Home Treatment for Repetitive Stress Injury

Before I jump into the list of alternative ergonomic mice that I am working on, I thought it might be wise to say a few words about ways to use a mouse more effectively. There are some simple steps you can take to make your mousing experience a little more comfortable, whether you’re using a standard mouse or a fancy ergonomic one. They might not solve your problems entirely, but they might help a bit and get you thinking about what is causing your pain.

Here are some ways to change your mousing habits and cut back the risk of injury from using the mouse:

Use a smaller keyboard — Many people reach for the mouse at an odd angle simply because the keyboard is in the way. In my last post I linked to a few small-imprint keyboards that help alleviate the problem and bring the mouse — and your elbow — closer to your body.

Switch hands — If you have a standard keyboard, mousing with the left hand is a more natural posture for your elbow, because you don’t have to reach across the number pad for the mouse. You can also switch back and forth between right and left handed mousing, which will reduce the amount of work either hand has to perform.

Relax your arm — If you never take your hand off the mouse, no wonder you’re hurting. Try and remember to let your arm hang at your side or rest in your lap whenever you’re reading text or just scanning the screen. Holding your elbow and arm up can stress you out from the neck, to the elbow, and all the way down to the wrist.

Relax your hands — If you are always holding your fingers tense to click the buttons, that may also be a factor causing you pain. I used to scrunch my knuckles together and click buttons with my fingertips, and now I have learned to press with my entire finger kept straight. This helps use the larger tendons and muscles of the arm, rather than smaller muscles in the fingers and hand. Since larger muscles are less prone to injury, this new style allows me to mouse longer without pain.

Use keyboard shortcuts — Learning keyboard shortcuts can be a boon and a burden. According to the manual that came with my Kinesis ergonomic keyboard, many people use shortcuts in a way that can actually increase the risk of injury. If a keyboard shortcut calls for two buttons to be pressed, make sure you do it with two hands. Pressing “control” and “C” for Copy with just one hand can put strain on the wrist, just like reaching for the mouse. But if you learn to use shortcuts correctly, it can save you time and also reduce your dependence on the mouse.

Don’t forget to stretch — Stretching is a must for any kind of repetitive stress injury. It gets blood and oxygen moving to your muscles, which helps protect and heal them. There is a lot to be said for proper stretching technique, which I will cover in another post. The important thing to remember is to stretch your entire body, not just the affected area, and to stretch gently — it should feel good! Try some basic back bends, arm rotations and circles, and gently move your neck around. Don’t forget to breathe!
Next time I hope to be able to post the list of ergonomic mice. Also to come will be more stretching techniques and resources.

Related posts:

1. Alternative Ergonomic Keyboards–The Comprehensive Guide
2. What the Ergonomist Can Do For You
3. Fast Tips for RSI Relief
4. When to Bring in An Ergonomist
5. The Need for Home Treatment for Repetitive Stress Injuries