Mouse arm from working at the computer? Oh no!
Hours sitting at your mobile phone or computer and always making the same movements with the mouse can result in pain in your hands and arms. Find out here what causes the pain and what to do to prevent it.
If you use them right, computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices are a blessing. But if working on the computer puts monotonous strain on your arms and hands for longer periods, you can develop so-called mouse arm. Mouse arm, in medical jargon repetitive strain injury syndrome, is a complex set of symptoms affecting the hand, arm, shoulder and neck areas. Despite the name, it’s not the computer mouse itself that’s the source of this evil. In most cases the trouble’s caused by overloading and incorrect strain on the muscles when using the mouse and keyboard, and often also a poor sitting posture.
Symptoms
In many cases the pain initially comes gradually. It starts with a tugging or tingling feeling in your fingers or hand, and your forearm feels weaker than usual. At first the pain only comes when you make a certain movement, such as clicking the mouse or typing. Later on it may be painful even if you're not moving. As time progresses the hand, arm, shoulder and neck symptoms get more pronounced, and you may suffer swelling and restricted movement. If you ignore the pain you unnecessarily risk developing tendonitis.
Treatment
The first step to getting better is to change your working environment, ergonomically adjusting your workplace so you’re sitting straight and comfortably with your neck, shoulders and arms as relaxed as possible. Regular exercises help prevent the symptoms from getting worse by keeping the muscles and joints from tensing up even further.
If your mouse arm is giving you a lot of pain, massages and ergotherapy, or warm compresses, can offer some relief. If other measures fail to bring any improvement, it might be appropriate to take medication. But the best treatment for mouse arm is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
If you use them right, computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices are a blessing. But if working on the computer puts monotonous strain on your arms and hands for longer periods, you can develop so-called mouse arm. Mouse arm, in medical jargon repetitive strain injury syndrome, is a complex set of symptoms affecting the hand, arm, shoulder and neck areas. Despite the name, it’s not the computer mouse itself that’s the source of this evil. In most cases the trouble’s caused by overloading and incorrect strain on the muscles when using the mouse and keyboard, and often also a poor sitting posture.
Symptoms
In many cases the pain initially comes gradually. It starts with a tugging or tingling feeling in your fingers or hand, and your forearm feels weaker than usual. At first the pain only comes when you make a certain movement, such as clicking the mouse or typing. Later on it may be painful even if you're not moving. As time progresses the hand, arm, shoulder and neck symptoms get more pronounced, and you may suffer swelling and restricted movement. If you ignore the pain you unnecessarily risk developing tendonitis.
Treatment
The first step to getting better is to change your working environment, ergonomically adjusting your workplace so you’re sitting straight and comfortably with your neck, shoulders and arms as relaxed as possible. Regular exercises help prevent the symptoms from getting worse by keeping the muscles and joints from tensing up even further.
If your mouse arm is giving you a lot of pain, massages and ergotherapy, or warm compresses, can offer some relief. If other measures fail to bring any improvement, it might be appropriate to take medication. But the best treatment for mouse arm is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
- Buy a suitable mouse that's contoured to fit the inside of your hand.
- When using the mouse have your forearm on the desk so that the wrist isn’t bent and you’re able to hold the mouse loosely in your hand.
- Choose an ergonomic keyboard or switch more frequently between mouse and keyboard (keyboard shortcuts can help).
- While typing, make sure the weight of your arms is resting on the desk.
- Avoid drafts and keep your wrists warm.
- Take conscious breaks and do a few stretching exercises for your hands and wrists.
- Use an office chair that can be adjusted to your size.
- Clench your hand into a fist and then open it again, first with your fingers tightened and then stretched.
- Press your hands together or against a wall with your wrists bent.
- Put your head as far to the right as possible and stretch it in that position for a few seconds. Repeat on the other side.
- Stretch your hands and arms regularly – forwards, up, back as far as you can go, and then back over the side with a circular motion.
- Regularly shake out your hands and arms.
