TIPS – After an office or home office day, many people choose to play video in front of the screen at home, but the constant and inappropriate sitting position seems to be a pleasant relaxation for our body.

 

 

With the help of personal trainer Anikó LG Góg, a personal trainer has compiled why sedentary lifestyles and hours of video gaming can be harmful and what players can do to counteract them a bit. the negative effects.

 

 

That’s how the sedentary lifestyle affects us

 

“The human body was invented for movement, physical activity ensures the optimal functioning of all our organs. An inactive lifestyle has a negative effect on all systems of our body: circulation, bones, respiration, metabolism, ”said Anikó Góg. The coach highlighted that hunching in front of the computers will narrow the chest, cause shortness of breath, and compress our internal organs. “For man, the job is basically natural: we can keep the physiological curvatures of our spine in this posture. As the pelvis tilts – and you have no choice while sitting – the rest of the curvature of your spine changes to keep your body static. However, this is a challenge for the intervertebral discs and small joints even if we sit up straight all day, ” added.

 

 

Immersed in the game

 

People who play on a laptop or monitor in the wrong position can easily make the mistake of hanging their heads toward the screen all day. “Improper head posture is very common during activities with the display, the monitor, but since we sit this way for very long and often, we already feel this is normal. This is especially true for players who tend to be completely immersed in the events that take place on the screen. They may want to think that the head is a ball of about 7 kg at the end of our spine, and although the neutral curves and muscles of the spine are designed to hold this ball with as little energy investment as possible, it all comes down when the head is paired. we put it one step further, ”said Anikó Góg. “A drooping neck causes a lot of tension in the regions of the neck, shoulder girdle, shoulder blades, which also changes the blood supply to affected parts of the body and regions, such as our brains. That way we can be slower and more inattentive in the game. ”

 

 

Keep this in mind if you play a lot of video

 

While a lot of sitting is definitely harmful, there are a few ways to relieve your body a little while playing video. If you’re playing on a laptop, it’s a good idea to add a monitor to your gaming station, as we’ll always be involuntarily hanging over your head due to the laptop display below eye level. The best case scenario is when you have a separate monitor and keyboard, as it is best for your spine to position the primary display at eye level and for your arms to be at right angles to the table when you use the keyboard. Keep the monitor at least one arm apart, about 43 cm from your eyes.

“If you have to sit back a lot, the best thing to do is to adjust your posture as often as possible. It can help a lot if we design the gaming station in such a way that it is as flexible as possible, it is easier to move and change, ”said Anikó Góg. That’s why a height-adjustable table can be a good choice to play with while standing, or an ergonomic, swiveling, multi-position chair with armrests. For a flexible gaming environment, a so-called Ergo LG monitor, which can be moved back and forth, up and down or even rotated with a light movement thanks to its special stand, adjusted to the specific body position and eye height. The Ergo monitor also features a player-specific version (27GN880) with 144 Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time and NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility.

 

Here’s how to offset the negative effects

 

According to Anikó Góg, the most effective way to counteract the negative effects of the hours spent in front of the screens on our body is through movement. “During a long session, some muscles shorten and others lengthen. We can counteract the resulting muscle imbalance with stretching, circulation, mobilization and activation exercises, ”said the coach. With regular cycling, walking, yoga, strength training and swimming at least 3 times a week, we can do a lot for our spine, muscles and body.