Leveling Up: An Overview of Common Esports Injuries

To provide an overview of common injuries experienced by esports players and factors that contribute to injury development with the goal of helping clinicians feel more prepared to care for this new patient population and bring attention to the need for more interventional research focusing on esports players’ health.

Neck and lower back pain are the most common sites of musculoskeletal pain reported by esports players, while ocular symptoms are the most frequently reported physical complaint overall. Risk factors for injuries prolonged time seated, sustained aberrant postures, lower overall fitness level, and suboptimal ergonomics.

Esports players have unique needs from traditional athletes. Musculoskeletal injuries and ocular complaints are common, though few specifics are known about the formal diagnoses present or recommended treatment and prevention measures. Currently, there are significant gaps in the medical literature on this topic with a serious need for more investigations.