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Are eSports players comparable to traditional athletes? A cross-sectional study? 


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Based on the data from the provided contexts, a cross-sectional study comparing eSports players and traditional athletes reveals similarities and differences. Elite eSports players exhibit a significant training load and employ strategies to enhance performance, similar to traditional athletes . Psychologically, eSports players tend to score higher on openness and honesty/humility compared to traditional sports players, indicating some differences in personality traits . In terms of musculoskeletal pain, eSports players have a lower prevalence compared to handball players, despite practicing more hours per week, suggesting a comparable health risk between the two groups . Additionally, a study comparing perceptual-cognitive abilities found that eSports players and traditional athletes perform equally well in various cognitive tests, indicating similarities in cognitive demands and benefits at a professional level . Overall, while there are differences in certain aspects, eSports players and traditional athletes exhibit comparable traits and characteristics.

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Yes, a comparative study found that (semi-)professional esports players and professional soccer/basketball players showed similar perceptual-cognitive abilities, indicating a level of comparability between them.
Esports players were compared to handball players in a cross-sectional study. Esports players had lower musculoskeletal pain prevalence despite higher training volume, indicating similarities and differences with traditional athletes.
Yes, elite eSports players are comparable to traditional athletes in terms of training load and performance improvement strategies, indicating they should be considered professional athletes.
Esports players differ from traditional athletes in personality traits like extroversion and conscientiousness, as shown in a cross-sectional study comparing 416 esports players and 452 athletes.
Yes, eSports players and traditional athletes are comparable in psychosocial domains according to a cross-sectional study, despite differences in playing characteristics.

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