When you game, you shouldn’t have to be distracted by back pain. Franco, a physical therapist and streamer, thinks the same thing. His experience as a Physical Therapy Tech in the U.S. Army and his love for gaming came together to create a Youtube channel dedicated to helping people like you be comfortable while you game. When we found out what he does fits really well into our “Feel Good. Do More.” motto, we reached out to him to see how the Chirp Wheel helps him and many others on their journey. Here’s what we found out:
What type of back pain do you find most of your followers experience?
Lower back pain seems to be prevalent amongst gamers who spend long hours in their chairs. The friends who have had the opportunity to try the Chirp Wheel have told me the large wheel helped a lot with loosening up after long sessions or even during. Personally, I love taking breaks every so often with the wheels to stay relaxed.
As a physical therapist, how often would you recommend a fellow gamer should roll out?
I think incorporating rolling/stretching into a daily routine is ideal, and I'd go as far as saying it's very unlikely that someone ends up doing it "too much." Consistency and repetition are going to help them get rid of their pain, but more importantly, prevent future pain. As far as when to do it while gaming, before and after gaming would be perfect, and if you're playing or streaming for a long time, then take a break to roll out and stretch a little. You'd be amazed at how much it helps your gameplay if you stay relaxed.
Does a certain type of gaming chair help your back pain?
Gaming chairs are a highly debated topic amongst gamers and general PC enthusiasts. Gaming chairs are constantly compared to ergonomic office chairs, and my stance is no one chair or chair style is going to be perfect for everyone. You have to find a chair that suits your needs and your body. Regardless of chair style, you want to find something that has plenty of adjustability, especially in the armrests. This allows you to get into an ergonomic position for gaming to prevent back pain and carpal tunnel.
Is there a certain game that makes you tense up more while you play (whether you're excited or frustrated?)
I play a lot of horror games, and it can get pretty tense! Aside from that, whenever you're playing something competitively, it's easy to forget how tense you've become. Once the game/match is over, it's nice to unwind a bit. I also stream for long hours, so taking breaks every once in a while, to get up, move around, and stretch or roll out a bit helps a lot!
Franco’s Review of the Chirp Wheel
It's easy to realize you need to do something after you already have pain, but it's so much better to get into healthy habits to prevent it altogether. The Chirp Wheels are so compact which makes it really easy to keep them close by. One of the best ways to stick to a routine is to make it as easy as possible for yourself. When you do this, you remove the excuses and hassle from the equation. Keep the wheels close to where you game, and when you have a break, roll out for a little bit!
Follow Franco here!
