Musculoskeletal disorders, perceived stress, and ergonomic risk factors among smartphone eSports athletes: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: Smartphone eSports athletes face various health risks due to prolonged sitting and poor posture. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), perceived stress levels, health risks, and ergonomic risk factors among smartphone eSports athletes (skilled gamers who participate in organized competitions utilizing smartphones) and determine the association between levels of perceived stress and MSDs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 145 participants. Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale-10, questionnaire on health risks, and rapid upper limb assessment were used to collect data. Our study included 18-30-year-old smartphone gamers with over a year of eSports experience. Our study excluded participants who had spinal surgery for musculoskeletal complaints, acute traumatic events, such as accidents or injuries from non-gaming-related factors, physical therapy, chiropractic care, or surgery for musculoskeletal conditions of the upper limb and trunk. Results: Neck pain was most prevalent, at 41.4%, followed by the shoulders at 31% and the lower back at 29%. The participants had moderate-to-high levels of perceived stress and ergonomic risks for MSDs due to poor posture and muscle use. There was no significant association between the 12-month prevalence of MSDs and perceived stress. However, the 7-day prevalence of pain in elbows was associated with perceived stress (chi(2) = 20.15, P = 0.003). Conclusion: Our study reveals a significant prevalence of MSDs and moderate-to-high levels of perceived stress among eSports athletes. These athletes are exposed to high ergonomic risk due to poor posture. There is no significant association between the prevalence of MSDs and perceived stress levels, except for pain in elbows in the last seven days.