Hello!

This time, the focus is on wrist stretches, with practical wrist health advice for gamers.

In MapleStory, you often stay in the same position for long periods, which makes looking after your wrists especially important. With that in mind, I have put together a short guide to the precautions worth taking.

Take care before the pain starts

Seeing a doctor when you are in pain is important, but taking a little extra care to avoid that pain in the first place is even better. I looked up some useful advice to keep in mind, and here is what I found.

• Keep your wrist as straight as possible when using a mouse

The recommendation is to keep your wrist straight and in line with the mouse, rather than bent upward or to the side.

• Keyboard shotgun absolutely forbidden

Gaming comes with its share of frustrating moments. Sometimes, that frustration boils over into slamming the keyboard—the so-called “keyboard shotgun.” The problems with this go beyond wrist health, of course, but that kind of impact is said to be especially harmful to your wrists. Resist the urge.

• Do not keep your wrist pressed against the edge of your desk

You may find yourself in this position without meaning to, but try to make a conscious effort not to leave your wrist pressed against the edge of your desk.

• Avoid long, uninterrupted gaming or work sessions

For every 1 hour of gaming or work, take at least one short break to shake out your hands and do some light stretches.

Repeating these harmful habits can have a cumulative effect, potentially leading to symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. If that happens, do not push through the pain—see a doctor promptly.

Official wrist exercises from the Ministry of Health and Welfare

This image comes from South Korea’s official Ministry of Health and Welfare blog. Since this is health advice, I wanted to use material from an official institution, and I am grateful to be able to share it here.

If it hurts, make sure you see a doctor

As I mentioned above, the most important thing is to see a doctor promptly if you are in pain. I used to put off appointments when a new pain appeared, partly out of fear and partly because going felt like a hassle. But after seeing how worthwhile an early visit could be, I now try to get checked as soon as possible. It gives me peace of mind, too. Here is to a healthy Maple life.

Thank you for reading.