Pro players in sports have always been looking for an edge. Today pro-gamers are no different and the professionalization of the gaming industry comes with a cost: the rise of injuries. Because of the hours of training (usual between 8 and 12 hours a day) and the very long season players have to endure, the stress on their wrists and articulations is very intense. While some players have been forced to retire or to take a break from gaming because of wrist pain or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome effects, others are using gimmicky solutions to treat those injuries or reduce the probability of their occurrence.

To discuss this topic, we decided to contact LA based orthopedic surgeon Dr. Levi Harrison. According to the Gamers & eSports Doctor, most players are still unaware of the risks of playing long hours without a proper warm-up.

« The best way to prevent wrist pain and injuries is to frequently execute hand exercises and stretches. There is no way around it »

However, most pro-players around the World have been seen using tape, braces or even sleeves to protect their wrists and forearms. For example, since the start of the Spring Split, several players including Fnatic superstar ADC Martin « Rekkles » Larsson has been using Kinesio Tape. The Swedish player usually wears plastics bands on his forearms which are said to help recover athletes. In a recent Facebook post, the ADC states : « Playing with kinesiology tape has helped immensly » while dealing with signs of tennis elbow.



Fnatic ADC Rekkles wearing Kinesio Tape on his forearms.

Yet, Dr. Levi disagrees with this approach, stating that Kinesio tape has no scientifically proven effects on recovery (despite several studies realized through the years). The bands are usually in bright orange or in black, matching Fnatic colors.

« I know it looks cool and you can match it with the color of your team, but I'm not a big fan of Kinesio tape because there is no proven science behind it »

While there is no benefit from wearing Kinesio tape, there is also no downside. On the other hand, some pro- players have been using braces and straps during games. Indeed superstars like G2 Esports Support Alfonso « mithy » Aguirre Rodríguez or FlyQuest Midlaner Hai « Hai » Du Lam frequently wear wrist braces on stage. Braces have been shown to help the healing process of soft tissues and are recommended by specialists when a player has revealed signs of a wrist injury: tendonitis or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.



FlyQuest Midlaner Hai wearing a wrist brace on his right hand.

Still, Dr. Levi believes they should only be used when resting (usually during sleep to protect the wrist from an improper sleeping position) and for a short period of time because they can have negative effects on your hand.

« If you do use wrist braces all the time, it may make your hand weaker because you are not using the full excursion of your muscles. Also, your dexterity and strength are going to be limited, even your fingers speed might be affected, something you don't want when you are playing »

In the same manner, lots of players are wearing sleeves to keep their forearms warm during their playtime or even on stage. Actually, some teams have long sleeves or even « shooting » sleeves as their official apparel. Yet again, Dr. Levi Harrison is not a fan. While there might be a placebo effect for the players, who will think it looks nice and improve their play, there is only some increase in muscle warm.

While there might be a marketing interest for the teams, on a medical standpoint, those gimmicky solutions are not helping the players. This is why Dr. Levi Harrison has been a strong advocate of doing warm-ups before long sessions for casual players but also before every game for pro-players. Through his many years of experience, the orthopedic surgeon has noted the best results to prevent injuries are when players do hand exercises on a daily basis.

« I have taken care of a lot of gamers through the years and we get the best results with hand exercises and stretching to prevent injuries ».

According to him, a 5 minutes routine should be mandatory across every pro-leagues before every game in order to avoid injuries and improve the gaming career of the players. In a still very basic economic system, where the value of some Esports teams are directly linked to the health of its roster, such routine could help protect the value of an organization by extending the length of its star players career.



Hand exercices for gamers by Dr. Levi Harrison.

While very few pro-players have been doing such exercises on stage, organizations and leagues might need to take a deep look into this topic before the epidemic of wrist injuries starts affect their players.

If you are looking for more information on this topic, we strongly recommend you follow Dr. Levi Harrison's work on his Youtube channel, on his Twitch account, on Twitter or to check his website. We would like to thank Dr. Levi and his team for this interview.