Graphics tablet as alternative to a mouse

[Afasoas]

Pretty much the whole of medical science. Now generally lumped with anti-vaxxers and flat earthers.

I understand the problem with the term, which is why there have been several attempts to redifine RSI more appropriately.
But I can't find a single paper that debunks the notion of repeated activity in an occupational setting causing injury and trauma.

In any case, this thread was started to ask a very specific question. I don't see how suggesting the OP has a degenerative condition on the basis of a few short sentences is helpful.

[perpetual dan]

Also a vertical mouse type here - an Anker wired one, that got a “sure you don’t want something better? (more expensive)” from IT. I started using them when the apple overgrown track pad left my wrist / hand properly sore. The movements were too large and wrist based with that.

[chrisbainbridge]

Pretty much the whole of medical science. Now generally lumped with anti-vaxxers and flat earthers.

I understand the problem with the term, which is why there have been several attempts to redifine RSI more appropriately.
But I can't find a single paper that debunks the notion of repeated activity in an occupational setting causing injury and trauma.

In any case, this thread was started to ask a very specific question. I don't see how suggesting the OP has a degenerative condition on the basis of a few short sentences is helpful.

RSI is by definition untreatable whereas the likely conditions are all 100% treatable and curable.  Big difference

[Jaded]

I've noticed that I rest my elbow on the Cat Docking Station, so my hand isn't taking any weight. The Magic Mouse has a sensitive surface, so there are not any physical buttons, a tap or a swipe takes the place of a click or a scroll. Very small hand movements, most arm weight on the pulled out drawer.

[rr]

My WFH computer setup is above. I came from using a pen and paper, with the paper in front of me and rotated anticlockwise by about 35° because I am right handed. The graphics tablet and mice are all centred, merely replacing pen and paper but in the same relative position to me, the user.



By contrast, here is Greenbank's setup, also from the WFH topic. Notice how his mouse is off to the right. I once used someone else's computer and their mouse was similarly placed to Greenbank's; in a short time the muscles in my arm ached and my elbow hurt.

I was thinking about Roger's painful tendinitis situation and wonder: is there an ergonimically best position for one to have one's mouse or graphics tablet? What could Roger reasonably try in order to alleviate his pain?

I had this problem, fixed by a goldtech split keyboard, which doesn't have a numeric keypad and so doesn't force my right shoulder into an unnatural position.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[Auntie Helen]

I had hand pain years ago caused by mousing and pressing the tab key a lot (was doing mega data entry) and after a disastrous relationship with voltarol gel (caused kidney failure which required 2 years of steroids which saw me end up at 123kg), two sessions with an osteopath who unscrewed my head fixed the problem - presumably some kind of nerve trappage. I am tall for a woman so hunch over a bit.

Anyway, I also got a graphics tablet and it’s really good for a lot of things but it’s not good for data entry, for example, as you have to keep putting it down in order to type, then pick it up again to move to another field. Or stick the pen in your mouth, which is not ideal.

I use my mouse 95% of the time and use the graphics tablet when I am doing actual graphics. I also go to the osteopath once every three years for a neck-unscrewing-top-up.

[MattH]

I started with similar issues 20-odd years ago. I went to a Microsoft Natural Keyboard (the original white ones) and a Microsoft thumb trackball.

Sorted me out within weeks. I did experiment with a couple of graphics tablets, but I couldn't get on with them for longer term use driving the GUI.

Nowadays I tend to use normal keyboards, but still use my original MS trackball on my main desk at work, together with a pair of Logitechs - an M570 for portable use and a MX Ergo that has the useful ability to flick between Bluetooth and the supplied USB dongle, so you can use the same trackball on two computers (I normally have a Mac and a PC running at work). Much of the time on an apple laptop I'm happy with the trackpad. 

[Greenbank]

By contrast, here is Greenbank's setup, also from the WFH topic. Notice how his mouse is off to the right. I once used someone else's computer and their mouse was similarly placed to Greenbank's; in a short time the muscles in my arm ached and my elbow hurt.

I've used a keyboard/mouse setup like that for 30+ years.

The majority of my work is typing though. I use Alt+Tab to switch between windows a lot of the time, I use 'screen' or 'tmux' to give me multiple terminal sessions in one window. I use multiple monitors so that don't need to flick between windows to see reference material or documentation.

This limits my mouse time but even if I have to do a lot of it I never suffer from problems.

Compared to some other people I work with I do have my keyboard and mouse quite far into the desk, just looking down now typing this I've got not just my wrists on the desk but my elbows too.

My theory/opinion is that hand/mouse problems are rooted in the posture/position of the torso. If that isn't correct then everything else has to awkwardly adapt to deal with it. Too many times hand/mouse problems are only dealt with by adjusting the hand/forearm positions. I don't know what the magic answer is though, I guess I'm just lucky that I've never had problems despite having a job that has had me typing 8+hours a day for 20 years.