Your wrist has started aching during or after gaming, and long sessions are getting harder to enjoy. Whether you use a controller, a mouse and keyboard or a handheld, your wrists and fingers do a lot of quick, repeated work. A few changes to your set-up and how you play can help you keep gaming while your wrist settles.

Why gaming can affect your wrist

Gaming often involves thousands of small, fast movements of your fingers and wrist, sometimes while gripping tightly in tense moments. With a mouse, your wrist may rest bent back or angled to the side for hours. With a controller or handheld, your wrists and thumbs work hard while holding the device up.

When you play more than usual, play a new game with different controls or have long sessions, the load can rise faster than your wrist can adapt. In most cases, the wrist is irritated rather than damaged.

Mouse and keyboard

Some changes that can help:

• Keep your wrist straight, in line with your forearm, rather than bent back or to the side.
• Move the mouse with your whole arm for big movements, rather than just your wrist.
• Try a larger mouse that fills your hand, or a vertical mouse, which keeps your palm facing sideways.
• Raise your mouse sensitivity so you need smaller movements.
• Keep the keyboard and mouse close, so you are not reaching.
• Rest your forearms on the desk or chair arms.

Controllers

Some ideas for controller gaming:

• Rest your forearms on cushions or chair arms, so your wrists are not holding the controller up.
• Hold the controller lightly, rather than gripping tightly.
• Try remapping buttons so the ones you press most are easier to reach.
• Use grip covers or a larger controller if it feels better in your hands.

Handhelds and phones

Holding a handheld or phone means your wrists and thumbs take all the weight. Resting the device on a cushion or your lap, using a stand with a controller, or playing on a larger screen for now can help.

Game settings

Many games let you change settings that ease the load:

• Swap button mashing for hold-to-press options.
• Turn on aim assist or adjust sensitivity.
• Remap actions that need awkward finger stretches.
• Choose games that need fewer rapid inputs for a while.

Taking breaks

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

• Take a short break between matches, levels or rounds.
• Put the controller or mouse down and let your hands rest.
• 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.

Gentle movement during breaks

Something to try between games:

• Open your hand wide, then make a gentle fist.
• Gently bend your wrist up and down.
• Turn your palm up, then down.
• Touch your thumb to each fingertip in turn.
• Shake your hands out loosely.

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

Reading how your wrist responds

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

Outside of gaming

Typing, scrolling and phone use add to the load on your wrist during the day. Spreading these out, and using voice typing for longer messages, can help. Late-night sessions can also eat into sleep, and poor sleep makes pain feel louder.

Building strength

As your wrist feels easier, gentle strengthening helps it 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.
• Wrist curls. Rest your forearm on a table, palm up, with your hand over the edge. Holding a light tin, slowly lift and lower your hand.
• Finger spreads. Place a rubber band around your fingers and gently spread them apart.

Start light and build up gradually.

Building back up

As your wrist settles, you can gradually build your sessions back up. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how your wrist responds.

What to take away

• Fast, repeated movements and tight grips can load a sore wrist.
• Keep your wrist straight and rest your forearms.
• Hold controllers lightly and use game settings to reduce button mashing.
• Take a short break between matches or levels.
• Build grip and wrist strength as things settle.

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