The Twitch streamer Imane “Pokimane” Anys has already had an impressive career as a content creator at the age of 27. However, all the gaming takes its toll.
Who is this about? The 27-year-old Imane “Pokimane” Anys was long regarded as the undisputed queen of Twitch. During her 10-year career on the streaming platform, she primarily showcased games like League of Legends and Valorant, or entertained her viewers in Just Chatting (via TwitchTracker).
But even during the hype around Among Us during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pokimane was right there and on the personal side, she also enjoys a mobile game. Now the 27-year-old reports on the effects that all the gaming is having on her body.
Broken ears and arms are not uncommon among professional gamers
What kind of health issues are we talking about? On X, formerly Twitter, Pokimane asks if others also feel they have developed health issues from too much gaming. She is sure that her tinnitus and jaw problems – a craniomandibular dysfunction, short CMD – stem from the constant wearing of a headset.
In the comments below her post, the 27-year-old also writes that she has often battled repetitive strain injuries (RSI) – in German, this is known as “the secretary’s disease” or the notorious “mouse arm” – in her wrists so much that she has needed physiotherapy and weeks of rest.
These injuries due to repetitive and prolonged use are also a reason why many e-sports professionals are already physically broken in their early 20s and have to retire. “I pray that I don’t get carpal tunnel,” says Pokimane (via X).
In the comments under Pokimane’s post, many content creators report similar issues, which they attribute to wearing headsets. Others describe headaches and ear infections, which are also said to stem from headphones.
Furthermore, the extensive sitting and often unhealthy posture seem to take their toll, manifested as loud cracking of the joints in the neck, back pain, and knee problems.
As a gaming journalist who enjoys playing a few rounds after work, you also end up spending a lot of time at the desk and in front of the screen. The MeinMMO editorial team has some recommendations for you if you have similar complaints:
Even if gaming and long streaming on Twitch are not the causes of health complaints, they can nonetheless contribute to them. For example, the 20-year-old LetsHugo announced last September that he wanted to cut back.
Antonia “Reved” Staab even took it a step further and completely withdrew from Twitch for an indefinite period. Previously, the 23-year-old had long been the biggest German streamer, essentially “our” Pokimane. However, she had been struggling with health issues for years: Reved speaks about her Twitch break, saying she feels “at 23 like a 70-year-old”
