What kind of mouse do you use?, Help, my wrist hurts! Options

[Nadir]

I've been doing some ftp uploads today for about 100 sites and I just realized how using a mouse too much can hurt!

I have a very basic mouse and I've seen a few people using those kind of mouses , where you move your cursor by moving a big ball with your thumb.

My colleague told me he's going to change his mouse today, and go for one of those ergonomic mouses called trackball


Another guy has the same one in our office and I tried to use it but it just seems hard to get used to it. I was just wondering if some of you were using the same kind of mouse and if it took you long to get used to it?

I really want to go for those new mouses (new for me) as I realize that it wil be helpful, but I'm just wondering if anyone can use that kind of stuff... Can it be hard to use?

[tam]

My dad has a tracker ball on his computer but I don't find it accurate enough for some of the work I do... maybe it's just something that takes more time. You can get normal mice with the same handgrip shapes as the tracker ball ones though.

There are probably some resources, if you ask google, about RSI and ergonomic setups. Don't blame it all on the mouse though... sitting in a chair the wrong height, not having wrist support etc. could be as much to blame than the mouse itself.

Tam

[Nadir]

Thanks Tam.

You're right, I was wondering if it would be accurate when using Photoshop or other programs where you need to be precise... I think you're right about the other stuff too, I should not only consider the mouse

I'll use my buddy Google and see if he can help with that!

I haven't checked all the possibilities yet.

[Respree]

Every since the mouse was introduced, I've been trying to get it to be my friend. To this day, I still hate it.

However, I love the keyboard. If there is any function that both the keyboard 'and' mouse can do equally well, my choice is always the keyboard. It's much faster (for me) and doesn't break my stride, so to speak, to flip flop from typing, then using the mouse.

Most programs usually provide an [ALT][some key] type command to execute whatever action needs to be run (i.e. [ALT][F]=File Save). If you retrain yourself to use these comments instead of the mouse, I think your wrist pain (and potential injuries) would be alleviated.

You'll never get away from the mouse completely though. I just like to minimize the times I do have to use it.

I've tried the trackball and it has got to be the most awkward device I've ever encountered. I'll bet some people love it though.

My 2 cents.

This post has been edited by Respree: Jan 5 2006, 09:34 PM

[Nadir]

Oh yeah Respree I do use shortcuts a lot, Ctrl+S, A, X, C, V are my best friends. I never use the mouse to do things that can be done with the keyboard.
But for movements, no shortcuts available!


By the way I found this document about correct posture
I like their advices.

This one about mice is very interesting:

Hold the mouse lightly,  don't grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the pointing device where you don't have to reach up or over very far to use it; close to the keyboard is best. Better yet: learn and use keyboard equivalent commands (see lists  here ) whenever possible, as no pointing device is risk-free. Even trackballs have injured users.

They say that even trackball users have been injured!

[tam]

You can pick up nice little tablets very cheaply. I have one about the size of a mouse mat that was about £15. I don't use it for general stuff but if I'm drawing on the computer that's much better than a mouse. I'm not sure what your work involves - but that's another option

What's the temp in the room like. My fingers are too cold to type properly at the moment

[Nadir]

You mean graphis tablet? I don't think I would need that since I don't really do art jobs.

I do SEO, so most of the times I work with dozens of pages on Dreamweaver, I do a lot of FTP, I use Photoshop from time to time etc. and I browse a LOT. So I can say that I do some pretty repetitive tasks that can hurt my arm/wrist sometimes since it's alwayws moving...

I don't have a problem with the temperature freezing my fingers, I'm in South California, it's winter but it's not the winters that I have known in Europe! It's about 70°F (20°C) right now!

[siXcrookedhighways]

i have not tried one of the trackball mice but i know some people really like them.

for a bit of relief with the mouse you have try changing the location and height of your mouse and mouse pad whenever you are starting to feel sore. i have also noticed that a wrist rest does help me, i'm not sure of the proper name for them but they are those gel things that lift your wrist up an inch or so.

good luck

[JohnMu]

Since Logitech came out with them, I've been using the Trackman Marble (now Trackman Wheel) trackballs. I got the whole office hooked and all new recruits end up buying one for home. To me, it's almost perfect, I can rest my hand on is, I don't have to move my whole arm (just twiddle with the thumb).

I combine it with an old Cherry MX5000 ergonomic keyboard (with the split in the middle, adjustable). It's too bad Cherry doesn't make them any more, I haven't been able to grab one for home.. Perhaps I'll dig up the money and get a GoldTouch split keyboard....

I spend so much time at the computer, I have noticed that I really need a good, ergonomic setup (good monitor, good keyboard, good mouse + desk + chair at the right height). Whenever I have to use a different setup, I really start to feel it in my joints after a day or so - Bad keyboards + normal mice are usually the things that kill me.

Good luck finding the "perfect" model for you! Give the Trackman a try, you might like it. You will have to get used to the thumb-feeling at first, but afterwards it's no problem (however, for some games where you use the mouse a lot, the trackball is not really that good... but for work it is ).

Also -- you might want to look into automating your work processes a bit. If you have to use manual FTP for 100 sites, you might want to look into FTP clients that can be "programmed" with simple commands so that the software does the walking for you.

Cheers
John

[fisicx]

One tip given to me was to get rid of the arms on my chair. If you rest your elbows on the armrest then you are restricting the natural movements of the arm which means you do all of your mouse work with the wrist causing undue stress.

And posture is vital to anybody using a computer, machine or other manually operated device. The science is called ergonomics and ignoring it's advice costs industry billions of groats worldwide every year. Your painful wrist from overuse of the mouse need not necesarily be the mouse itself,it could be caused by your height, type and position of your chair, distance to the desk and screen, lighting, position of the keyboard and most importantly the way you actually sit. Check out the Alexander Technique

I would also agree about the use of the keyboard. I grew up with WP5.1 - everything was done with the keyboard. And I still do - there are the usual MS shortcuts but there are many many more. For example, I select fields using tab and files using Shift or Ctrl plus the arrows keys and then transfer using a hotkey. Don't even touch the mouse.

[AbleReach]

The key to a happy mouse hand, for me, is an optical mouse used while supporting my mouse arm at my side. I like the keyboard on a lap-height tray, and the mouse about even with the side of the keyboard. An optical mouse doesn't get sticky fuzzywuzzies - they're the worst.

I put a filing cabinet at my side, top it with a pillow, lay forearm on pillow and mouse at fingertips, put up feet. Wiggle often. Forgetting to move is not a good thing.

Anything that requires sitting semi sideways at attention eventually feels crummy.

We call hand cramps the iron mouse finger of doom, or the cold mouse fist of death.

[eKstreme]

I've found that the best way not to get any arm pain when using a mouse is to make sure that the arm from the elbow down is supported. I tend to put my elbow just over the edge of the desk so that the whole lower arm is supported.

Also, as some suggested, definitely an optical mouse. If you can afford it, get a wireless one too. If you get a wireless mouse, buy rechargeable batteries and a charger. Have a battery set dedicated to the mouse.

And yes, I'm a keyboard junkie.

[jcbradley]

I will 2nd that regarding the trackerball. i love it. few years ago, my right wrist got so bad, i couldnt hold a mouse in there for longer than 30 minutes so i had to switch to my left hand and then i went ahead and got the trackball so same thing wouldnt happen and it hasnt. i will switch to regular mouse from time to time to give my thumb a rest. lol

took me about a day to get used to and once i did, i wont go back.

also, i use a wrist gel pad to actually rest my elbow on, just seems easier on me.


just my 2 cents

Chris

[Wit]

I could never get used to a trackball. I might consider moving my mouse to the left at times, should the need arise. Not the mouse I'm using now* though, but the symmetrical mouse (Logitech mx laser thingie) I use upstairs.


* I'm a bit on an early adopter of the M$ bluetooth desktop set, which had an asymmetrical right-hand-only mouse in the beginning Must say that it gives me little trouble, ven though my sitting position is far from ideal (and believe me, I know)

[Sorvoja]

I swap mouse hand every second day. I hardly feel any strain, but then again I spend most of my working day writing code in emacs or on the phone.

[Nadir]

Thanks all for sharing your comments. I realized that I have to get a better posture first.

For the mouse thing, I'm gonna get an optical mouse and a flat keyboard too. Yes, the keyboard can be harmful too!...
My boss got that today and he said that I can get the same one if I want, it's from Logitech, it's the slimest keyboard that I've ever seen, I'm using it right now and it's wonderful! The mouse that came with it is good too, it's a smallest mouse and it's optical. The whole package is called Logitech diNovo and it just rocks!

Note: It's pretty expensive though: 200 bucks, I guess that's because it's brand new.

[AbleReach]

Now you've done it. Five minutes on the Logitech site and now I'm lusting willy nilly over a new keyboard.

[Nadir]

Now you've done it.  Five minutes on the Logitech site and now I'm lusting willy nilly over a new keyboard.

Ahah, yeah I'm in love with that thing too, it's so great you know, it's just like notebook keyboard, very soft....

[Nadir]

Hey I found a good deal for the slim cordless keyboard here we just ordered 2 of them.

I can't wait to get it !

[tomnic]

This is a topic I know a little bit about since I was treated for repetitive motion injury in my wrists a few years ago. It can be very painful! I happen to be a big mouse user.

What I have learned is that it is critical to have a chair that has arm supports. If possible you want to get adjustable arm supports. You need to position the arm supports so that you do not bend your wrist while working. In other words you should keep your wrist and hand aligned and as flat as possible while using the mouse and the keyboard.

Get a mouse pad that has one of those gel pads built in. This cushions and supports your wrist and helps keep it straight.