Best mouse in case of tennis elbow

[ghostdawg187]

Hey guys,

my wife got a medical diagnosis of a tennis elbow, where the easiest tasks in everyday life like using a mouse evolve to an obstacle which is associated with pain.

Maybe some of you also have or had an tennis elbow, so in this case I would appreciate any sort of advice or suggestion. For instance there exist such vertical mouses with a fixed track ball, are these any good in case of a tennis elbow? Any other recommendations?

Thank you all in advance!

[tentator]

A trackball like the kensington expert mouse is quite big and I believe she would only move fingers on it and not the rest of the arm.. also a contour mouse could be beneficial since she would use it with the thumbs, below the spacebar, actually then not even needing to move the arm from keyboard to mouse and back.. same applies with a keyboard that has a trackpoint (mi preferred option of the three). A part from this three I don't know other solutions, I definitely avoid the mouse in general..

[Muirium]

I’d imagine tennis elbow means you want to minimise arm movement. Mice are probably all poor answers in that case. Could be a good idea to look into complete replacements, like a trackpad or one of those roller mice some people swear by, or indeed a trackball.

Personally, I’d try a desktop friendly trackpad first. They focus your motion away from you arm and down to your wrist. I’ve used a Magic Trackpad for years, and if you’ve an Apple Store within easy could try one out in there. Presumably Microsoft and others do similar stuff these days.

With ergo stuff, it’s always best to try something in person. All too easy to grab a bunch of different things online, find all of them are promising yet none of them are actually much use. A pain like tennis elbow calls the shots. It makes things quite binary, and perhaps readily easy to tell from just minutes in a store.

[davkol]

Someone I know has a long history of dealing with tennis elbows, (unrelated) shoulder issues etc. They were doing graphic work with Microsoft IntelliMouse Optical (in both right and left hands) since it was introduced and until I gave them a Kensington Expert trackball and a cheap Wacom Bamboo tablet (along with a MS Natural Keyboard). Specifically, the large finger-operated trackball (and a split keyboard) made computers usable painlessly.

For the record, thumb-operated trackballs didn't work out, and smaller mice were a no go. Also, the Expert specifically, because I had a spare one lying around, while paying $100+ for a new Slimblade or better a CST L-Trac wasn't an option.

[Findecanor]

I have had issues with my left forearm just in front of the elbow from holding it still too long with a slight tension. I went to see a doctor who recommended movement exercises: without or with low weights at first. The important thing was to exercise those muscles gently.

I have also seen recommendations for avoiding mouse-related injuries that recommended using a some pointing device right in front of the keyboard (Trackpoint, trackball, track pad, Rollermouse or MouseTrapper), but I dunno about that.

[andrewjoy]

I was getting some low level pain in my elbow in work. I switched to a roller mouse and i have never felt it again, i even still use a normal mouse at home at night and on weekends.

Any reduction in mouse movement of your arm can do wonders.

[Hypersphere]

Some time ago, I had problems with numbness in my hands that I associated with typing and/or mouse use. It turned out to be ulnar nerve compression from the bad habit of resting my elbows on the armrests of my office chair. I've since trained myself not to use arm or wrist rests while typing or using the mouse, and the problem has gone away. It had nothing to do with any particular type of keyboard or mouse; it was the use of armrests while typing and using the mouse that was the real culprit.

[Northerner]

If you ask me, the vertical model is the most ideal mouse for anyone with hand and wrist pain problems like carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, hand cramps etc. etc. The underlying design of the vertical mouse was meant to eliminate the pressure on the arm that comes with using a conventional mouse for extended periods.

You might come across some criticism directed at vertical mice, but a lot of it stems from its maneuverability - or lack thereof. Different people have different takes on how to operate a vertical mouse, but moving your entire arm around as you maneuver the mouse is not the most ideal way to go about it.

Rather, try resting the whole forearm on your work desk, elbow acting as a pivot, and lift the forearm slightly as you operate the mouse. This does require a large working area, though. Alternatively, try pivoting from the wrist (as opposed to the elbow) and operate the mouse by moving it like you do a regular mouse. In the case of the missus, I imagine the latter would place less strain on the elbow. Whichever the case, each will require some getting used to, especially if she's been using a regular mouse or trackpad for the majority of the time.

A vertical trackball such as the J-Tech V628 is a great choice if you want a comfortable mouse to use for hours on end without placing unnecessary strain on the elbow or wrist. But compare this with other options available before dipping into the market, eh? There are plenty of useful resources http://ergonomictrends.com/trackball-vs ... mic-mouse/ you could turn to for deeper insights. Including recommendations on the latest models https://www.lifewire.com/best-vertical-mice-4172422.

[keyboardist]

I would say get a trackball.

If for some reason you insist to still use mouse - get some configuration that would apply quiet a lot of acceleration to the pointer movement. Using acceleration would require smaller but fast movements for moving cursor quiet a lot across the screen. With proper setting you would have to move just only wrist not whole hand. For smaller precise movements you would have to move mouse similar amount but just slower. I personally preferred to use mouse that way for FPS gaming before i switched to a trackball. Which I use paired with acceleration as well BTW.