Award Date
5-1-2025
Degree Type
Doctoral Project
Degree Name
Occupational Therapy Doctorate
Department
Brain Health
First Committee Member
Donnamarie Krause
Second Committee Member
Sharon Jalene
Number of Pages
103
Abstract
Esports encompasses competitive video gaming, requiring tactical, mental, and physical skills. It offers benefits like improved cognition and social inclusion but poses risks such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) from repetitive movements. Prolonged gaming can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), with symptom severity correlating with gaming duration (Bibi & Khan, 2019; Basuodan et al., 2023). Kinesiology tape (KT), a treatment used for decades, shows promise for pain relief and functional improvement (Kase et al., 2013). Developed in 1973 by Kase, KT increases circulation, reduces pain, and improves joint stability, though its effectiveness remains ambiguous. Additionally, the psychosocial impact of tape colors on performance is under-researched. Only one study by Cavaleri et al. (2018) evaluated how kinesiology tape colors affect motor performance, but the results were inconclusive.The following study was a quasi-experimental mixed-methods randomized controlled crossover trial with qualitative data informing quantitative data. This project studied two aspects of kinesiology tape (KT) in Esports gamers: its effectiveness for treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-like symptoms and the impact of tape color on performance in aggressive games. The study aimed to enhance the body of evidence informing occupational therapy services and the feasibility of using KT among Esports gamers. Additionally, it encourages a necessary discussion about the potential psychosocial effects of color and its subsequent impact on cognitive and motor performance. The results indicated that regardless of kinesiology tape color, dorsally applied KT significantly reduced pain symptom severity with a large effect size and exhibited a small to moderate effect size for improvements in shooting accuracy. All participants reported they would recommend KT to other Esports gamers and noted that KT alleviated discomfort from prolonged participation, helped them feel greater wrist stability, and improved shooting accuracy. Overall, the effect of KT color remained inconclusive.
Keywords
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Color Theory; Esports; Gamers; Kinesiology Tape; Occupational Therapy
Disciplines
Occupational Therapy
File Format
File Size
4100 KB
Degree Grantor
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Language
English
Repository Citation
Taing, Sarah Ashley, "Less Pain, More Game: Red Kinesiology Tape on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Occupational Performance in FPS Esports" (2025). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 5341.
https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/5341
Rights
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