What do you do about wrist pain?

I use the computer for many more hours per day than any human should, and consequentially I have wrist pain. It hurts to hold the mouse in my hand. Typing is fine, and I've learned how to stop using the mouse. Mostly.

I'm otherwise entirely healthy; I eat right and exercise on a regular basis. But what can I do to get this wrist pain in my right hand to go away?

Asked by superjoe30 on July 19, 2009. Last Edited on October 8, 2009.

It sounds like RSI. Google suggests to do the following:

• Breaks should be taken every 30-45 minutes for at least 5 minutes. If you need assistance there are free downloadable timers that will help remind you to do so.

• Stretch your arms, hands, neck, and back during breaks. This yoga site demonstrates some exercises. Other sites are listed below.

• Maintain posture alignment. Don't slouch on the couch with the laptop.

• Work stations should be reviewed initially and with each office move. Adjust your chair, monitor, keyboard, mouse, laptop. Alternate keyboards and mice periodically.

• Shift your gaze from the computer screen to the distance. And don't forget to blink!

And as always, 'if the problem persists, see your doctor'. Repetitive Strain Injuries can be very serious and costs about $20 billion per year.

Answered by joshhunt on July 19, 2009. Last Edited on July 19, 2009.

I taught myself to be ambidextrous with a mouse (ambi-mouse-trous?). That way I can give one arm a rest for a while.

I also use a book or two to elevate my forearm to keep a straight line through forearm-wrist-hand. Don't rest your wrists on the desk. If you must, then get some gel-filled wrist pads for both keyboard and mouse.

Edit: I also have some Chinese Meditation Balls.

Answered by pgs on July 19, 2009. Last Edited on July 19, 2009.

I use to have issues with my wrists and forarm. My main issues were with my mouse forarm, wrist and pinky finger. Replaced my mouse and keyboard to the following and it went away in a few weeks and I haven't had really any issues in almost 2 years.

Mouse: Evoluent VerticalMouse

Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Erognomic Keyboard 4000

You get use to the mouse in like a day. At home I use a regular mouse but at work I wouldn't go without the Evoluent mouse.

Answered by Kelsey on July 19, 2009.

In addition to @joshhunt's suggestions, review your mouse and keyboard setup. Ideally, you want your keyboard positioned so that you wrists aren't bent. A good ergonomic keyboard will help. (And despite not being a fan of Microsoft software, their ergonomic keyboards are pretty good, although their mice suck for lefties)

Learn keyboard shortcuts. You'd be surprised at the wear & tear on the wrists that your mouse can do, especially the scroll button.

Answered by chris on July 19, 2009.

Using a Powerball is a good exercise to train your wrist muscles, so that they can endure more.

Off course, the gadgets named in the other answers like:

• ergonomical mouse pads, great for reducing the strain on your wrist
• ergonomical shaped mouses, great for altering your position, but if you use those just as long as your normal mouse, you strain different muscles...

should already help against immediate problems.

Getting regular cups of coffee helps, because you A: take a break and B: hold you cup instead of your mouse. The biggest problem with RSI related problems is holding your hand in a strained position for long periods of time without rest. Also you should note the position of your mouse/mouse pad since wrong positioning also strains your neck and shoulders muscles.

But before you want to buy anything: learn to mouse with your left hand! Cheapest solution EVER.

Answered by Ivo Flipse on July 19, 2009.

1. The right answer is to ask a doctor.

2. I've found using the Microsoft Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 in combination with the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 (that others have mentioned) help a lot to reduce pain.

3. My doctor recommended to me that I do more weight training in general (but no pushups, as they strain the wrists), to build more strength in the hands and wrists. Those parts of the body are slow-healing, and it helps to build strength in and around them.

4. Take breaks.

5. Ask your doctor. Everyone is different.

Answered by GreenReign on July 19, 2009.

You may want to make sure that you stay hydrated. I know, it seems counterintuitive, but I found that whenever I've had bad wrist pain I've been dehydrated, and getting hyrdrated fixes the problem. My chiropractor suggested that to me, and I found that at least one book written by an expert from mainstream medicine on carpal tunnel/RSI have said the same.

Answered by sheepsimulator on October 8, 2009.

I have bad repetitive stress injuries in my right wrist; switching to a handshake grip mouse (I like the Evoulent VerticalMouse3) has helped quite a bit! Other than that, Josh and Chris are right on the ball. Take frequent breaks, make sure your workstation is set up properly, and see a doctor.

There are lots of different exercises you can do to strengthen your wrists. I use Workrave to remind me when I need to stretch.

Answered by Kyle Bedell on July 19, 2009.

The simplest and most cost effective route you can take to minimize wrist pain until the pain subsides is to switch which hand you are using the mouse with. Switching from one hand to the other may feel a bit awkward at first, but it will immediately take all the strain of using your other hand off and allow it time to recover.

I personally have been using my mice ambidextrously for a number of years, and while there is a large divide between my writing skill with either hand, I can use the mouse equally as well in my left and right hands.

As other posters have mentioned, you should be aware that you have likely developed RSI and should speak to a doctor about the issue as well as integrate some ergonomics into your workstation.

If you haven't set up your workstation as follows already, I would suggest keeping the mouse just above your lap--the keyboard tray is a great location for it if you desk has one. This will put your arms and wrists in the most natural position possible for using the mouse.

You may also be interested in looking into alternative mice, such as trackballs, which have less strain on the wrist because only the fingertips move during operation.

Answered by Emory Bell on February 16, 2010.

I used to use a powerball but nowadays I find that bouncing a stress ball against a wall and trying to catch it is more fun and reliefs the pain more quickly. It is also less noisy so less likely to bother people around you.

Answered by Miguel Ventura on October 8, 2009.

Trackballs can help too.

Answered by Lennart Regebro on July 19, 2009.

This is the answer to your problem:

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/ergonomics/home/products/ergonomicmouse/

takes about a week to get use to but all wrist pain will go away.

Answered by ooo on July 19, 2009.

I bought a wrist mouse pad:

http://www.amazon.com/Ergo-mat-Memory-Foam-Mouse-Pad/dp/B0012H6H7A/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1247973886&sr=1-1

This one the entire mouse pad has memory foam, so I find it to be much more conformatable. There are also ones like the one below, which just provide a raised foam area for the wrist, and then your typical mouse pad:

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F8E262-BLK-WaveRest-Mouse-Black/dp/B00000JRRD/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_1

Answered by Jefe on July 19, 2009.

Personally, I used a bunch of different mouses and found the one that made my hand hurt the least. Also Advil. :)

Answered by JP on July 19, 2009.

But what can I do to get this wrist pain in my right hand to go away?

In google preferences, select safe search = block explicit images.

Answered by mgb on July 19, 2009.

Try a different mouse; often a large one will fix the problem, but the shape can make a difference too.

If you find that you're dorsiflexing your hand, raise your chair, lower the mouse, and/or use a wrist pad to straighten the joint. If that is the problem, also find out why it's not happening when you type.

Finally, consider left-handed mousing, even if you're right-handed. I've heard it ends RSI for many people, but there's the danger that you'll develop the same bad habits with the other hand, too.

Answered by Nikhil Chelliah on July 19, 2009.

Play tennis, swim, and this.

Never had any pain in my hands, apart from that one time when I got my hand stuck in the car door.

Answered by ldigas on September 23, 2009.

If you end up messing your wrist you can buy a wrist wrap from your nearest pharmacy. In addition to all the other suggestions here I would suggest that you get one before you actually injure yourself and wear it when your wrist starts to hurt. Keeping it immobilized will help you avoid serious damage.

Answered by Manos Dilaverakis on September 23, 2009.

A pen tablet is a nice tool, which may well be worth the money even if it doesn't help you reducing the pain. (Buy a good tablet though, like Wacom rather than Trust.) As for RSI: apart from the different position of your hand and wrist, another advantage of a pen is that you should actually put it down and pick it up each time.

And whenever I get to feel pains, I know it's time to favor health (and work) over hobby, so I temporarily quit going to sites like Super User and enjoy a book instead.

(Apart from that I am a fan of relatively low desks. Everyone seems to think that, given my length, I should have one of the highest desks in the office, but often I change its height to become the lowest one. There's no science confirming that though.)

Answered by Arjan on July 19, 2009.

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