With over 450 million viewers worldwide and over $1 billion in revenue in 2019, competitive video gaming - known more popularly as esports - is not a fad, but rather a technological and cultural phenomenon. To remain competitive in this popular and sometimes lucrative field, gamers often practice upwards of 12 hours a day, performing anywhere from 400-600 actions per minute. As such, they are susceptible to a unique set of injuries and disorders from these complex movements, extended screen time and sedentary tendencies. This population requires motivated and educated healthcare providers familiar with their lifestyle and ailments to effectively prevent, diagnose, and treat relevant esports medical conditions. This handbook will serve as the first of its kind, an in-depth dive into the fundamentals of treating competitive video gamers created by the medical professionals and industry leaders.
Esports medicine is a subspecialty in its infancy: Research, resources, and guidelines are evolving rapidly as more is understood about this burgeoning patient population. This unique handbook will provide a comprehensive overview of the basics of esports, play mechanics and terminology specifically targeted towards healthcare professionals previously unfamiliar with the subject matter. It will convey the essentials of an esports history and physical exam and act as a step-by-step guide for treating video gamers and esports athletes. Furthermore, it will guide providers through each and every major diagnosis related to gaming, with the specific mechanisms of the injury, relevant physical exam maneuvers, and treatments selected specifically for gaming, covering upper and lower extremity injuries, conditions of the neck and back, gaming ergonomics, and psychological, nutritional and cultural considerations.

Timely and practical, Handbook of Esports Medicine will be a valuable resource for primarily sports medicine, orthopedic, physical medical and rehabilitation, and pediatric physicians, as well as therapists, psychologists and trainers involved in competitive gaming.