What are the risks of a career in esports?

 Across the United States, esports athletes are rising to the highest levels of collegiate and professional competition. The field of sports medicine, according to researchers in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, needs to catch up in order to address these players' specific needs.

Esport athletes practice three to ten hours per day, perfecting their strategies and reflexes in their chosen game. While the average novice player makes 50 action moves per minute, collegiate and professional athletes make 500-600 action moves per minute—or about 10 moves per second.

The authors of the study mention a variety of health issues, including blurred vision from excessive screen time, neck and back pain from poor posture, carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive motion, metabolic dysregulation from prolonged sitting and high caffeine and sugar consumption, and depression and anxiety caused by internet gaming disorder.

According to Dr. Zwibel's previous research, 56 percent of esports athletes experience eye fatigue, 42 percent report neck and back pain, 36 percent report wrist pain, and 32 percent report hand pain. However, only 2% of those who reported an ailment sought medical attention. He goes on to say that 40% of those polled get no additional physical activity in a given day.

Dr. Zwibel cites Hai Lam, a professional League of Legends player who retired at the age of 26 due to chronic wrist pain, as an example of the toll esports can take on an athlete's body. He hopes that tailored training regimens and appropriate medical care will prevent similar outcomes in the next generation of esports athletes.

There are currently 80 varsity esports teams in the United States, with 22 offering scholarships. Every year, more teams are formed at colleges, universities, and even high schools. With a global audience of nearly 500 million, the global esports industry earned more than $1 billion in 2019.

"It's safe to say that esports is no longer in its infancy," says Dr. Zwibel. "It's high-level competition and serious business." It's past time for sports medicine to provide these athletes with the assistance they require."

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