Ergonomic Protocol for Competitive E-Sport Athletes
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if this ergonomic protocol can improve performance and reduce ergonomic risk in esports athletes. It will also learn about the insight of esports athletes and their experience in implementing this new protocol. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does this ergonomic protocol improve performance? Does this ergonomic protocol reduce ergonomic risk?
Researchers will assign the protocol to esports athletes who meet inclusion criteria and express interest in participating in the study. A pre-post design will be conducted to note any differences.
Participants will:
* Participate in a 6-week study with 4 in-person visits * Volunteers will be requested to participate in a focus group during Week 6. * Implement the strengthening protocol 3x a week and a warm up/cool down protocol before and after each gaming session. * Attend one educational session about gaming ergonomics during Week 1 * Complete the Rapid Entire Body Assessment, Kovaaks Asessment, and a Questionnaire during Week Zero, Week 3, and Week 6.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
18+ years old
Primarily participates in PC games(s) using mouse and keyboard for at least a year
Plays at least 10 hours a week
Must be affiliated with an established Esports team or organization
Disqualifiers
Individuals currently receiving treatment for self-reported pain related to prolonged gaming
Those with a history of surgical procedures in the upper extremities
Individuals with cognitive impairments
Individuals with a history of a neck, shoulder, wrist, and/or back injury
Trial design
Design model
Single group
Treatments tested in this trial
Esports Ergonomic Protocol
Other interventionThe Esports Ergonomic Protocol is a six-week intervention designed to reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries and enhance gaming performance for esports athletes. It includes an educational session on ergonomics, focusing on proper posture, body mechanics, and workstation setup. The protocol also incorporates warm-up and cool-down exercises to prevent strain and improve flexibility, as well as a postural rehabilitation program targeting the upper extremities and core muscles. Participants will attend four in-person sessions at specified intervals for ergonomic risk assessments (using REBA) and gaming performance evaluations (using Kovaaks). The intervention also features online resources, including exercise tutorials and ergonomic tips, to support adherence and long-term implementation. Feedback will be collected through post-intervention surveys and an optional focus group to refine the protocol for future use in the esports community.
Treatment groups
12 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: Ergonomic Protocol for Esports AthletesExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)
The REBA is a standardized ergonomic assessment tool used to evaluate the risk of musculoskeletal strain associated with specific body postures and tasks. In this study, the REBA is used to analyze the participants' gaming postures, focusing on key areas such as the neck, back, shoulders, arms, and wrists. Scores are generated based on observed postures and movements, with higher scores indicating greater ergonomic risk. This outcome measure helps identify and quantify changes in participants' ergonomic risk levels before, during, and after the intervention.
Time frame
At intervals throughout the 6 week cycle.2
Kovaaks
Kovaaks is a gaming performance training and evaluation software designed for esports athletes. It provides customizable scenarios to assess and improve critical gaming skills, such as aim, accuracy, and reaction time. In this study, Kovaaks is used as an objective measure to track changes in participants' gaming performance over the six-week protocol. Metrics such as actions per minute (APM), accuracy percentages, and reaction times are recorded to evaluate the impact of the ergonomic intervention on performance outcomes.
Time frame
At intervals throughout the 6 week cycle.Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov