So, you are a sports fan, or you know a bit about sports, and you have seen your favorite players wearing sleeves. Then, you noticed that gamers also wear those sleeves and asked yourself, why on earth would gamers wear that? Is it to look cool? Allow me to answer your questions.
Gamers wear sleeves for the same reason sports players do; because it helps with blood flow, muscle stiffness, body temperature, and muscle recovery. Gamers who take their games seriously and/or play for extended periods, often sweat, they get hot, and their heart beats faster than usual. This gets amplified when you are a professional or are in a tournament.
Now that you know why gamers wear sleeves, you might be thinking of getting one for yourself. It is actually not a bad idea. Gaming is like every other sport or hobby; you need to make sure that you are taking care of yourself while doing it. Let’s take a look at some of the stuff you need to know about sleeves and wearing them.
When should you wear compression arm sleeves
A compression arm sleeve should be worn whenever you are doing any form of exercise. Even if you aren’t exercising, you should wear one if you know that you are going to be sweating and/or putting pressure on your muscles.
Compression sleeves should also be worn if you are busy recovering from an injury or strenuous exercise. When you exercise, your muscles tear and rebuild. Wearing a compression sleeve can speed up the recovery process by helping with circulation.
I find that sleeves can make gaming after a gym session a lot more enjoyable.
Should arm sleeves be tight
When buying an arm sleeve, you need to make sure it fits properly. You do not want to have a situation where it keeps falling off. The sleeve shouldn’t be too tight either. The sleeve is supposed to help with blood flow, not restrict it.
You will know you have the right size if it does not randomly fall off, and if instead of feeling tight, it feels like a second skin. Feel free to ask someone who works at the store that you are buying one from, if you can try a couple of sleeves on.
How do you know what size arm sleeve to buy
When you are trying some sleeves on, remember that the size you are looking for should be the size when your biceps are not flexed. Think about it, if you flex when trying on a sleeve and think it is a good fit, what happens when you arent flexing? The sleeve will keep falling off.
A good quality sleeve has a lot of elasticity, so it stretches when you flex. So, don’t be too concerned about that, just make sure the sleeve fits while your muscles are relaxed.
Can compression sleeves cause problems
If your compression sleeve is too tight, it can cause problems. You never want to restrict the circulation within your body. This is why you must get the right size sleeve.
Is it okay to wear compression sleeves all-day
Compression sleeves are fine to wear for extended periods. There is a catch, though. The sleeve has to be a good fit, and it must be worn properly. If it is not worn properly, you may be applying pressure to the wrong points, and this can actually hurt your muscles’ recovery process.
Your sleeve should be taken off when you go to bed. When you sleep, you might twist the sleeve, and this will end up making it apply pressure where it shouldn’t.
Do compression sleeves work
Gaming is not my only hobby; I also love to exercise. I go to the gym at least four days a week, and I run on the road three days a week. In my experience, sleeves do work. It speeds up my recovery time and lessens the stiffness in my muscles after a gym session.
Sometimes I wear my sleeve while gaming, and it just makes me feel a bit more comfortable. If I go to the gym and work my biceps and forearms, I make sure to wear my sleeve afterward because if I don’t, it sometimes affects my gaming session. Playing games while my arms are stiff, affects my play style.
Do compression sleeves help flabby arms
A nice thing about wearing sleeves is, it helps tighten flabby arms while it is worn. If you are considering streaming and are a bit self-conscious about flabby arms, a sleeve is a great way to hide them. This should give you a confidence boost.
Are compression sleeves expensive
Compression sleeves are not expensive at all. I do understand that people have different financial situations, but in general, they are relatively inexpensive. You can find compression sleeves for as little as $9. Better quality sleeves go for $20 to $35, and it might be worth it to spend that little bit extra.
Do compression gloves work
I thought that it would be helpful to speak a bit about compression gloves for gaming.
What are compression gloves
It is exactly the same concept as a sleeve. The glove does the same thing except; it focuses on your hands.
Why gamers wear compression gloves
Whether you are using a controller or mouse and keyboard, gaming for long periods makes our hands stiff, they cramp up and sometimes even hurt. With compression gloves, you can minimize this effect.
While I do not often wear gloves while gaming, I have noticed a difference when I do wear them, and it just adds to the overall comfortability when playing. It also helps when playing for extended periods.
If you like to workout at the gym, wearing gloves while playing games makes a lot of sense. Going to the gym, especially when we do arms, you get callouses on our hands. Your hands also take a bit of punishment during your workouts, which cause your hands to cramp easily.
All that being said, I do not wear gloves while gaming because even though they are comfortable, they feel clunky while playing.
The right size compression gloves
Again, like the sleeve, you want to make sure that the glove is not too tight. The big difference between the two is, the gloves don’t fall off if they are too big. You need to judge for yourself if they are a good fit. A good fit will feel like it is just a second skin.
Are compression gloves expensive
Like the sleeve, the gloves are also inexpensive. You can find good quality gloves for around $25. If you can get a pair, I recommend doing it. You never know when your hands might start cramping up.
Conclusion
Remember, everything in this article comes from personal experience. If you are getting uncomfortable when gaming and the problem persists, the best thing you can do is speak to a Doctor.
If you thought maybe gamers use sleeves as an accessory to look good, that is not the case, most of the time. The reason you see gamers and pro gamers wearing sleeves is that gaming can get pretty intense. The sleeve is there to help with circulation, cramps, and stiffness.
If you are looking at getting a sleeve, remember, the fit is very important, so take your time to find the most comfortable one for you. Hopefully, you enjoyed the article and have found the information to be helpful.