Susan, a few years ago I started having repetitive strain symptoms in my right hand, wrist and arm, sometimes radiating all the way up to my shoulder. I was on a computer for 8, 9, 10 hours a day and there was no way to change that at the time.
One of the things I did, besides learn to read an entire screen at a time (just takes one "page up" or "page down" click at a time, instead of click click click click as I read lines one by one) was to train myself to be left-moused.
I am right-handed without a shred of ambidextrousness. But there are a few things that you can do with your non-dominant hand that helps, and becoming left-moused is one of them. It only feels awkward for a day. The second day, it feels easier. By the third day, you're doing much better with the fine motor movements. I was left-moused for a couple of years after that until I changed jobs and wasn't on the computer nearly as much.
Also, realize the small things we constantly do out of habit, and switch them! Make that left hand and arm pick up the slack! I learned to do things like pick up my purse with my left hand instead of my right, or a grocery bag, or a book. I brushed my teeth with my left hand. (No left-handed hair-styling, though; that would have been disastrous.)
Left-mousing (or right-mousing for those whose dominant hand is the left hand) can really help a lot. It takes a million tiny movements away from your dominant hand and gives them to the hand that's sort of gotten a free ride all these years, LOL. Try it!
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Susan, a few years ago I started having repetitive strain symptoms in my right hand, wrist and arm, sometimes radiating all the way up to my shoulder. I was on a computer for 8, 9, 10 hours a day and there was no way to change that at the time.
One of the things I did, besides learn to read an entire screen at a time (just takes one "page up" or "page down" click at a time, instead of click click click click as I read lines one by one) was to train myself to be left-moused.
I am right-handed without a shred of ambidextrousness. But there are a few things that you can do with your non-dominant hand that helps, and becoming left-moused is one of them. It only feels awkward for a day. The second day, it feels easier. By the third day, you're doing much better with the fine motor movements. I was left-moused for a couple of years after that until I changed jobs and wasn't on the computer nearly as much.
Also, realize the small things we constantly do out of habit, and switch them! Make that left hand and arm pick up the slack! I learned to do things like pick up my purse with my left hand instead of my right, or a grocery bag, or a book. I brushed my teeth with my left hand. (No left-handed hair-styling, though; that would have been disastrous.)
Left-mousing (or right-mousing for those whose dominant hand is the left hand) can really help a lot. It takes a million tiny movements away from your dominant hand and gives them to the hand that's sort of gotten a free ride all these years, LOL. Try it!
June 16, 2009 - 8:02amThis Comment
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