armrests on your chair), which can improve performance and efficiency. At the same time, high-quality furniture can also last a considerable time, providing you with exceptional value for money based on durability and product usability.
How to Improve Posture for Esports
Now that you understand the importance of high-quality furniture, we'll explain how to improve posture for esports. There are some simple adjustments that you can make with your furniture to help improve your performance and comfort.
Here are some adjustments you can make to improve your posture when gaming.
Adjust the Height of Your Ergonomic Gaming Chair
The height of your gaming chair is one of the most important factors that can affect your posture. That is because it affects the position of your legs, arms, and lower back.
Here are some factors that you should consider when adjusting the height of your ergonomic chair.
Make sure that your legs are parallel to the floor or very slightly sloped downward, with your knees below your hips. This way, you'll be able to reduce strain on your knees whenever you get up off your seat. If you're sitting too low (i.e., with your knees higher than your hips), then you'll put a lot of pressure on your knees when you're getting up. In the long term, you can cause knee pain and injury. At the same time, you'll also put your hip joint in an awkward position if you're sitting too low. As discussed later, your seat recline is also of great importance to your gaming posture.
Both your feet should be flat on the ground. You should lower your seat if your feet are dangling above the floor. You will put significant strain on your lower back and hips if you allow your feet to dangle. At the same time, make sure to keep both feet flat on the floor when sitting down. Avoid placing one leg over the other because that can cause lower back muscle imbalances, which can compromise your posture and lead to long-term pain and injury.
Bonus tips:
Consider placing your feet just below your knees to ensure that your knees are at approximately 90 degrees.
Make sure that your legs are not open wide apart, as that may lead you to prevent placing your feet flat on the floor.
Adjust Your Seat's Backrest Recline
As mentioned above, your seat's backrest recline is also crucial to your gaming posture. Avoid picking extremes, i.e., a backrest too upright or too laid back. The ideal range that you should consider is 100 to 110 degrees.
Sitting too upright can force your back into an awkward position that increases strain on your hips and increase the chances of you slouching again, which will not benefit your body at all in the long term.
At the same time, make sure that you don't sit with your seat too reclined back because it will lead to you slouching. In addition to that, it will also make it harder for you to reach your mouse and keyboard, which can compromise your overall performance. Moreover, it will also prevent you from keeping your elbows in the ideal position, which may lead to issues such as mouse shoulder or even carpal tunnel syndrome (if your wrist position is compromised).
Make sure that you have an ergonomic chair for gaming that has an adjustable backrest. The Fluorescent Chair 1325 by FlexiSpot is an excellent affordable gaming chair that has a great backrest reclining feature.
Sit Fully into Your Seat
An important tip on how good posture can help esports players is to make sure that you sit fully in your seat. That means that you do not sit at the edge of the seat of your ergonomic gaming chair. Instead, you should make sure you sit to the point where your lower back makes full contact with the backrest. Two reasons why sitting fully in your seat is a good idea include the following.
It ensures that your back rests comfortably against the backrest. As a result, you will provide your lumbar spine with adequate support, potentially making it easier for you to maintain the ideal posture throughout your esports practice session.
It ensures that your thighs have the support they require. It's crucial for both of your thighs to rest comfortably on your seat. As a result, you can reduce stress on your lower back and hips, which can make your esports practice sessions more comfortable and efficient. It also, of course, lowers the risk of pain and injury in the long term.
Adjust the Height of Your Gaming Desk
Another crucial adjustment to make to your PC gaming setup is adjusting the height of your gaming desk. If you want to make a successful career in esports, it may be worth considering investing in a height-adjustable gaming desk. This way, you can move your desk higher or lower to achieve the best setup for you.
Here are some factors that you should consider when adjusting the height of your gaming desk.
The ideal height should make sure you can place your wrists relatively straight when you use your keyboard and mouse. Thus, make sure your wrists are not bent upward or downward where your knuckles are much higher or lower than your wrist joints. Some flexion is normal, but excessive amounts may lead to pain and wrist conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
The ideal height should make sure you can keep your forearms parallel to the floor or slightly bent downward, in which your wrists are only slightly lower than your elbows. If you sit too low, you may suffer from a condition known as mouse elbow. This condition is when you rest your elbow on your chair's armrest instead of placing your forearm on it.
Place Your Keyboard and Mouse in the Ideal Positions
Something you may overlook when finding the ideal posture is placing your mouse and keyboard in the ideal positions. Finding the best position can allow you to stay comfortable when practicing. So, here's what you should keep in mind the positions that work best for you.
Make sure that your mouse and keyboard are shoulder-width apart. So, place one hand's fingers on the WASD keys of your keyboard and the other hand on your shoulder. Make sure your mouse is at the center of your mousepad. Both of these hands should be right in front of the respective shoulders. You can prevent your wrists from flexing toward the left or right by setting up your mouse and keyboard this way.
Bonus tip: Make it a point to sit at the ideal distance away from your gaming desk. This way, you won't need to stretch your arms to reach your mouse and keyboard. A good way to determine if you're close enough is to look at the angle of your elbows. The ideal position for most users is to sit close enough so that the angle of your elbows is approximately 90 degrees.
Final Thoughts
To end this ergonomics guide on how to improve posture for esports, we'll mention that you make sure that you keep your back straight when gaming. Don't lean forward, and ensure your screen is at your eye level.
