How I Eliminated Back Pain From Extended Gameplay Marathons

Key Takeaways

• Identify the cause of your gaming-based discomfort and fix it, from the way you sit in a chair to the height and position of your monitor, mouse, and keyboard.
• Investing in ergonomic furniture and peripherals will help reduce gaming’s physical toll on your body, at a price.
• Standing up and stretching every hour or so to keep your body loose and blood moving costs nothing and will also make a big difference.

Once again, “just an hour of gaming before bed” turned into a lengthy session that shot me into the twilight of the next day, and my body hated me as I tried to stand up. My lower back tightened, I yelped like a startled dog, and I fell back into my hard, wooden chair. Something had to change, so here’s what I did.

I Did This to Myself

The first step to saving my spine was identifying the catalyst for my discomfort. I took a hard look at my gaming setup, noting where my monitors sat in relation to my eyeline and the height of my chair. Was my keyboard situated in a way that forced me into an awkward posture?

As I sat down with intention and focus on my body, I felt a slight stretch in my lower back. It was a small bit of discomfort, easily ignored or unnoticed with any distraction. The discomfort built.

R. Griffey / How-to-Geek

I knew that my thrifted metal office desk was a bit too low for someone my height and never intended for all-night Elden Ring speedrun attempts. What I didn’t realize was that 15 minutes into the DLC, my intense, hunched posture gave me the silhouette of a jumbo shrimp. It was easy enough to suss out that the sore spine situation was entirely my fault.

Out of Nowhere With a Wheeled Chair

After less-than-surprising findings indicating that the repurposed dining room chair I’ve been lugging around since college may be a major source of strain, I started exploring the world of ergonomic chairs.

While I opted for the Evo Series Secretlab Titan , you don’t need to go out and grab the latest streamer-branded gaming throne. As long as your seat of choice has lumbar support, comfortable armrests, and a means of adjusting the height, you are all set. There are plenty of affordable options that promote better posture and reduce the pressure on your back.

Secretlab TITAN Evo SoftWeave Plus

9/ 10

Secretlab’s TITAN Evo SoftWeave Plus is a luxurious gaming chair featuring premium construction, multiple points of adjustment, and a soft-to-the-touch fabric that enhances every gaming experience.

$599 at Amazon See at Secretlab

I didn’t end up swapping my black tin abomination for a higher-end gaming desk ; its smoky, oaken replacement sits at a level high enough to ensure that I no longer had to contort my body into a weepy lowercase “r” to properly view my screen but low enough to keep my wrists from going full Mr. Burns.

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Keyboard Keys Are Key

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Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | Best Buy

With the new furnishings in place, it was time to move on to the issue of my mouse and keyboard. My old, oversized keyboard was causing me to reach in ways that strained my shoulders and upper back. I needed something compact and as ergonomically friendly as the chair I just wasted a week’s pay on.

The wide world of wrist-friendly keyboards has a lot of options , and it’s worth a fair bit of research. Before my upgrade to Logitech’s wireless ERGO K860, I always assumed that the numbness in my hands was just par for the course during an afternoon focused on a Destiny 2 raid.

For reasons of both taste and play style, there was no way an ergonomic mouse was going to take the place of myRazer Firely . But there are ways to keep it in line with my new adherence to body awareness. A practice as simple as making sure that your keyboard and mouse are close enough to you to keep your elbows at an even right angle helps keep your tendons from becoming tender.

Razer Firefly V2 Pro

8/ 10

The Razer Firefly V2 Pro is the world’s first LED backlit gaming mouse mat.

$100 at Amazon $99.99 at Razer

Between the rat’s nest of guitar and mic cables cluttering the space beside my audio interface and the SNES-to-USB controller cord dangling off the side of my desk, I realized that poor cable management may also be an issue. Tangled cables not only looked messy but also forced me into awkward positions to free up slack. All it took was a bit of time, some zip-ties, and a few clips to get everything nice and tidy.

Move Your Body

Mark LoProto / How-to Geek

Having the right gear is a game-changer, but I knew it wasn’t the whole solution. I needed to change my habits to really tackle the back pain issue.

The merits of gaming while standing can’t be understated. It helps to relieve pressure on the spine and encourages better posture. While I may not be taking the plunge and acquiring a standing desk any time soon, alternating between sitting and standing has made a noticeable difference in how my back feels after a long gaming session.

Regular breaks became non-negotiable. Every hour, I’d take a short break to stretch with simple movements I borrowed from my cardio warm-up. Sixty seconds in and I was already feeling less stiff, the blood was flowing, and I was ready to get back at it.

Lighting was another factor I hadn’t considered. Poor lighting can result in poor posture as you squint and hunch closer to the screen. I adjusted my room lighting and monitor brightness to ensure I didn’t have to strain and used blue light filters to reduce eye fatigue.

Without maintaining a mindful posture, the rest of these changes mean nothing. You can set yourself up for success, but you have to use the tools correctly. I made a conscious effort to sit back in my chair, letting the lumbar support do its job. I kept my feet flat on the floor and avoided crossing my legs, which helped keep my spine aligned and reduced strain.

Wipe Out Your Backlog of Games, Not Your Back

Addressing back pain from extended gaming sessions doesn’t always need the extreme, top-to-bottom approach I took. Take the time to set up your space properly and incorporate regular breaks and exercises. A little optimization of your workspace, a move to a more ergonomic furniture choice, and a few healthy habits are all it takes to save your spine.

Even as someone with a rather strict exercise regimen, I overlooked the basics and it got me going full Mary Shelley’s lab assistant. Your health is just as important as your gaming skills. Don’t ignore the signs of discomfort and your back will thank you.

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