A One-man Team
Pitches have been closed several times during the epidemic. However, there is one type of sport which holds no fears — that is eSports. Yip Ka-ho, a post-90s dispenser of the North District Hospital (NDH), is a super fan and also an eSports expert in football. “You would need a venue and teammates to play football, but you can play FIFA anytime by yourself. As a eSport player, you would need to think quickly apart from understanding football rules. And it requires excellent coordination between the mind and hands too,” he shares.
Ka-ho, the sports lover since he was very young, has started playing virtual football games around 10 years ago. In recent years, he has participated in multiple public competitions and won awards, including the individual champion in the first HA eSports Championship which was held last year. As described by Ka-ho, the rules of eSports matches are similar to those of regular football matches, but it requires one player to control the whole team. “In the fields, I am good at being a striker. However, in cyber matches, it focuses more on coordination between the mind and the hands, and overseeing the operation of different roles. The matches are more intense, while the results can be altered in just a split second. You may even turn the table if you keep calm and persist until the end. So every goal brings me a different kind of satisfaction,” says Ka-ho.
Ka-ho, the sports lover since he was very young, has started playing virtual football games around 10 years ago. In recent years, he has participated in multiple public competitions and won awards, including the individual champion in the first HA eSports Championship which was held last year. As described by Ka-ho, the rules of eSports matches are similar to those of regular football matches, but it requires one player to control the whole team. “In the fields, I am good at being a striker. However, in cyber matches, it focuses more on coordination between the mind and the hands, and overseeing the operation of different roles. The matches are more intense, while the results can be altered in just a split second. You may even turn the table if you keep calm and persist until the end. So every goal brings me a different kind of satisfaction,” says Ka-ho.
Easy to pick up for sports lovers
Before the epidemic, he would play football on the field every week. Yet since pitches were closed repeatedly within these two years, he has been competing with his teammates more through online matches. Believing that the time people spend staying at home is significantly increased during the epidemic, he considered playing video games and watching eSports competitions as relaxing, which can relieve one from anti-epidemic fatigue. Ka-ho says that ball games in the form of eSports are relatively suitable for those who love sports. The equipment is also not as particular as other eSports games. “If you are familiar with football, a simple gamepad can already perform all the sophisticated tricks,” says Ka-ho.
“In the past, everyone looked on eSports as all about playing video games with just some clicks. However, not only because it addresses victory or defeat could it be classified as a form of sports, it emphasises the training of one’s persistence in being calm and highly concentrated.” And he joked about his quick reaction being helpful to his daily job of medication dispensing.
“In the past, everyone looked on eSports as all about playing video games with just some clicks. However, not only because it addresses victory or defeat could it be classified as a form of sports, it emphasises the training of one’s persistence in being calm and highly concentrated.” And he joked about his quick reaction being helpful to his daily job of medication dispensing.
Stretching for long-time game players
Playing video games is one of the most popular leisure when staying at home during the epidemic. Some people may see the risk of harming oneself when playing video games and sitting for a long period of time is limited. Dennis Mo, Physiotherapist I of NDH, points out that constantly tightened muscles and stiff joints will result from sitting at the computer all day, especially when one is highly concentrated on playing video games. The burden to one's body is even larger when he/she engages in exercise suddenly after sitting for hours. And this situation has always been neglected. The correct way should be increasing the amount of physical activity gradually. Dennis Mo comments that there are various types of eSports, some games involving keyboards may lead to wrist strains, while games played with mobiles and gamepads may cause Tenosynovitis and numbness. Therefore, suitable stretching to relax the muscles is needed when you feel tired. Besides, you have to check whether the gear and chair are comfortable to use.
Three ways to stretch
Wrist stretching
Lift your left hand to the level of your shoulder with the back of your hand facing up. Use your right hand to bend your left palm towards yourself. Wrist flexors of your left hand will be stretched. Count to ten. Repeat the same on the other side.
Lift your left hand to the level of your shoulder with the back of your hand facing up. Use your right hand to bend your left palm towards yourself. Wrist flexors of your left hand will be stretched. Count to ten. Repeat the same on the other side.
Hip and waist stretching
Sit down and let your feet rest flat. Bend your right foot and place it to the left of your body. Sit upright. Bend your waist to the right until your waist and hip feels tense. Count to ten. Repeat the same on the other side.
Sit down and let your feet rest flat. Bend your right foot and place it to the left of your body. Sit upright. Bend your waist to the right until your waist and hip feels tense. Count to ten. Repeat the same on the other side.
Neck and shoulder stretching
Tilt your head towards your right shoulder, relax your left arm. Press the left top of your head gently with your right hand, pull your left shoulder slightly. Count to ten. Repeat the same on the other side.
Stretching video of NDH
Tilt your head towards your right shoulder, relax your left arm. Press the left top of your head gently with your right hand, pull your left shoulder slightly. Count to ten. Repeat the same on the other side.