Using a mouse all day is starting to feel annoying in my wrist. What other options are there? Do they work well enough? I work at a desktop PC so portable and wireless are irrelevant.
Using a mouse all day is starting to feel annoying in my wrist. What other options are there? Do they work well enough? I work at a desktop PC so portable and wireless are irrelevant.
David,
I have been using a Space Navigator for quite a while. I find it greatly reduced the use of the mouse and is much more efficient. It does not eliminate the need for the mouse, but distrubutes the tasks between two hands. The Space Navigator is about $100. The more advanced versions are a $299 and up.
There was a post on the forums last week by Chris Crouch and he mentioned Space Control as an alternative to 3D Connexion. Their controllers look interesting. Pricing is similar.
http://www.spacecontrol.de/gb/navigation/spacecontrol.html
Good luck,
Eric
The space navigator looks interesting. I have to find something to replace the mouse too, though. I was mostly searching for parts online today, and I'm not going to let this get worse. I'm using the mouse left handed for now.
If it is getting that bad you might try a roller mouse. I know some folks who use these as an alternative. However, they are not CAD users. I have used used one on someone elses computer and it takes some getting use to. The nice thing is it is closer to the keyboard, so you can use keyboard shorts. Again however, I was not using CAD.
http://ergo.contour-design.com/
We can only hope some day soon they will come out with a mind control mouse.
Cheers,
Eric
Consider a trackball. I can't stand them, but some people like them.
I finally got to address this issue earlier this year. I ended up going for a 3DConnexion SpacePilot Pro. It's by no means a cheap option (nor is surgery), but if you take the time to learn all it's tricks it saves your hands a lot of travelling over the course of the day. Having gone from having aching wrists by midday to noticing it at the end of the day maybe once or twice a month, I'd be inclined to think it's a worthy contender.
You could also try a vertical mouse, which are relatively inexpensive. Imagine a normal mouse that has been tilted sideways, although they are not quite vertical, more like 70 degrees or so. The idea is it puts your forearm and wrist in a more neutral position as opposed to a standard mouse which holds it twisted to one end of the range of movement.
Another thing you can try, which will cost nothing - put your mouse in front of your keyboard instead of to the side, so you operate it with a bent arm position. the mouse works in the wrong direction, but you can install a free download called Sakasa Mouse which allows you to rotate the movement so that it maps to the screen properly. I do this after having had tennis elbow a couple of years ago, and it does make a difference.
I guess the other question we have not discussed is what kind of mouse are you using now? I see there are a few threads under the More Like This on the side of the page. Perhaps a different style may help. I have had pretty good luck with some of the ergonomic types from Logitech.
You gotta change your setup.
![20121212_124827[1].jpg](https://forum.solidworks.com/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/2-332248-63741/20121212_124827%5B1%5D.jpg)
One thing that no one has mentioned is using a mouse pad with a wrist rest. I started using one when I started feeling the first twinges of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It took a day or two to get used to but it has made a surprising difference in the way my hand feels at the end of the day, and I've had no more symptoms of CTS. Give one a try; it is easyand inexpensive..
I'm going to second John, sort of. Is your entire forearm resting horizontally? I have the height of the arm rest on my chart set to match my desk height. This way I can have my entire forearm, including elbow, resting horizontally at one height. Try it.
Logitech Trackman is all I ever use anymore. I've got CT in both wrists and using the ball with my thumb is so much easier than moving my wrist. Plus I work faster than my mousy friends, it's easier to do a short fast move with the thumb and the ball keeps spinning to the edge of the screen.
Plus they deter other people from messing with your system because they don't understand the concept at first ;-)
It's also nice to sit in a lazy-boy and put it on your leg or the arm of the chair and it still works the same.
The current setup. If I rest my arm flat on part of the desk, my shoulder to elbow is abot 40 / 45 degree angle. Sometimes I use it that way. Sometimes, my are is more at my side, so my forearm is angled up 15 - 20 degrees to the mouse. I think the second is the more common way I've been using it, but that seems to be the most annoying now, so no more. No other discomfort than my wrist. It's not pain yet - I have a low threshold of pain, and no tolerance for it, so I'm not waiting until it gets that bad. I tend to have my chair lower than typical, and monitors higher, to help resist my tendancy to hunch forward.
I seem to notice the discomfort mostly at work, but that's typically where I do the longest sessions. I have a few computer setups at home also.
If I get a Logitech Trackman, what do I do for the scroll wheel [zoom] in Solidworks? And the 3rd button positioning function?
Mine is actually a Trackman Wheel (P/N: 804359-0000). That's the corded version that is nye unto impossible to find anymore. The cordless version is M570.
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-trackball-m570?crid=8
In all my looking around at what's available, I've com across this:
It sounds like it would work very well for SW and the other stuff I have to do.
I'm thinking of combining it with the Space navigator for my at work computer.
I have a couple of Trackman marble mice on the way for my secondary home PCs.
Im using the Bamboo Pen & Touch with SW. I found if I did more than 8 hours a day with an ergonomic mouse (Logitech) that I would suffer pain in my arm and shoulder, even to point of causing me to wake up at night aching. The bamboo has helped alot. I find that instead of replacing my mopuse, it has given me another alternative to use. I find myself switching through the day, sometimes I will only use the bamboo in touch function - with my fingers, especially for opening files and scrolling through web pages and checking emails. When I need to do design work in SW I usually pick up the pen, and then at other times I revert back to my mouse as this is still the tool I am most proficient with. I used a 3dconnexion navigator at my last place of work and that was also very helpful- two handed etc. Good Luck
having been at this a better part of 23 years with some type of CAD, there is no one cure all device. More of a combination of a few key things. One is your chair, get a good one with adjustable rounded arm rests, you don't want your funny bone resting on any part of the chair. Next is when you use a regular mouse, your hand is rotated 90° out of it's natural position (think your hands at your side, then raise it 90°, now you have to twist it to lie flat on the mouse). Position of the mouse on desk cause the user to angle thier hand up onto the mouse while your wrist is on the desk or gel pad, another point of stretch and contact. That is where the Trackman is handy because it tilts your wrist back and releives the contact point and stretch. I used to use the Cordless Trackman, but with my laptop it's not as portable, so I'm using a Logitech Marathon mouse. Not doing as much CAD as I used to, so it's okay. Lastly, get a 3D mouse! I laughed at the dollar amount way back when they were gigantic and $600, and could not see the sense in paying for something that spins a model around. I was completely wrong. My first 3D connexion mouse was the space traveler, a small notebook style but I gave it a shot and after awhile, you will not want to move a solid any other way. When you combine those, it really does extend your wear and tear. To date I've had no carpal tunnel, only the minor aches or pain when working extended hours. I have the SpacePilot Pro right now, but really think the new SpaceMouse Pro is where it's at!! Try not to put a price on comfort. It's bad enough to sit on a chair all day staring at a screen, and clicking button with minimal movement. Make sure you get up and move around every hour!
I just got the Bamboo Create & Spacenavigator set up. I like the way they both work so far. The only thing I miss a little is the scroll wheel for non Solidworks stuff. I have to get the feel of both but it doesn't seem like it's going to be a bad learning curve.
It's been a long battle but we've now got this working with CAD programs.
I'd love to hear what people think.
Sam
i have been using this vertical mouse from 3m for around 3 years (actually im on my second as the slippery feet wore out, i complained to 3M,rendered a functional device useless, terrible design aspect) other than that it is very good and my RSI went and didn't come back.
i use a generic mouse with my left hand just for scroll wheeling
Interesting. I sent you a PM.
Sam,
Good to see you back, I have been wondering how the wing project was going.
Very nice, Congratulations.
DavidD
I purchased the SpacePilot Pro a couple years ago and love it for moving the model around.
It is so easy and comfortable to use.
This takes away all the extra moves from the mouse so I don't have to do everything with my right hand.
I also changed to a wireless mouse just so the cord doesn't get in the way.
I put my monitors (2) on a mount where I can get more movement and stability with them and move them closer to me and higher than I would be able to do with the desk top bases they come with (and this also gives me unrestricted space underneath them so moving them forward doesn't take away from my desk space).
Because I can now move the monitors closer I tend to lean back instead of forward in my chair (which has a lumbar support and tilt away arm rests). Now my back doesn't get strained from leaning forward, the chair height is set to have my elbows at or slightly above the desk height, monitors are at a height so I don't abnormally bend my neck to see them and my right hand is relieved of a lot of movement by using the SpacePilot Pro with my left hand. I noticed an immediate reduction in right hand/arm strain and soreness after I started using the 3D Mouse.
The only thing is, I don't know if I would go to the SpacePilot PRO if I had to do it again because I find I don't use the extra buttons very much.
I would still definitely use a 3D Mouse - but I just don't end up using those extra features.
On the other hand, If I put in the slight effort to learn the positions and use the buttons, Many are very useful.
They are also programmable (re-configurable to SW commands) so you can set them up to what is convenient for you.
I just never got around to learning most of them - mostly because I am on and off SW during the day and average only 1 or 2 hours a day doing SW. If I was doing SW most of the day I would definitely learn and use the buttons and be glad I had this model.
If anyone is an occasional user as i am, I would still highly recommend a 3D Mouse - but there are models that are less costly and do most of what you need.
http://www.trulygadgets.com/2818/gadgets/spacenavigator-a-new-way-to-interact/