Healthy Gaming Tips? Personal Gaming Records

I'm sure you've all heard about those people (especially Koreans I think) DYING after playing video games for DAYS.

Now I don't think we're all that obsessed with our favorite pastime, but we really should take our gaming-related health seriously. So, anyone like to share tips on how they take care of themselves during those marathon gaming sessions? Personally, I try to stand every hour, and I'm considering getting a wrist brace (like the ones they use in bowling) to protect myself from RSI.

Oh, and we should also share our personal "bests" regarding how long we've played straight. Me? 12 hours, Diablo II and CS (that was years ago).

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My health advice? Don't do marathon sessions! I rarely do more than 2 hours at a stint before I need air and sunlight. And food. And a leak...

Reply to mi1ez

I once did friday evening just after work through to late sunday afternoon with 3 friends, no sleep, little food, lots of nicotine. Playing the origional empire earth and civ II networkable version.

Reply to Doomed_UK

And, don't forget, sleep mi1ez!

Wow Doomed_UK, never thought anyone would work through those damn WWI scenarios in EE Got any health tips?

Reply to r_manic

This is good game. You can't do more than limited fights in day. Good for you health.
http://udumees.mybrute.com

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Message edited by fogman on 05-15-2009 at 09:08:24 AM

Reply to fogman

I have some knowledge of medicine and physiology (BSc in physiology and Medical student) and I would say THE most important tip for long gaming sessions is to stay HYDRATED.

One of my best gaming buddies has had a DVT and a later PE (Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism- both blood clots- one in the leg and the other in the lungs), these can be FATAL.

Keep some water on your desk (preferably in a bottle so you don't spill it on the love machine) and keep sipping. Also try to stretch your legs and relieve pressure on your rear end (i.e get up) every once in a while, this prevents haemostasis (blood pooling in your veins) and will simultaneously help you to not die through a clot AND prevent thread veins in your ankles.

Reading that back, I realise how doctory and serious that sounds but actually it IS serious and I suspect that a clot and/or dehydration is what kills crazy Korean gamers.

P.S if anyone plays left 4 dead, I'm Armchair General, do say hello gentlemen if you're passing!

Andy

Reply to ac3144

P.S. In no way am I suggesting that all Koreans are crazy...honest.

Reply to ac3144

Good tip ac... it actually makes sense, when you realize that gamers stay seated for hours and thus practice "voluntary dehydration" as they say.

And yes, those Koreans are crazy! I mean, who else can win Starcraft with a bunch of SCVs playing interference for a lone marine!

Keep those tips coming people!

Reply to r_manic

Get an extra padded cushion for your seat and the gel wrist support pads. 100% soft cotton loose boxer style shorts are also more comfortable than the tighty whities.

Reply to HundredIslandsBoy

Definitely true about the wrist rests and cotton underpants. Came across an article that wrist rests aren't the end-all-be-all of ergonomics though:

Quote :

Proper typing technique stresses the importance of bending or cupping the hands in order for the fingers to strike the keys at a downward angle. If the user’s wrists are resting on a padded wrist rest while typing, the fingers must reach for the keys at a more stressful angle… The user’s wrists should not touch the wrist rest during active typing.

The same philosophy holds true for a mouse pad wrist rest… Flicking or pushing the mouse with the fingers or wrist alone is considered improper mousing form and can lead to inflammation of the upper back and neck muscles.

How would the seat padded cushion help though?

I'm guessing the padded cushion is aimed at reducing intra-buttock (that's my neologism!) pressure and therefore taking pressure off veins in your butt, plus it's more comfortable. It raises an important point though about posture which also suffers when gaming.

There are plenty of websites that can tell you how to reduce stress on the lower back (which is mostly where problems arise) but in short you should sit as upright as you can with your shoulders back. Back problems, especially ligamentous damage, accrues slowly overtime and you won't necessarily notice any problems until it's too late and mucho hurty pain results (I know I am that crippled gamer..lol)

Probably, only people who are getting older will take any notice of this advice as the flush of youth prevents any health worries (and so it should!)
I'm only 31 BTW which may sound ancient when you're 14 but believe me it DOES come around!!!!

Mr Ivor Crapback

Reply to ac3144

Hahahaha, "Igor". Know what you mean about the damn back. I actually prefer those rigid table chairs to those reclining office chairs. Forces me to sit upright, at least if I keep my ass pressed on the rear of the back rest.

So how do you deal with your pain? Practicing the proper posture alleviates the symptoms somewhat, no?

Yeah, correct posture does help as does exercise (nasty word). I mostly deal with my pain by drinking to excess, driving fast cars, taking drugs etc or if I'm not dreaming, simple analgesia such as ibuprofen, paracetamol etc.

Exercise though is really the key, toned musculature (and I don't mean Scwarzenegger stylee) helps keep the ligaments and bones in position which reduces inflammation and therefore pain.

Alternatively, I could operate on your back. I have never done it before but I have seen it done so it should be ok..........!

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Reply to ac3144

There you go

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Doomed_UK

ac3144 wrote :

Yeah, correct posture does help as does exercise (nasty word). I mostly deal with my pain by drinking to excess, driving fast cars, taking drugs etc or if I'm not dreaming, simple analgesia such as ibuprofen, paracetamol etc.

Exercise though is really the key, toned musculature (and I don't mean Scwarzenegger stylee) helps keep the ligaments and bones in position which reduces inflammation and therefore pain.

Alternatively, I could operate on your back. I have never done it before but I have seen it done so it should be ok..........!

Sigh... why are all the things good for us so [i[boring[/i]? And no thanks ac3144, I guess I'll have to start considering the roman chair as my friend...

Doomed_UK wrote :

There you go

Perfect! :lol:

fogman wrote :

This is good game. You can't do more than limited fights in day. Good for you health.
http://udumees.mybrute.com

That game is terrible. It's like ProgressQuest but you have to actually do something...

On topic: Whenever something is loading/paused etc do some of those military pushups. The one where you stand up, crouch, kick your legs out and arms forward in a pushup manner, do a full pushup, kick in your legs, stand up, repeat. Or jumping jacks during times where you can be semi-AFK like above. My chair has a little lever that lets the back stay ridged or layyed back. If available lock it in the ridged (straight back) style.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by bildo123 on 05-21-2009 at 07:46:25 PM

Reply to bildo123

@Bildo123... You must be a very tough cookie, If I did that even once, that would be game over LOL. How much are new backs on Newegg???

Reply to ac3144

bildo123 wrote :

That game is terrible. It's like ProgressQuest but you have to actually do something...

On topic: Whenever something is loading/paused etc do some of those military pushups. The one where you stand up, crouch, kick your legs out and arms forward in a pushup manner, do a full pushup, kick in your legs, stand up, repeat. Or jumping jacks during times where you can be semi-AFK like above. My chair has a little lever that lets the back stay ridged or layyed back. If available lock it in the ridged (straight back) style.

Haha, it's a great way to judge loading times. "Oh I do about 8-10 reps for Left 4 Dead. Crysis is a killer at 20!" :lol:

Great tip! I'll be trying out during my next gaming session

get more sleep and spend less time gaming, you're taking years off your life for the sake of carroting entertainment. You will enjoy and appreciate your games more if you spread your time spent playing them, out.

Reply to ovaltineplease

I run 4-6miles 2x a week, and do muscle failure the others. Then again I don't have a choice as I'm in the military.

And military push ups are normal push ups. We just have to get in the front leaning rest position in a certain. Which really only matters in bootcamp. Once you get past that unless you got a prick for an nco he's not gonna care how you get up/down from push ups as long as you do them.

But ya you should do some while your loading or what ever if it takes a bit. Also throw in some crunches. As those will also help your push ups also by strengthening your core. To lazy to get out of the chair. Over head arm claps. Stick your arms out palms up arms completely out, and clap over your head. Sound easy? Do 200 of those bad boys.

But hey I'm can't say nothing I do my 1 hour workout 5 days a week, but I don't do anymore then I have to lol. I just give it all I have while doing it.

The only other then I can think of is to make sure to take your eyes off your monitor ever once and awhile and focus on something 10-15 feet away. This is to give your eyes a rest. Not many things actually scare me but going blind/deaf/paralaztion do. So I actually take steps to avoid them.

Reply to kingnoobe

Well for starters you NEED to have water around you so you stay hydrated.

I have many lazy friends, and i honestly don't know how to get them moving, so my advices are probably not the best.

But i can tell you however, what i do!
My Breaking down my week:

Sunday : at my kung fu club ( Cardio )
Monday : at my mixed martial arts class ( Cardio)
Tuesday : at the gym working out and then.. jogging haha
Weds : at my kung fu club again!
Thursday : at my mma class again...
Friday : Kung fu....
Saturday : Yay! free day! hanging out with friends, or sometimes... 9 hour gaming session with my friends online, or lan at someones house! pizzaaaaa!!!
Sunday : ah.. gg, kung fu..

I workout at the gym for around 1 hour and 30 mins
my kung fu classes last around 3 hours
my mma class is only 1 hour so thats not too bad =)

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