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captsoloPost details: Fighting RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)
2008-06-15
Fighting RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury)
Recently I am experiencing RSI (repetitive strain injury) related pain in the left hand. I must find some way to fight it and would appreciate your comments.
MacBook Pro is what I am using these days. This both sets the environment in which I am trying to help RSI-related symptoms and is also partially a reason why RSI has become more intense.
Contrary to many other reports I am not experiencing problems with the mouse-holding right hand. Perhaps this is because I am a keyboard user and avoided using mouse for file navigation tasks on Windows thanks to the FAR Manager (an advanced file manager similar to Norton Commander).
What I found out after moving to a Mac is that the left hand gets more stress because of keystroke combos like Cmd-W, Cmd-’, Fn-Bspace, Fn-Shift-Up, etc. These require hand to be moved out of the normal typing position and moving fingers into multi-key combos which make the hand hurt more. Maybe it is also something in ergonomics of the keyboard or something else is different between the way I work with this notebook and the previous one (IBM ThinkPad R40).
Anyhow, need to find some way to fix this. There is software that makes you take regular breaks, which helps with typing tasks. But even more important in this situation would be to offload the left hand from frequent shortcut combos (but unfortunately the left part of the keyboard is where the only set of Fn, Ctrl, Opt keys is located). How would you solve this? What other things might help?
Comments, Pingbacks:
However, I have a suggestion that could work: try using the "Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard 4000". It elevates your wrists and puts them in a more natural angle. Maybe also check out the other ergonomic Keyboards from Microsoft or other vendors.
I dont have RSI myself, so I cant vouch for their ability to help with RSI. But when I was in Ireland, I borrowed Knud my MS ergo 4000 keyboard when he was suffering from RSI. So you could ask Knud about how it felt using such a Keyboard. Alternatively you can borrow or by my keyboard when I am back in Galway in September :)
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2008-06-15 @ 12:56 Permalink
2008-06-15 @ 15:17 Permalink
2008-06-15 @ 16:05 Also focus on relaxing hand, we all tense up habitually more than we know, consciously relaxing the hand, fingers, wrists can help.
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2008-06-15 @ 22:06 @Benjamin: are you using MS 4000 with a Mac?
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2008-06-16 @ 22:20 Permalink
2008-06-17 @ 12:05 I'm a windows user myself but I've been trying really hard to train myself out of using the cramped ctrl-[x/c/v] combos using only the left hand and instead use the right hand ctrl. This means that I don't have to cramp my hand up so much - I'd recommend re-mapping some of the keys to the right so that you can use two hands to perform the common tasks. The other thing I've got is a soft gel cushion for my mouse hand, not so much an issue for you but for anyone else reading this it has helped immensely too.
Look forward to hearing more about how you solve this.
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2008-06-18 @ 01:30 I'm using Workrave at work, too.
At home I'm using xwrits, but don't know if it works for MacOS.
From my experience it's important to take breaks regularly. Also, I've switched to the left hand for mousing at work.
At home, I'm using the Evoluent VerticalMouse 3, which I can recommend, too.
Additionally, I've mapped the CapsLock key to Ctrl, too - so it can be used easily with the pinky finger.
Good luck. Take breaks and care!
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2008-06-21 @ 19:47 Permalink
2008-06-23 @ 05:39 The price is also a killer though - I dithered for years about whether to buy one or not, but I don't regret it for a moment. You do need to be able to touch type to get the real advantages, but I taught myself over a long weekend - time well spent, I swear. (Don't spend good money on Mavis Beacon; there are plenty of self-paced tutorials on the web.)
As for mice, I despsise them and always have. The main problem is that you overuse your arm muscles for fine positioning. I'm very fond of my current Logitech Marble Mouse, which gives me fingertip control. Trackballs can also be used on a cluttered desk...!
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2008-07-08 @ 14:35 http://www.specialneedscomputers.ca/kb-100tkb.htm
Zero force: touch the key and it registers. Costs more than an ordinary keyboard, but compared to a new pair of hands, it is as yet literally infinitely cheaper.
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2008-11-15 @ 12:11
