Yes, and I live with it
13% (3 votes)
Yes, and I changed my habits to fix it
52% (12 votes)
Yes, and I saw a doctor
4% (1 vote)
Yes, and I had surgery
4% (1 vote)
No
26% (6 votes)
Total votes: 23
I had some arm soreness a few years ago that turned out to be related to mousing. To fix it, I got a trackball and have been lucky enough to have no problems since.
Using a Kinesis keyboard, typing in Dvorak, and sleeping with wrist guards has helped me keep the pain in check.
I've had a lot of problems with this... I lived with it for awhile, then it got to the point where I had to do something - I was having trouble sleeping because of the pain. So I changed my whole setup... I also got some wrist braces. I still have some problems but I try to really pay attention. Also wrist exercises help.
I also had some problems with a RSI at the beginning of the Fall semester. I was experiencing wrist and hand pain in my mousing hand. Saw a doctor and he recommended wearing an arm brace. I also made a conscious effort to use my other hand for mousing during most of the semester. This combined with wrist exercises has worked prety well for me (I'm wearning the brace as I'm typing this), but I have to be vigilant about it. The pain I had wasn't debilhatating but I'm glad I took steps to address it early on.
Over the years I've had a few occasions where my right lower-wrist was incredibly painful due to typing. A doctor gave me a wrist brace but I discovered that wearing my rollerblade wrist guard was actually more effective at restricting movement (though it looked a little funny wearing it at work : )).
Something I've tried recently is using a TENS device. TENS devices are used by physical therapists to treat pain, and my understanding is that they're also used for RSIs, but I have no idea if it will be effective. You're supposed to have a prescription to get one, but they're available on Amazon. I found that it's great for treating sore muscles after skiing.
Yeah, several years ago I went to a big trackball and split keyboard and that made a huge difference. I don't know how people use laptops every day :)
Got a light wrist brace for my right wrist that I wear occasionally if it starts bugging me.
I'm actually recovering from surgery right now. Fun event for winter break! Mine is most likely from my former life of writing edits on pages and turning proofs constantly, but using my laptop trackpad certainly doesn't help, nor does using desks in class that are too high for me to sit ergonomically.
Funny thing is, I'm right-handed but it's in my left hand/wrist. I think it's from staring at the computer screen, my head cradled in my pronated left hand, elbow on desk, as I despair over some piece of writing I've just plotzed out, my right hand dangling over the Delete key.
Yes, I have an MFA in writing. Why?
My wrists will ache if I use my laptop too much, so I bought an external mouse. I also set up my home desk with one of those Human Touch movable keyboard trays, which helps a lot. Back when I was a web producer, I moused with my left hand at work and my right hand at home, which helped a lot as well... my wrists have been worse at school because of the laptop + only right hand mousing.
When wrist pains started, I immediately bought wrist guard and made use of the keyboard more often rather than the mouse. I also bought ergonomic furniture - desk, chair and keyboard. If you can only buy one product, I'd say buy the chair first - I never thought that proper sitting alignment would do a huge difference to ease back and wrist pains. Rest is very, very important. Even with the new furniture and wrist guard if you don't give time to rest and cut the "repetition" it will only worsen the condition and may complicate a simple illness.
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