Preventing Carpal Tunnel when using a Mac?

[KenElevenShadows]

I've been hunting around for a good alternative to the optical mouse that comes with the Mac G4.

 

With a PC, I use a Cirque Touchpad, which i absolutely love, and which saves the wrist. However, i can find no such thing in any of the catalogs or online searches!

 

The best I've been able to find so far is the Kensington, which is basically a trackball.

 

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Ken/Eleven Shadows/d i t h er/nectar

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music*travel photos*tibet*lots of stuff

"Sangsara" "Irian Jaya" & d i t h er CDs available!

http://www.elevenshadows.com

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[Rader Ranch]

well, trackballs beat the hell outta meeces to me but...have you looked at smaller wacom tablets or the like? you still have to hold a silly pencil though...

[KenElevenShadows]

No, I haven't heard about them. Fairly new to the Mac World...

 

Do you like them? Is the pencil cumbersome? I assume that the pencil is attached to the keyboard -- does the cable that attaches it get tangled or otherwise get in the way? Can you also use your finger like a touchpad?

 

And I'd agree, the trackballs do beat the heck out of the meeces! So far, the Kensington seems to be the most comfortable for me (I have fairly large hands). Anyway, thanks for the response!!!

 

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Ken/Eleven Shadows/d i t h er/nectar

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music*travel photos*tibet*lots of stuff

"Sangsara" "Irian Jaya" & d i t h er CDs available!

http://www.elevenshadows.com

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[Anderton]

I have a friend who for years tried to get me to try a trackball, but I just couldn't get into it. Then I ended up writing an article for Keyboard about alternate pointing devices, and really gave it a try. I now love the thing, but I can't use it for really precise work, like waveform editing or pixel-by-pixel art stuff...gotta grab the mouse for that.

 

Cirque Touchpad is indeed cool, by the way. Not as precise as trackball or mouse as far as I'm concerned, but fabulous for things like internet surfing and word processing.

 

One of my smarter purchases was one of those Microsoft ergonomic keyboards. But overall, I think the best way to avoid RSI problems is to vary what you use. Use different pointing devices and different keyboards; the key is to avoid doing the same motion over and over, and even a slight change in a keyboard will help.

 

I deal with multiple computers, and each has a different keyboard and pointing device. So far (knock on silicon) I haven't had any major RSI problems, despite the fact that I type and mouse more than just about anyone else I know...

[Mats Olsson.]

Even though always I try to avoid evil-empire products, I use the optical scrolling USB-mouse from Microsoft.

I used a Logitech scrolling mouse prior to this, but didn't like it as much.

 

When working long hours, I switch chairs once in a while. Have had no carpal tunnel problems so far, touch wood. At home I somestimes use left hand for mousing. What I really would need is a keyboard without the numeric keypad and with the arrows etc located to the left.

 

/Mats

 

This message has been edited by mats.olsson@rockfile.se on 05-25-2001 at 04:17 PM

[Kris]

But overall, I think the best way to avoid RSI problems is to vary what you use. Use different pointing devices and different keyboards; the key is to avoid doing the same motion over and over, and even a slight change in a keyboard will help.

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Craig is right. I use a regular mouse, a kensington turboBall and an Anir ergonomic mouse. Each one of them will start to bother me after extensive use , but having the ability to switch to a different one when I need to has really pretty much solved my pain (along with lots of stretching). The Kensington TurboBall is the best one for me , but I also have difficulty being precise with it.

[KenElevenShadows]

The Cirque Touchpad is a little imprecise, although i was doing editing on it in SAW+. One can get around much faster on a mouse than a Touchpad, i think, although it does take a while to become accustomed to a Touchpad. It saved my wrist. Going a little slower is no problem if it saves my wrist.

 

-Ken

[microsoftsucks]

On my Mac, I switch back and forth between a $29 all-optical, three-button, scroll mouse and an $89 pressure-sensitive graphics tablet .

 

Also, I use a keyboard tray and chair from a store that specializes in advanced ergonomics .

 

If you love your Cirque Touchpad on your PC, why not get one for your Mac? The USB East Cat is for both PC and Mac, according to Cirque's website. Here's a review of the USB Easy Cat for the Mac on applelinks.com .

[microsoftsucks]

If you do a google search for <<"USB Easy Cat" touchpad price>>, you get the price list from Essential Safety Products .

 

Discount price of $44.95. (List is apparently $49.95.)

 

Phone number is: 800-748-2478

 

Happy shopping.

[KenElevenShadows]

Thanks! I just ordered an Easy Cat! Thanks for all the very helpful information!

 

-Ken

[Guest]

When my right hand bothers me from using the mouse I switch to my left hand and and visa versa. Saves money.

 

Joe

[KenElevenShadows]

Just be careful that you're not tweaking BOTH wrists!! What I'll do is use the Easy Cat for most things, but if I need a little more detailed editing, I'll switch over to the mouse. I think the idea of using more than one thing, however that may manifest itself, is a fine idea.

 

-Ken/Eleven Shadows/d i t h er/Nectar

http://www.elevenshadows.com

[Anderton]

USB makes this particularly easy to do, what with the many USB pointing devices available.

[duncantheriver.com]

The Anir ergonomic mouse is great. Unfortunately they don't make them any more. It's a mouse with a stationary handle sticking up like a joy stick. The buttons are on the top. You work them with your thumb. This thing allows your wrist to be in a more natural position. Imagine grabbing a hammer and swinging it. This is the ergonomic mouse. The standard mouse and trackball are all wrong. Your wrist is twisted, causing all kinds of problems. If some company doesn't pick up on this design, you would be doing yourself a favor by rigging up your own ergonomic mouse. Just screw a dowel onto the top of your regular mouse, add a coathanger wire extender to push the buttons, and wrap it in duct tape to give it that professional musician look. Probably Microsoft bought out Anir and stopped production, so that when the world comes to a halt due to mass carpal tunnel syndrome, they can take over.

 

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Mr.Dunc

[Reitzas]

I saw this device at a "Relax the Back" store in L.A. It felt very comfortable and I'm considering making a purchase.

http://www.appliedergo.com/330page.htm

Dave Reitzas

[duncantheriver.com]

I was wrong. Microsoft didn't buy Anir. Anir escaped to Norway, and their awesome verticle mouse is on the Animax website. Unfortunately there is no USA distributer listed, but we'll see.

There's a light at the end of the carpal tunnel. I'm telling you this baby is the only way to go. (Now I can save my duct tape for more important things, like my chair.)

 

www.Animax.no/

[jraffertyuswest.net]

ATTENTION: I absolutely guarantee the best pointing device there is ergonimically, efficiency, and otherwise is the logitech marble mouse. The symetrical one with the ball in the top center.

-It is optical so you NEVER HAVE TO CLEAN IT.

-It rolls like a ball bearing, using 1 100th the energy to move a mouse pointer.

-You can put it on your lap, or books, or whatever and it will work.

-For scenarios where you want to leave the pointer in one place and keep clicking it is awesome because a mouse would move the pointer every time you click the button.

 

I have a kensington also TRUST ME the logitech is WAY better. I would encourage everyone to use it. I have reduced wrist strain 100 times and I can open and close boxes etc with lighting fast precision. Stay away from trackballs that require you to use your thumb to move the trackball, or click the button, that induces a significant amount of wrist strain.

 

With the Logitech marble mouse, you can use one or two fingers for motion AND clicking, and you can alternate fingers/positioning on the mouse through out the day to avoid repetition. It works, everyone should try it.

 

-Josh.

[KenElevenShadows]

I received the Cirque Easy Cat. It was much smaller than I anticipated. I generally like it, but like the larger PC Cirque touchpad that I use on the PC a little better. It's more stable on the desk physically, and I like the slightly larger size as well. That said, this is definitely saving my wrist pretty well so far. That marble mouse thing and the joystick previously mentioned sound great as well!

 

Ken/Eleven Shadows

[duncantheriver.com]

The elusive ergonomic mouse is alive and well at:

www.3m.com/ergonomics/renmouse.html

This thing rocks! Sure it looks strange, but you can always wrap it up in duct tape and say that you made it yourself. (So why doesn't someone make a duct tape plug in, to give the on-screen mixer that 'roadworn' look?)

Eventually the whole world will be using these things. Regardless of what you use, I guess the main thing is to make sure that your elbow is resting on something (the arm of your chair, perhaps?) Otherwise, no matter what you use you'll have problems.

 

Mr. Dunc, the mousehunter

[dansouth]

Hmm. I just started using an optical mouse, and my arm is really fatigued. I was at first afraid to put any pressure on it, and I've been cocking my hand back slightly to keep from click accidentally. I've recently discovered the I can rest my hand on the back end without causing it to click. This seems to work best when I rotate the mouse slightly toward the monitor.

 

Any tips for using the Mac optical mouse?

[KenElevenShadows]

Hi, Dansouth!

 

Try and have your hand go over the entire optical mouse, with your finger following the curve and falling over the other end of the mouse (the far end). In other words, your fingers should be overlapping the mouse, and your fingers should click with the meaty part of the finger. You should also have some sort of padding for your wrist. You should take breaks often and switch around your hand position as much as is reasonable so you are creating some variance. If my wrist is really hurting -- well, if it is really hurting, I usually stop working -- but if for some sick reason, you must continue on, try and get one of those wrist braces. Those sometimes help support your wrist. All this helps me. If it helps you, then great!

 

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Ken/Eleven Shadows/d i t h er/Nectar

http://www.elevenshadows.com 4 music, travel, more!

http://www.cdbaby.com/elevenshadows

[dansouth]

Thanks Ken!

 

The optical is kind of cool. I'm experimenting with different techniques. Sometimes I'll put the heel of my hand on a mouse-sized wrist rest and push the mouse around with my fingertips. Since it's symetrical, I may try it "leftie," as well.

 

Thanks for the tip!!