Please help with my repetitive strain injury.

[directhex]

EDIT: I looked but I can't really find one. All the pictures show people holding a mouse properly, and I don't think I hold it properly. In the pictures, their index finger is perfectly parallel with the side of the mouse. Mine isn't when I use a mouse. My index finger tip is on the left button, but the last knuckle on that finger (where it joins my hand), is off to the left of the mouse slightly. So I hold the mouse at a weird angle. And that no doubt makes my thumb have to stick in a bit further than most people I can try using it differently (properly), but it feels weird. Maybe I would get used to it? It just feels completely odd, like writing with your left hand as a rightly, or vice versa.

tried that just now, felt painful within 20 seconds. seriously, this is your problem.

[Destroyer^]

u do know that there are some things to help with RSI like this

Powerball Original 250Hz Blue

its a powerball and been proven to help prevent RSI

i use it about 10 mins a day but thats for workout purposes you can use it a few mins a day and it can help


just thought id say

[directhex]

u do know that there are some things to help with RSI like this

Powerball Original 250Hz Blue

its a powerball and been proven to help prevent RSI

i use it about 10 mins a day but thats for workout purposes you can use it a few mins a day and it can help


just thought id say

still won't help if he keeps his thumb tucked away!

[acrobat]

Tried it tonight with holding the mouse differently. I'm getting used to it already. I still have a bit of pain there though, so I'm thinking I might need to have a week or so without using a computer. I'll then start using a mouse with a different grip, and I might buy a new mouse too (bigger and better).

Thanks for all the help.

[kalniel]

We need a picture gallery of all the different ways hexus users hold their meeces..

[acrobat]

I would guess that most people hold it the same way, but I dunno. This is the picture I'm trying to learn from and start using it like.
Mouse Practice - Learn How To Use The Mouse

The right one.

Most people have their index finger, parallel to the side of the mouse, but this one even has the hand twisted anti-clockwise slightly, so the finger points left slightly. It seems better to me. I used to twist my hand the opposite way, so it feels a lot different. It's just gunna take some getting used to.

In the meantime, I'm using the mouse with my left hand like someone suggested earlier. I'm not going to be winning any FPS's, but I can at least still work.

[peterb]

Must be scope for some sensor that detects where on the screen your eye is looking, and moves the pointer there. Then use a couple of switches (foot switches?) to switch focus/activate option... (Works for the Apache attack helicopter...)

[directhex]

I would guess that most people hold it the same way, but I dunno. This is the picture I'm trying to learn from and start using it like.
Mouse Practice - Learn How To Use The Mouse

The right one.

Most people have their index finger, parallel to the side of the mouse, but this one even has the hand twisted anti-clockwise slightly, so the finger points left slightly. It seems better to me. I used to twist my hand the opposite way, so it feels a lot different. It's just gunna take some getting used to.

In the meantime, I'm using the mouse with my left hand like someone suggested earlier. I'm not going to be winning any FPS's, but I can at least still work.

the important thing is that your hand should be RELAXED. take a limp hand (no gay jokes please), and place it on the mouse comfortably, with index finger able to click the left button.

any tension in any part of your hand will multiply over time.

[abeacock]

I used to get shooting pains in my right little finger about a year ago when I was coding all day at work and then gaming all night.

The solution that worked for me (which I still continue even though the pain has gone) was to use my left hand at work and my right-hand at home.

Might be worth a shot.

[kalniel]

I would guess that most people hold it the same way, but I dunno. This is the picture I'm trying to learn from and start using it like.
Mouse Practice - Learn How To Use The Mouse

The right one.

That looks horrendous - maybe ok for a small two button mouse though I guess.

I'm currently using a MS office mouse
Which you can see has a sort of twist at the bottom. I hold this twist between my thumb and little finger so that the bottom section is in line with my wrist. This means the front of the mouse angles about 15 degrees to the left, then my index finger rests on the left button, middle finger on the scroll wheel, and ring finger on the right button. All completely relaxed and I don't need to tense my grip to push buttons or move the mouse.

[Webby]

Personally I hold my mouse (Razer Copperhead) more in a "claw", index finger lightly touching left button, middle finger lightly touching right button, ring finger just off the right button (you guessed it touching lightly), little finger sits on the side under the "bumper" my Thumb on the other bumper or just below to use thumb buttons. The rest of my hand doesn't touch the mouse at all! However, my wrist is on a wrist rest so isn't bent and the majority of the weight of my arm is supported here. Small movements are all that is then required to move my mouse around the screen, 2000dpi FTW!

[acrobat]

Must be scope for some sensor that detects where on the screen your eye is looking, and moves the pointer there. Then use a couple of switches (foot switches?) to switch focus/activate option... (Works for the Apache attack helicopter...)

That would be sweet

I used to get shooting pains in my right little finger about a year ago when I was coding all day at work and then gaming all night.

The solution that worked for me (which I still continue even though the pain has gone) was to use my left hand at work and my right-hand at home.

Might be worth a shot.

Thats what I'm doing at the moment. It's working, but I'm so rubbish at using the mouse with my left hand It's like writing with your other hand. Hoping I get used to it soon.

I hold this twist between my thumb and little finger so that the bottom section is in line with my wrist. This means the front of the mouse angles about 15 degrees to the left, then my index finger rests on the left button, middle finger on the scroll wheel, and ring finger on the right button. All completely relaxed and I don't need to tense my grip to push buttons or move the mouse.

That sounds similar to what I used to do. Mouse angled to the left about 15 degrees or so. I thought it was fine, and I don't tense my grip or anything and it was never anything other than nice and comfortable. It just worked out being bad after a long time.

Actually, now that I'm using the mouse with my left hand, I can really feel what is comfortable or not.

It seems like there is a kind of ball of my hand, like a heel in my hand - the big rounded part of your palm where your thumb attaches to your hand. I think my problem is that that wasn't supported before. When I have that supported by the back of the mouse, it stops and bits of discomfort.

Real pain the bum though, having to faff around with my mouse grip. Argh. Tempted to buy that finger mouse thingy..

[[GSV]Myocardial]

I used to have a similar problem using a normal mouse as pictured above by Kalniel and I think I understand how you've been holding your mouse which was similar to how I used to. I had a cheap Microsoft generic mouse at the time so I swapped out to a logitech MX700 which completely altered the way I held the mouse due to it's design (Not having a cord also helped with free movement and being a fair amount heavier seemed to make using it more natural as I have large hands)

Had a holiday where I couldn't use a mouse for about 3 weeks, came back to using the new mouse and all pain disapeared. I did find that I had a bit of discomfort for the first few days in different parts of my hand, just like doing a new exercise at the gym can work different muscle groups.

Recently I've been getting cramps in my upper back and pain in my wrists. I think it's caused by the crap generic dell style keyboard that I use at work as I have to angle my arms inwards then bend sharply at the wrists to be able to type. I use a Microsoft ergonomic keyboard at home and have been pestering work to get me one although the IT bloke keeps forgetting even though he's said that it's cleared to buy it as things like RSI, strains etc are on their watch list. Going to just buy one for myself and put it on expenses if they don't get it sorted soon.

[acrobat]

Cool. I've done some research on mice in the last couple of days. The Logitech G5 is looking promising. The G7 and G9 are better I think, but somewhere said that the G5 is bigger.. so I might buy one of those. I tried to find one locally so I could try it out first, but nowhere had it! Even PC World.

I'm gunna research it a bit more, and then I'll just order one from scan. I dont really care about price or features, I just want one that doesn't make me claw up my hand. Something the size of a house brick would be preferable They all seem about the same, but I think that G5 might be a bit bigger than most.

[Pob255]

I personally found the logitech mx400 laser mouse very comfy, it has the rather humpy shape of some of there older models that fit my hand well.
But that's my hands which arn't that large.

My current A4tech laser mouse is a little smaller and flatter than I'd ideally like and I do find my self pushing it about with my finger tips (thumb one side, little and ring finger the other) while resting the heel of my hand on my desk.
While I can rest my hand on it with the thumb flat against the side, I find my fingers are a bit too far to the end for my likeing and curling my finger back to use the wheel is far too awarkard and my hand moves back to the finger tip position.
I do put a strip cut from a mouse mat under the heel of my hand some times to cussion it some times as it can get sore (one of the cloth covered foam mouse mats btw)

I used to love the shape of the old logitech mx700, the cordless mice are alway that bit larger and nicer to rest your hand on.
Only problem is when they run out of power half way through something.
I wish they mad more corded mice the same shape as cordless they are mainly hollow plastic after all.

And personally I've never got on with the flat tapered profile of the razors.

EDIT: just double checked, it's more wrist rotateing around the ball of my hand than finger tip pushing, I sort of twist the mouse very slightly with thumb and fingers to keep it going stright left/right.
Wow I use this mouse in an odd way.

[Pup]

As most people have already said I would first guess at the shape of your mouse or the way you hold it. I used to have a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer years ago, which was a bit bigger than your average mouse, and I used to get cramp type pains around the area you have mentioned which would force me to take a break. As the weeks went by it would take less and less time before I would start getting the pains and I eventually went and got a new mouse and have not had the problem since.

Not saying that your problem is the same or that getting a new mouse will deffo solve it of course, but it would be the first thing I would suggest looking at

At home I have always had a logitech mouse since having that MS Explorer, using the MX500, MX510, MX518 and now the G9 and would recommend the latter to anyone.