Author Topic: Mouse placement, repetitive stress, 42, and all that  (Read 2839 times)

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Offline rebcabin

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Mouse placement, repetitive stress, 42, and all that
« on: Mon, 22 August 2011, 22:44:25 »
Several years ago, I was on the verge of quitting anything due to computers due to severe carpal tunnel pain in my right hand. By sheer luck, I found out that my problem was the MOUSE (even though absolutely everyone told me it was the keyboard). I tried all the expensive split and wave keyboard and it wasn't getting better.

Then, one day, I had a wacky idea. I got a wireless mouse and put the mouse just SOUTH of the spacebar, slightly to the left of center. Imagine a line extending from F2 to D on a standard board. Then double that distance down and that's about where I put the mouse. It's pointed at a heading of about 285 degrees, that is, slightly North of due West. To reach the mouse, then, I ROTATE my right arm from the elbow about fifteen degrees leftward, mouse a bit, then get back to the board.

Along with this goes a posture where I am leaning WAY back in a chair, my forearms rest in front of me on the table / desk (Ferrari style ;-P), my elbow bones are JUST OFF the edge, and the keyboard is pushed about twelve inches inward from the edge. My arms NEVER slide, my wrists barely touch the table (that is the cure for my carpal tunnel RS). My right hand rotates just a little around a pivot point just a little upward from the elbow bone toward my hand. The mouse LIVES in between my hands, just under my left hand. You can see that this would be impossible with a wired mouse, because my left wrist would be on top of the wire, preventing normal movement.

Ok, this layout saved my job. It absolutely and totally cured the carpal tunnel

I will also occasionally use an Evoluent vertical mouse when I can't assume this race-car posture. It's a really great second place.

[EDIT] Needless to say, after finding this cure, I went back to completely ordinary IBM-layout rectangular boards, then went on a quest for better switches, finding cherry and Topre. The wave and split and jazz layouts did nothing for me.
« Last Edit: Mon, 22 August 2011, 22:47:47 by rebcabin »
boards: Topre 86U black for carrying around (the black axe). Topre 103U white for office (so as not to scare the little children).
Razer Cherry Blue Βacklit / non-Backlit pair for gaming (so as to scare the other children with clacky noise). Soon to have 87U with colors.

Offline hashbaz

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Mouse placement, repetitive stress, 42, and all that
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 23 August 2011, 00:13:18 »
Good to hear this worked for you!  I have been experimenting with mice and trackballs south of my keyboard, not for RSI but to avoid moving my arm pivot just to jiggle or click the mouse.  The Evoluent vertical mouse resolved most of the proto-RSI arm strain I was feeling a couple of months ago, along with watching carefully how much I use the mouse scroll wheel (turns out it was a lot).

Offline Mygaffer

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Mouse placement, repetitive stress, 42, and all that
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 19 February 2012, 22:39:34 »
They have a kind of mouse that sits below your keyboard and is basically a long rod (no immature pun intended) that you move with your thumbs. You can spin it up and down and move it left and right. You can depress either side to right or left click.
It may be a great option for you at work. I really wish I could remember what they are called, multiple google searches are turning up nothing, of course if I knew the name I am sure relevant results would pop right up.
Well, just imagine that right where the wrist rest would be a is a long, roughly 12" long rod that spins freely and has an inch or two of play on either side. By spinning it you move the cursor along the x axis, by moving it left and right you move it along the y axis. It also has switches that are depressed when you press down on either side of the rod. I know I explained it twice but hopefully that will help someone who knows what they are called let us all know.
I have to imagine they would be helpful with RSI caused by your mouse.

Mouse placement, repetitive stress, 42, and all that
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 19 February 2012, 23:14:04 »
Probably the Contour Roller Mouse. A little expensive though.

Offline TheProfosist

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Mouse placement, repetitive stress, 42, and all that
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 20 February 2012, 09:35:23 »