Revised Dec 9, 2009
If using your mouse hurts, you may be injuring yourself or aggravating a pre-existing condition. In either case, there are many things that you could be doing to reduce your discomfort. On the following pages you will find ideas to prevent mouse use from hurting.
If you are reading this document for the first time, we recommend that you read it all before you make any changes. Otherwise, we have provided this table of contents for your convenience.
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A Word About Change (Start here if you are reading for the first time.) |
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Reducing Mouse Use With Keyboard Shortcuts (The Only Guarantee) |
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If You Must Mouse, Pace Yourself |
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Resting Your Mouse Hand |
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Get The Work Done With Fewer Mouse Actions |
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Position Your Mouse For Optimum Hand/Arm Posture |
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Reducing Strain Associated With Moving Your Mouse |
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Reducing Strain Associated With Clicking |
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Reducing Strain Associated With Gripping Your Mouse |
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Reducing Strain Associated With Dragging |
1) A Word About Change
Not all of the ideas that you will read work for everybody. Consequently, if you try too many of them at once you may have a hard time figuring out what is helping and what is not. Identify one or two that make the most sense and try them for a while before you move on to make other changes.
Some changes will feel good initially, but in the long run they may be harmful. For example, a change to make your hands feel better could actually be putting more strain on your shoulder. Your hands will feel fine but eventually your shoulder may start to hurt.
Some changes will not feel good initially, but will be good for you in the long run. Be patient with a change because it just may be something that you need to get used to.
Because it can take a while to determine if something is truly helpful, look for products you can return if you decide to purchase anything.
2) Reducing Mouse Use With Keyboard Shortcuts (The Only Guarantee)
Although, there are many possible interventions, there is only one that is guaranteed to prevent your mouse from hurting you.
Your mouse can't hurt you if you don't use it. It's not always possible to avoid using your mouse, but for most functions there are keyboard alternatives. For more on this topic, take a look at Using Windows Without A Mouse.
Back to a Word About Change.
3) If You Must Mouse, Pace Yourself
If you must use your mouse, avoid using it for prolonged periods.
Common recommendations are to interrupt prolonged computer use for 5 minutes every hour and/or 10 seconds every 10 minutes.
The more frequently you take these breaks, the shorter the total break time needs to be. For example, 10 seconds every 10 minutes is better than one minute every hour.
Unfortunately, these are only guidelines. The best recommendation is that if you don't hurt when you start mousing, don't wait for pain to trigger a break. To be most effective, breaks should occur before you start to hurt. For example, if you typically get sore after 15 minutes of mousing, stop at 10 minutes.
Although we may have good intentions, we don't always stop when we should because we get preoccupied and forget. If all else fails, your computer can be programmed to tell you when to stop.
Back to a Word About Change.
4) Resting Your Mouse Hand
Share mouse work between two hands. Switching the mouse to opposite sides of the keyboard daily (or more frequently) will reduce mouse overuse by one hand. When you switch your mouse, you can also change the button functions so you can continue to click with your index finger.
Mouse left-handed. Once your left hand is conditioned for mousing, there are at least three good reasons to leave your mouse on the left side of your keyboard. (CAUTION: Please review this document in its entirety to avoid moving a problem from your right hand to your left hand.)
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Your hand is closer to body-centre when reaching to the left of your keyboard than to the right. (When the mouse is on the right, you must reach over the numeric keypad on your keyboard.) |
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Many overuse disorders affect the hand used most often. Consequently for right handers, mousing left-handed reduces the work load for the dominant hand. |
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For right-handers, moving the mouse away from the right side of the keyboard clears a convenient space for other tasks better performed with their dominant hand (e.g., writing). |
To make it easier to mouse with your left hand, you can continue to click with your right hand by using the keyboard. MouseKeys is one way to do this.
Keep your hand on your lap when you don't need to hang on to your
mouse (e.g., while waiting for your computer to do something).
For more information about pacing and resting your mouse hand, take
a look at Resting While You Work.
Back to a Word About Change.
5) Get The Work Done With Fewer Mouse Actions
Customize your mouse with your mouse driver software. (Check with your computer support personnel to ensure that you have the latest version.) To open your mouse driver software: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Mouse. Here are some examples of things you can try:
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Have your mouse pointer move automatically to the default action button ("snap to"). |
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Have your mouse wheel scroll a screen at a time instead of just a few lines. |
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Adjust how much you must move your mouse to have the pointer move on the screen ("sensitivity"). |
Look into automating repetitive tasks (e.g., macros, scripting, templates)
Avoid moving the pointer to main toolbars by using quick menus whenever possible (activated by "right clicking" or pressing the quick menu key)
Evaluate software design to ensure that the number of mouse movements (and keystrokes) are minimized.
Back to a Word About Change.
6) Position Your Mouse For Optimum Hand/Arm Posture
Your arm/hand posture should be as close as possible to the following when holding your mouse:
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upper arm vertical with your elbow hanging comfortably at your side (optimum forward reach) |
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forearm parallel to the ground with your wrist straight (optimum vertical reach) |
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hand directly in front of your shoulder (optimum sideways reach) |
6.1) If your vertical reach is not optimum:
Forearm parallel to the ground
with your wrist straight.
Adjust the height of your desk or mousing surface.
If the height of your mousing surface is not adjustable, adjust your seat height. CAUTION: Keyboard and footrest height will need to be adjusted accordingly. Also, raising the seat increases the risk of chair tipping.
If your mouse is too low, put a book or stack of paper under your mouse. Some people prefer their mouse to be slightly higher than their keyboard.
Once your mouse is at the correct height, a mouse wrist rest may help maintain a straight wrist.
6.2) If your sideways or forward reach is not optimum:
Hand directly in front of
your shoulder.
Upper arm vertical with your elbow hanging comfortably at your side.
Upper arm vertical with your elbow hanging comfortably at your side.
Place your mouse immediately to the right or left of your keyboard. The advantages of placing your mouse on the left side of your keyboard are discussed in the section on Resting Your Mouse Hand.
Check your monitor position. If your mouse and keyboard are not at an optimum reach when you sit at a comfortable viewing distance, you must move your monitor farther away.
If you use your mouse more than your keyboard:
Reduce the sideways reach for your mouse by moving your keyboard out of the way.
If you don't use your number keypad:
Try a mouse bridge.
Consider a keyboard without a number keypad.
If your keyboard platform is not wide enough for your mouse, you may be able to slide your keyboard to the right so that it overhangs the side of the platform, allowing sufficient space for your mouse to the left of the keyboard.
If you use your number keypad (and mouse right-handed):
Consider a keyboard with the number keypad on the left side.
If you use your number keypad (and there is no room on your keyboard platform for your mouse):
Move your keyboard as close as possible to your mouse. CAUTION: You may have to move your monitor as well to keep it in line with your keyboard.
Widen your keyboard platform or add an extender board. CAUTION: the cutout for your keyboard platform may need to be widened.
Use a trackball or other pointing device that fits on the keyboard platform.
Back to a Word About Change.
7) Reducing Strain Associated With Moving Your Mouse
If the mouse pointer does not move smoothly across the screen when you move your mouse, obtain a better tracking surface or repair/replace your mouse. (New optical mice are reported to be more resistant to these types of problems.)
Don't fight with the mouse cord. Secure it so it doesn't snag.
Back to a Word About Change.
8) Reducing Strain Associated With Clicking Your Mouse
Press lightly when clicking
Some mice have stiffer buttons than others. Compare your mouse to others.
Don't click. Software packages such as RSIGuard generate a click automatically when the mouse stops moving.
Consider devices that allow you to click with your feet.
Back to a Word About Change.
9) Reducing Strain Associated With Gripping Your Mouse
Grip your mouse as lightly as possible. (Pretend you're holding a small bird.)
Watch the gap between your middle and index fingers. Don't spread them far apart.
Avoid elevating your middle finger. Let it rest on the button.
Consider a trackball or other pointing device that does not require gripping.
Back to a Word About Change.
10) Reducing Strain Associated With Dragging
Learn how to select text and scroll through documents using the keyboard.
If you must use your mouse:
Select text without dragging (available in some software applications)
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double or triple click on the text block |
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click at the beginning and shift-click at the end of the text block |
Use the click lock (or drag lock) function of your mouse (if available, this allows you to drag by moving the mouse without having to keep the button pressed.)
Activate drag lock with a keystroke. RSIGuard and MouseKeys are 2 ways to set this up.
Scroll through documents without dragging the scroll button:
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click above or below the scroll button to scroll backwards or forwards, respectively |
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use your mouse wheel (if available, set the wheel to scroll a screen at a time.) |
Back to a Word About Change.
For further advice, please don't hesitate to contact Mike Papakyriakou at mikepapa@yorku.ca or ext 33477 or take a look at more office ergonomics tips.
