Gaming is easily one of the best ways to spend time in quarantine. Online gaming has witnessed a 75% hike in the coronavirus era, with millions of users around the world logging in day after day to indulge in their favorite form of escapism in the COVID-era.

Since people can’t partake in normal outdoor activities, they’ve been forced to find ways to keep themselves busy while remaining indoors, which is why companies have seen such a spike in gaming and video streaming all over the world.

A report discussed in Forbes in 2019 found that the average gamer spends 7 hours and 7 minutes a week playing video games; during the current crisis, the number has surely increased as more people spend time indoors.

There are a lot of perks to online gaming; for many gamers, it is the only form of socializing at the moment. That being said, sitting in front of the screen for hours day after day while beating a remote control with your fingers isn’t bound to take a toll on your physical healthy, specifically your back and hands.

People who spend hours with a remote in their hands experience severe stiffness and pain.

Use our hand safety guide for gamers in quarantine:

Use an Ice Pack

Whenever you feel your hand swelling up due to long hours of gaming, take a break and wrap an ice pack around your hand for at least 20 minutes. This will reduce the inflammation and soothe the pain.

Take A Break

For the sake of your eyes and your fingers, take a break every 30 to 45 minutes for a few minutes to reduce the strain on various nerves and tendons.

Correct your posture

Just like your back, your hand needs to be positioned correctly to limit tension on your tendons, ligaments and nerves. Place your arm and forearm in a straight line, and avoid bending your wrist.

Stretch your wrists

Any muscles that have experienced repetitive movements need to be stretched out to reduce strain—the same applies to your wrists. To continue gaming safely, hit the pause button to take some time to stretch, turn and twist your wrists to relax ligaments, tendons and nerves.

If you’ve been gaming for too long and are experiencing chronic pain in your hand or wrist, consider seeking treatment from a certified hand therapist.

The experts at Able Hand Rehab treat all kinds of hand-related conditions, including hand therapy, custom static splints, occupational therapy, trigger finger therapy and trigger thumb treatment.

If you live in New Jersey and are looking for hand injury specialists, book an appointment at our office by calling 732-727-7333.