HYDERABAD (Telangana, India): Esports athletes and gamers have been urged to prioritise physical activity and mental health programmes to prevent gaming-related injuries and health issues, according to a Sports and Counselling Psychologist from India, Ankita Jain.
Despite the global growth of the gaming community with increased investments and participation rates, Jain highlighted the absence of programmes addressing the physical and mental well-being of gamers. She emphasised the need for awareness as India’s gaming user base reaches 250 million.
“Exercise is a medium for enhancing physical and mental fitness, leading to improved gaming performance and emotional health. We must prioritise the well-being of our gamers and Esports athletes,” she said during her presentation titled ‘Exercise in Electronic Sports: Resistance of Gamers to Physical Activity and Exercise’ at the 6th World Conference on Exercise Medicine (WCEM) here.
Jain also pointed out that several cases of common gaming-related injuries have led players to retire prematurely. She cited the case of Thomas “ZooMaa” Paparatto, a US gamer who retired at the age of 25 due to thumb and wrist injuries that required surgery.
“Many professional gamers train or compete 16 hours a day, and some earn over US$1 million annually.
“However, the physical and mental strain can result in health problems leading to high risk of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This was due to gamers not having sufficient time for loo breaks or proper meals, forgetting to exercise or getting fresh air, “ she noted, highlighting the importance of physical activity and health-promoting initiatives for Esports.
Meanwhile, Prof Dr Muhammad Lee, chief executive of WCEM, highlighted the international traction gained by exercise medicine clinics aimed at preventing and treating NCDs.
Notably, Nepal and India have embraced this concept, sparking discussions on implementation.
Dr Lee emphasised the potential of exercise therapy through these clinics in preventing NCDs by prescribing the right amount of exercise.
He also announced Malaysia’s intention to share exercise protocols developed in collaboration with the Asia College of Exercise Medicine and the Malaysian Health Ministry.
“The positive impact of exercise in controlling prehypertension, prediabetes, and obesity has generated significant interest,“ Dr Lee added.
The three-day WCEM event, inaugurated by Organising Chairman Datuk Seri Jessy Lai which ended on Sept 4, saw 450 delegates engaging in discussions on topics related to prescribed exercise forms aimed at reducing the prevalence of NCDs.
Additionally, delegates had the opportunity to visit the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad, founded in 2004 by Pullela Gopichand, the Chief National Coach for the Indian national badminton team.
