Gaming Chair Posture – How To Conduct A Correct Gaming Posture

As a gamer, you dedicate long hours sitting on a chair, having sword fights, or battling zombies! Gaming needs all your attention, so you have to avoid distractions that may stop you from doing your best. One such distraction among gamers is your seated gaming chair posture.

Incorrect seated position can hurt not only your game but also your back. To counter this, gamers typically get a gaming chair for themselves. Even then, if you do not know the correct posture for gaming, the chair will be ineffective.

Keep reading to understand how do gaming chairs work and the correct seating position to go with them.

What Is The Seated Gaming Posture?

Before we get into the tips for conducting the correct gaming chair posture, let’s understand what a seated gaming posture entails.

Posture, as you must know, essentially refers to the stable position you hold while standing or sitting. The most common posture that gamers hold for gaming is a seated position on a gaming chair.

That's what you call the seated gaming posture.

The Trouble And Risk Of Gaming Posture

Prolong sitting on a standard gaming chair, especially with a bad posture, can result in chronic health issues.

Let’s take a look at what these gaming chair problems are.

1. Spinal Canal And Back Issues

This is one of the biggest concerns and risks. If you have an abnormal posture and the lumbar support is not enough, your spinal bones start to degenerate.

Long periods of sitting on gaming chairs can also lead to muscle tightness. The muscles that keep you upright and help you stretch your body forward, like hip flexors and back muscles, become overworked.

This can cause posture ailments listed below.

• Lower Back Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Neck Pain
• Deformed muscles due to Upper-Crossed and Lower-Crossed Syndrome
• Strain on hip

2. Overusing Or Straining Arms

Throughout the gaming period, you use your arms the most as you grip onto the console and play. So your arms and hands must be in the optimal stance.

Although gaming chairs come with armrests, standard ones do not come with any adjustability settings for armrests. Since there is no adjustability, you may try to rest your arm by sitting in awkward positions.

For instance, some gamers rest their elbows on their knees while in a seated gaming posture. Gaming in this position will strain both your elbows and your knees.

You run the risk then of developing issues from imbalanced musculature like -

• Gamer’s Thumb
• Mouse Elbow
• Mouse Shoulder

3. Other Muscle Problems

Here are some other issues you can suffer from due to incorrect gaming chair posture with standard gaming chairs.

• Migraines or Tension-Type Headaches
• Mood Swings
• Deep Vien Thrombosis

How To Sit At A Gaming Chair Correctly

Did you know that a seated gaming chair posture is not the natural resting position for humans? It is actually a squat position!

However, many people living modern life find it hard to manage a squat position. It is hard to maintain balance and uncomfortable at times. So while the seated chair position is not the natural resting position, you can use some tips to turn this situation around.

Here are some tips on how to sit in a gaming chair.

1. Maintain An Upright Upper Body

Your upper body should be completely aligned. This means avoiding shrugging or rounding your shoulders as you sit. Rest your back and your head on the chair in a way that it is all on the same plane as your shoulders.

2. Avoid Sitting Cross-Legged

If you sit in an abnormal or imbalanced way for long gaming periods, your muscles will become deformed. Back up your hips and press the lower back against a gaming chair with a slight recline. It is meant to take the stress off the spine.

Your thighs should remain flat and straight on the chair.

3. Optimize Chair Height Settings

Once you are seated, adjust the chair height to the point that your feet are flat on the floor and knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. If the feet are dangling, you might strain your legs.

Just like the knees, the elbows also have to be bent at a 90-degree angle. So adjust the armrest height accordingly if possible. This will take off some pressure from your forearm. Your arms will be able to relax on the armrest instead of positioning them in some abnormal way.

4. Properly Positioning The Gaming Monitor And Desk

How far the gaming monitor is placed also determines how you are seated. For instance, if it is too far, you will have to move forward and, therefore, slouch. Same principle applies to the desk position as well.

As a general rule of thumb, the minimum distance between your face and the monitor has to be 20 inches. The actual distance is usually the same as the size of the monitor screen in inches.

The desk should be positioned at an appropriate height– not too low that you round your back and not too high that you strain your neck looking up. So it should be above the thighs but low enough that armrests align parallelly with the desk.

At this height, you will easily meet the monitor screen straight in the eyes!

Are There Any Alternatives To Standard Gaming Chairs?

Although gaming chairs are specifically designed for gamers, there are gaming chair alternatives available in the market. One of the most popular ones is an ergonomic gaming chair.

Let’s see how you can reap the benefits of buying an ergonomic chair instead of a standard gaming chair.

Benefits of Buying an Ergonomic Chair

• Cheaper price compared to gaming chairs
• Ergonomically designed to suit the user’s comfort level
• Works with all body types
• Minimal design for a breathable and comfortable seating position
• Fully adjustable for better neck and back support and thereby better gaming concentration

• Limited color and design selection

Final Thoughts

A good gaming chair posture allows you to play long gaming sessions at peak performance. Proper posture allows you to make the most of your gaming chair for neck, back, and shoulder support. 

It is easy to forget the instructions on how to sit in a gaming chair when you are too invested in the game. Even a simple reminder or an alarm to check your posture can do wonders to ensure your posture remains upright and stable.

For the optimal gaming chair posture, consider getting an adjustable ergonomic gaming chair. Apart from giving you great comfort, it will also help you create the ultimate gaming setup!