Your elbow has started aching during or after gaming, maybe from leaning on the desk or gripping your controller in tense moments. Gaming often means long spells with your elbows bent and resting on hard surfaces. A few changes to your set-up and how you play can help your elbow settle while you keep gaming.

Why gaming can affect your elbow

Many gamers lean on the edge of the desk or the arm of a chair with their elbow for hours. This presses on the inside of the elbow, where a nerve runs close to the surface. Keeping your elbow bent tightly for a long time can add to the pressure on this nerve.

Gripping a controller or mouse, especially tightly, also loads the tendons that attach at your elbow. Fast, repeated button presses and clicks add up over a long session.

In most cases, the tendons or nerve are irritated rather than damaged.

Taking pressure off your elbow

Some ideas:

• Avoid resting your elbow on hard edges, like the desk edge or a hard chair arm.
• Add padding to chair arms, or rest your forearms on a cushion.
• Support your whole forearm on the desk, rather than just your elbow.
• Change how you rest your arms every so often.

Elbow angle

Keeping your elbow very bent for long spells can add to nerve pressure. Some ideas:

• Move your keyboard and mouse a little further away, so your elbow is more open.
• Lower your controller onto a cushion on your lap, so your arms are not tightly bent.
• Straighten your arms during breaks.

Controller and mouse grip

Some ideas:

• Hold the controller lightly, rather than gripping tightly.
• Try a larger controller or grip covers, which need less squeezing.
• Try a larger mouse, or a vertical mouse, which keeps your forearm in a more relaxed position.
• Remap buttons that need awkward finger stretches.

Session length

Long sessions without breaks are often what bothers a sore elbow most. Some ideas:

• Take a short break between matches, levels or rounds.
• Put the controller or mouse down and let your arms hang loosely.
• Set a timer if you tend to lose track of time.

VIDA’s Pomodoro stretches, in the top right corner, can remind you to pause during focused sessions.

At night

Sleeping with your elbows tightly bent, like with your hands under your pillow, can add to nerve pressure. Keeping your arms straighter, or wrapping a towel loosely around your elbow so it does not bend as far, can help.

Gentle movement during breaks

Something to try between games:

• Straighten your arms and gently bend your wrists up and down.
• Open your hand wide, then make a gentle fist.
• Turn your palm up, then down.
• Shake your hands out loosely.

If you would like a guided stretch, VIDA has short videos you can follow at your own pace.

Building forearm strength

Strengthening the forearm muscles helps your elbow cope with longer sessions. Something to try a few times a week:

• Grip squeezes. Squeeze a soft ball or rolled-up sock for a few seconds, then let go.
• Holds. Rest your forearm on a table, palm down, with your hand over the edge. Hold a light tin with your wrist level for 30 to 45 seconds. Repeat with your palm up.
• Wrist turns. Holding a light hammer at one end, slowly turn your palm up, then down.

Start light and build up gradually.

Reading how your elbow responds

A mild ache during or after gaming that settles within an hour or so is usually fine. If your elbow is sorer the next morning, make your next session shorter or take more breaks.

Building back up

As your elbow settles, you can gradually build your sessions back up. If your pain has been around for a while, this usually happens over months rather than weeks. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how your elbow responds.

What to take away

• Leaning on hard edges and keeping your elbow bent can add pressure.
• Pad your chair arms and support your whole forearm.
• Keep your elbow more open and hold controllers lightly.
• Take a short break between matches and straighten your arms.
• Get ongoing tingling in your little finger checked.

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