Sim racing repetitive strain injuries!

Discussion in 'Off-Topic' started by green serpent, Aug 7, 2021.

  1. green serpent

    green serpent Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2016
    Messages:
    704
    Likes Received:
    713
    I've had to take a few days off sim racing because my wrist has been really sore from a lot of racing. I'm usually fine with casual practice sessions but whenever I decide to do something a bit intense like a longer race it happens.

    I can only imagine what real drivers go through or what esports competitors experience. I have a G27 and I use pretty low ffb.

    Does anyone else have this issue or am I just special?

    Cheers.
     
    DJCruicky likes this.
  2. Nieubermesch

    Nieubermesch Registered

    Joined:
    May 18, 2019
    Messages:
    792
    Likes Received:
    403
    Jesus man, I have to laugh a little bit at this :D:D:D

    Sorry about that, but yeah, I think it's a bit special to play with a G27 with low FFB and have wrist problems :p:D:rolleyes:.

    Well, I think that if the opportunity fell on your lap to be a pro racer you probably would have to say you have wrist problems.

    All jokes aside, I don't think I've ever felt any of it... I am using quite maximized TS XW with 6NM peak force, so it's quite a step up from a G27 wich has 2 or 3 Nm peak forces. You probably have some propensity to tendinitis or something, I don't know o_O. Do more wrist curls at the gym maybe ;);):cool:.
     
  3. green serpent

    green serpent Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2016
    Messages:
    704
    Likes Received:
    713
    Compared to Bono Huis (top esports sim racer) my forearms are like Arnold Schwarzenegger! But my left wrist is WAY underdeveloped compared to the right!

    Mentally I'm 14, biologically I'm 34, but physically I'm 94!

    If that opportunity fell into my lap, I would amputate both hands and connect my stumps directly to the wheel, so no issues there.

    Anybody who has a bit more wear and tear than a young whipper snapper such as Nieubermesch care to comment?
     
    Nieubermesch likes this.
  4. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    12,345
    Likes Received:
    6,572
    Same as any similar twinge, it'll probably take a fair while to go away. In the meantime you should check your positioning, if your wrist is getting into an awkward position you may be able to change your setup to improve it (wheel angle/height). Try avoiding unnatural positions (say, holding on with the left hand when turning far left) by actually not using that hand when possible, and concentrate on staying relaxed - you could be strangling the wheel. It seems unlikely the raw wheel force will be the root cause, given it's a logitech.

    Finally, commit to doing several minutes warmup and cooldown before/after a driving session (turn the wheel with just centering spring, no FFB), and use hot/cold treatment (cold if you feel it's playing up after a session to reduce inflammation, warm between sessions to encourage bloodflow).

    Sounds like you need to do a few more medium-long sessions; your casual bouts aren't preparing you for the intense racing. But unless you can fully rest up for a few weeks you'll need to only gently step it up. At 34 it shouldn't be unrecoverable :D
     
  5. green serpent

    green serpent Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2016
    Messages:
    704
    Likes Received:
    713
    Yes I think what is happening is that when I turn the steering left to make a correction, I keep holding on with my left hand and my wrist is going into full extension (bent all the way back) and kind of getting jammed at the bottom of the wheel. Yes I have noticed that some RL drivers move their hand away to prevent this from happening.

    100%. I also tend to assume a death grip on the wheel when racing, whereas during practise my grip is more relaxed. Need to relax a bit more during a race.

    You would be surprised :( My rig has seen better days!

    Thanks for the tips.
     
  6. Nieubermesch

    Nieubermesch Registered

    Joined:
    May 18, 2019
    Messages:
    792
    Likes Received:
    403
    Hum, is your left wrist really less developed then your right? You probably mean the whole forearm muscles, not bone structure right? Some tendon strenghting might also help with that more then muscle of course. I actually started with pretty terrible wrist wrakness in the gym, but wrist curls helped - but they were totally healthy, so in your case it might actually hurt you and you can't do it that way. BTW, I mention the gym because I saw a video of yours about it, nothing more :D.

    I have some problem areas myself from gym abuse - elbows andy left knee is starting to tell me I am reaching the 30s... About the wrists I have no problem. Maybe you should start a training regiment with your wheel at max and guve it a good 100x10 rep scheme of complete turning to both bump stops of the wheel :cool::cool:.

    Anyway, maybe in the near future I'll be making a post like this and I will be selling my future DD because I am weak and frail :(:(:(:confused::mad:
     
    green serpent likes this.
  7. mantasisg

    mantasisg Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    Messages:
    2,926
    Likes Received:
    3,876
    Don't grip and hold the steering too strongly, you'll drive better and also will save on some tension intensity which brings the pain. Really. Strong grip of steering wheel masks sense of torque changes in steering when you drive. Also it can restrict car from self correcting tiny instabilities when self aligning torque is in action as car starts moving around a little.

    Recently I have started to feel pain in my left ankle. But it actually was just too tight sock squeezing the nerves. I remember Aris from Kunos had developed some injury in his left ankle due to driving 917/30 too much :D

    P.S. I used to have quite a bit of wrist pain. Some things that seem to help. Wrist mobility exercises. I also feel like if pullups, hanging on the bar is healthy, perhaps decompression happens or IDK what, bonus - it makes the grip stronger. I also learned that weakened grip is neurological sign that body needs more recovery from some physical activity, mostly related to lifting and holding heavy stuff.
     
    green serpent and Nieubermesch like this.
  8. DJCruicky

    DJCruicky Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2012
    Messages:
    1,592
    Likes Received:
    1,121
    To green serpent,
    I get that a little bit too with my right wrist, but not as bad as you. I have the same G27 wheel. Yes give it some rest.
    Yes, I'm guilty of doing the death grip on wheel too that does not help. :D
    Try different seat heights to your wheel. Find a height that that feels less painful on your wrists when you turn the wheel.
    [​IMG]
    The small diameter of the wheel does not help too on a G27.
    I do not know if wearing some grippy gloves might help you, or a wrist strap. Worth a shot for you. I've not tried.
     
    green serpent likes this.
  9. green serpent

    green serpent Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2016
    Messages:
    704
    Likes Received:
    713
    Na not really, just a bad joke.

    Ah yes, one of my failed attempts at content creation put off track by Covid!
     
    Nieubermesch likes this.
  10. Highlandwalker

    Highlandwalker Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2016
    Messages:
    806
    Likes Received:
    2,254
    If your rig allows it try to set the wheel so it about 5-10 degrees tilted back from 90 degrees and your arms slightly bent when holding the wheel and when resting your wrist on top of the wheel your wrist is more or less level with your shoulder. I'm 71yrs old and with this sort of position I do not have any wrist problems, wish I was still 34yrs old.
     

Share This Page