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Mouse Use - What to avoid

Posted in: Mouse Use, Office Ergonomics Printable Version: Mouse Use - What to avoid.pdf

It’s quite interesting, when you watch someone play a sport, everyone uses a different technique. The same goes for using the mouse.

Do you perform the “Vulcan death grip” on your mouse? Or do you find yourself chasing your runaway mouse to the back of the desk?

Many of us have little idiosyncrasies that we have picked up over our years of chasing the mouse around the desk.

In the end – there isn’t one way that everyone should hold the mouse but there are some habits that you should try to avoid.

  1. Avoid using the mouse with the wrist bent to the side. Ideally, you should be able to draw a straight line through the forearm and through your index/middle finger.
  2. Similarly, your wrist should be in a straight line if you look at it from the side. Avoid using the mouse with your wrist bent upward.
  3. Avoid resting the underneath of your wrist on the desk (or the wrist rest) and pivoting your wrist like a windshield wiper. This puts pressure on the Carpal Tunnel and can lead to discomfort in your wrist or hand.
  4. Avoid over gripping your mouse. Some people squeeze their mouse like they are doing hand exercises.
  5. Watch your mouse hand when you are working in a mouse intensive program – do you ‘relax’ your hand when you aren’t using the mouse or are you hovering (continuing to hold the mouse with your hand muscles still tense)
If you hover or hold, try resting the side of your hand (palms face in) on the desk or wrist rest when your computer is doing the work instead. Even for just a few seconds this neutral “microbreak” greatly reduces strain.

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