This is not asking for medical advice! I’d just like to know what works for other people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in regards to using the computer, mousing in particular. I know different things are going to work for different people but before I go out and buy a bunch of ergonomic crap I’d like to hear what sort of things have worked for other people whether it’s a particular type of mouse or just rearranging your computer set up.
Thanks.
My boss gave me a wrist pillow…a small bean-bag type thing. (She had an extra.) Since I’ve started using it for my mouse hand I haven’t had any pain.
YMMV.
What I did that helped:
Sat in a chair without arms. (Actually, now I sit in one without even a *back, *and I don’t get back or shoulder pain anymore.)
Made sure my chair height was right so that my wrists don’t bend when I keyboard or mouse.
Got a Logitech Marble Mouse and switch from right to left hand (I set up my desk to make it easy to move it to either side of the keyboard) whenever I start to feel mouse-related tiredness. This particular mouse/trackball is symmetrical, so switching works.
Was patient with myself while learning to mouse (almost) equally well with either hand.
Got a minimal-size keyboard – no numpad, keys are pretty much normal size, total width 11.5" – which means I can put the mouse much closer to my centerline.
Got a gel wrist-rest that I like, wide enough to cover the keyboard and the mouse on either size. (I particularly like that one because it doesn’t have a fabric cover to get snagged or dirty or worn away, which has nothing to do with carpal tunnel strategy. I do think gel ones are better on my wrists than foam ones, though.)
Good luck!
Alternating heat & cold. For me, it’s easiest to fill one side my sink with ice water, the other with hot. Then I alternate sticking my wrist in each one for awhile.
I also notice that it flares up less frequently at my current job than it did at my old one. Here, my desk is L-shaped, and I sit so my whole arm from the elbow down can rest on the desk, instead of a straight desk where my arm can’t rest, or rests on the ledge part, which usually makes it worse. I have a brace, but I almost never need to use it here. But when I do use it, I find that it’s better for me to put it on at night, but not use it while I’m actually working. No idea why.
I also sit up far enough so I don’t feel like I’m reaching too far when I use the mouse, and also so my wrist is straight, not bent. The gel wrist pads neither help nor hurt me though, so I don’t bother.
In my case, CTS was being caused by how I slept, not how I typed or used a mouse. I was bending my wrists against my body. I was given wrist braces t wear at night, and the results were almost immediate. After a week or so, the pain was gone, and after a few months I broke the habit of wrist-bending and don’t need the braces any longer.
Stop using a mouse! Mice are the work of the devil. Switch to something else. Try a trackball or a pen and tablet.
Nothing worked. Then I had carpal tunnel release surgery.
6 months later I’m all better.
I wore a wrist brace for about 6 months at while I slept; tossed the mouse and got a trackball which worked for a while, then the ball started to f-up. So I got a wireless reversable mouse and every few months I switch hands. Changed my seating and posture at work. When it flares up I do stretching exercises at work- arm straight out in front of me, palm facing away, and with my other hand gently pull my fingertips back toward my body- hold for 10 seconds, do 6 sets.
These exercises came to me with a very high recommendation.
I’m thinking I need a chair without arms, my elbow has been hurting too and I realized I am resting my elbow on the chair while mousing.
I think I also curl my hands when I sleep so I will try wearing the wrist braces while I sleep.
I thought I had one of those wrist rests but I don’t know what happened to it. I think there’s one at work that no one uses that I can liberate.
Thanks for the advice, I will be looking into all the suggestions.
ETA: I managed to whack my wrist on a metal table at work tonight, right where it hurts, so now it hurts even more. I’m so talented.
I switched my mouse to my left hand some years ago. Despite being strongly right-handed, it only took a day or so to get used to it. The left is better because there’s no numeric keypad, which forces your right hand out at an unnatural angle if you mouse with it.
My SO uses a stylus and pen and claims it’s great for her, but I just cannot use it.
for the total carpal tunnel spanking win
I have 2 one for my laptop
I would look for a surgeon that specializes in carpel tunnel. I had a very bad one due to being a roofer for many years. I had it operated on almost 20 years ago and it has not givin me any trouble again. I have however met people who’s surgery has not been so successful. Get the Dr.s stats and if it’s over 90% I would consider it.
I picked up a mousepad with a gel pillow and a wrist rest to go in front of my keyboard. I also adjusted my chair height to keep my wrist as straight as possible. I’ve had literally no pain or numbness in my fingertips in nearly 6 years now.
They need a better name. Evoluent? How do you even pronounce that?
This:
This:
And this:
…seem to be working for me these days. And I’m at it non-stop all day long.
I was having horrible pain in my hands and wrists. Even though my job (dealing poker) and hobby (typing on the computer) and virtually everything else I do involves using my hands, when they first flared up, I really had not been doing anything hand-wise for days. I started wearing wrist braces during the day, which sorta helped, but I soon found out I was probably doing the most damage at night. I tend to sleep with my hands curled, which puts a lot of pressure on the carpal nerves. After a couple of weeks sleeping in the braces, my hands felt like new. Now when it starts to hurt a little, I’ll wear them a while.
Check how you sleep! The most simple test for CTS is putting your hands at a right angle to your arm, that kind of extending pinches the nerve.
I stopped wearing a wrist watch or bracelets.