[Saka]

There was recently a discussion in the Polish community about the harmful impact on health of gaming and the ways to prevent that from happening. One of the issues is stiffness of the joints from long sessions where one just sits without changing position. That can lead to really annoying or painful problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain injury. For gamers the hands, arms, neck and upper back tend to be particularly vulnerable areas. Sometimes, depending on personal quirks, other areas might need attention as well!

I was looking for some decent lists of exercises (I had some really good ones years ago, but regrettably lost the source). I found these:
https://www.makeuseof.com/stretches-...playing-games/
https://esportshealthcare.com/gamer-stretches/

Playing fitness games, such as Ring Fit Adventure for example can be a good idea too. It is important to keep the stamina and ability in mind and not overexert oneself though. It is very easy to get injuries after muscles start losing strength from fatigue and don't support the skeleton as much.

Happy and healthy gaming!

[DoctorEldritch]

@Saka I want to say, back in the Soviet Union time, there was a law about working in hazardous environments. It stipulated that people who work at hazardous jobs, like chemical plants or potentially harmful research labs, should get a daily portion of milk provided to them to compensate for the loss of vitamins they endure during their work, vitamin D in particular.

In a similar way, I wish gamers would get something like a government-sponsored weekly joint massage session.

But while such a progressive outlook is tragically met with skepticism and even occasional ridicule, whenever I bring it up during my local council meetings, we can each do what we can. One of the ways is to arrange your gaming station in the best possible way: I mentioned I have my adjustable table and it helps, and so do chairs with proper lumbar support and armrests. Stretching can be good as your links show, but I never have the patience to do the whole set recommended. I'd rather do some proper fitness activity every now and then, like hiking or swimming.

[Saka]

@DoctorEldritch It doesn't actually have to be a full set. Just remembering to stretch a little bit there and there every now and then does wonders. Could even do it when waiting in the queue for the next game.
I have a proper chair with lumbar and arm support and still get awfully still sometimes. Even a moment of a wide yawn with stretching arms and legs out can provide relief and unblock something in my shoulders.

Activities outside of games are good, but if they are infrequent then they wouldn't help enough to keep the body healthy.