Ergo workstation question

[Scarecrow]

Hello fellow designers,
my shoulder is aching, along with some other repetitive motion complaints. It's not too late for me to improve things. My thought's were an adjustable height mouse pad, and a trackball mouse.

Can anyone share their experiences with similar problems, and solutions?

Thanks

Gerry Bolda

http://www.scatmat.com

 

[MadMango]

I had a problem with my mousing-arm going numb at the shoulder after about 3-4 hours of work. I noticed that I was lifting my entire arm off the desk as I moved my mouse around. I switched to a Logetic Marble Mouse, and have been very happy with it. Now I can lay the entire weight of my arm on the desk, and I only use my index (sometime adding my middle) finger to move the cursor around.

Also something else that I have noticed, is many people sit way too low at their desks. Here's some pointers that work for me.

1) My thighs are parallel to the ground when my shins are perpendicular to the ground.

2) I sit all the way "into" my chair so my back is supported by the chair. Many times however, I catch myself sitting at the very edge of my chair... bad.

3) My monitor is positioned so I can hold my head straight, glancing slightly down (maybe 10 degs) with my eyes, and the screen is perpendicular to my field of vision.

4) My keyboard and arm rests on my chair are positioned so my elbows are supported and my forearms are parallel to the ground. This meant I had to raise my keyboard, and my 1st ed SolidWorks for AutoCAD Users was the perfect height. "The attempt and not the deed confounds us."

 

[SnowCrash]

Mouse left. Mouse pad with wrist support.
Do not lean on your mousing elbow.
Take glucosatrin.
It might be your neck, not your shoulder.
It might be vision related. When was your last checkup? Measure the distance to your monitor and have the doctor evaluate you at that focal length. Get glasses for that distance.
Submit a letter to your boss and to HR documenting the problem.
See a chiropractor and make your medical cover it.
This can be a long term problem, be-aware.
Crashj 'who is right handed' Johnson

 

[TateJ]

I started having some numbness in my mouse hand too.
My employer got me one of those gel-pad-under-the-wrist-mousepad. It worked fine.
Soon after, I got the idea of pulling my desk back away from the wall, so that the back end of it hanges "off" my desk. Now I have a good 22 inches between me and my monitor - and that's with my six-pack abs gently touching the front edge of my desk. The benefit is that my entire forearm(s) are fully supported on the desk. Before, I had my wrist only supported at the edge of my desk. All that pressure on a relatively small surface was killing my circulation - I suppose. Also, my glasses were hopelessly out of style - eye-exam and new glasses.
I'd like to say that I sit perfectly ergonomically correct, but I constantly shift around. My feet range from the footstool I rigged under my desk to being tucked back under my chair - as they are now.
Re-claiming the realestate under the back end of my monitor was undoubtedly the best thing that I've done.
Other than that - I bought myself a bigger mouse - Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer.

H[sub]o[/sub][sup]3[/sup]
tatej@usfilter.com​

 

[pyarnall]

I acquired a 3D Connexion Space Mouse (USB version) and it has transformed the way I work (Solid Works). Many motions once handled by the mouse are now supported by the Space mouse which requires very little force to respond. There are 8 buttons that are easily programed to do just about anything you want which further reduces the "mouse pick" load. the unit is well made and hefty... doesn't move around. Worth every penny. Doesn't take very long to get the hang of it... you'll wonder how you ever managed without it. (No, I don't sell them... buy direct off the 3D website or from your SW reseller... they might give you a break in the price).

 

[TateJ]

I guess I don't see the need for a other-handed device like a Space Mouse... unless I need to simultaneously rotate and modify my model.
I'm nottrying to be a smarty-pants.
Could you tell me what are the benefits - other than spreading the work-load to both hands?
Are there other reasons to get one that I haven't realized?

H[sub]o[/sub][sup]3[/sup]
tatej@usfilter.com​