Do Esports Players Experience Pain? Pain Prevalence of Esports Players: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Markus Soffner, Alexander Schmidt, Fabian Tomschi, Thomas Hilberg

TL;DR
Esports players commonly experience pain, especially in the spine and upper extremities, suggesting a need for preventive strategies to reduce musculoskeletal strain.
Contribution
This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify pain prevalence among esports players and identify key affected body regions.
Findings
73% of esports players reported pain in the past year, with 44% experiencing pain in the past week.
Spine and upper extremities were the most affected body regions, with neck and wrist pain being particularly common.
Pain prevalence varied by player type and region, with mobile and Asian players showing higher rates.
Abstract
Esports, defined as competitive video gaming, has grown significantly in popularity, drawing global audiences comparable to traditional sports. However, the sedentary and repetitive nature of esports activities raises concerns about musculoskeletal health. While some studies have examined pain prevalence in esports players, no comprehensive synthesis exists. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the overall pain prevalence of esports players, as well as its occurrence in different body regions. Following PRISMA guidelines, studies reporting pain prevalence in esports players were identified via PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to calculate one-year and seven-day prevalence rates, as well as pain by body region. Meta-regressions explored potential moderators. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, with six (553…
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Taxonomy
TopicsDigital Games and Media · Educational Games and Gamification · Gambling Behavior and Treatments
