What Input Devices Are you Currently Using? (Preventing RSI)

[Simeon Amburgey]

The past several months I have been dealing with some issues especially wrist (carpal tunnel) elbow (cubital tunnel) , fingers (nerve injury), etc.. I guess the years of messing around with computers and various types of mice, trackballs and touchpads have started to take a toll.

I am looking into doing some research and study about different input devices and interfaces (possible even some eye tracking). I wanted to ask the group if you could share some of your experiences and what you have found helpful.

Thanks so much.

[craigb]

 and  and

 

 

Almost 50 years of using keyboards and I've never had carpal tunnel or other RSI.  Note that using the mouse above does cause extra strain on your thumb, but breaks and exercise are the keys.

[Simeon Amburgey]

36 minutes ago, craigb said:

Almost 50 years of using keyboards and I've never had carpal tunnel or other RSI.  Note that using the mouse above does cause extra strain on your thumb, but breaks and exercise are the keys.

So is that some type of gel squeeze ball, like a stress ball?  I also think part of my problem has been the placement of the input devices and like you said getting caught up and not taking breaks (especially video editing) is rough.

Thanks so much for the feedback.

[Simeon Amburgey]

@craigb, one additional question; how is your desk/workstation arranged as far as the placement of keyboard, mouse, etc.?

[jesse g]

I use a device that helps me stretch my fingers as it's primary used for guitar and bass players.  I also have a pad for my wrist to comfort then while typing and using the mouse.

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by jesse g

[craigb]

55 minutes ago, Simeon Amburgey said:

@craigb, one additional question; how is your desk/workstation arranged as far as the placement of keyboard, mouse, etc.?

BIG 40" 4k monitor so I don't have to turn my head between multiple monitors (I usually keep the resolution at 2k so I have plenty of screen real estate, but nothing is too small).  Keeping your head pointed straight in front of you is very important.  Tilting of any kind is bad, but the worst is tilting down and to the side; an excellent way to get a pinched nerve!

As mentioned elsewhere, I have the monitor up a bit and even have it on an arm so I can rotate it 90 degrees when needed.  This gives me plenty of room in front of it for a wireless keyboard with the shown wrist rest right in front of it.  In my case, I have a small, desk high, cabinet just to the right of my main area (12" deep by 13" wide).  I keep my wireless trackball mouse on that with a mini-gel wrist rest (same company as the big one, "innovera").  Since I'm a big guy, it feels very natural, like an extension of my arm.

[craigb]

Took a quick pic of my setup.  Probably could have done a better job, but it will do for now!

The little black cabinet on the right not only holds my trackball mouse, but my coffee (on a warmer) and my phone (on a wireless charger).

The extra wrist rest you see above my keyboard I use to hold the bottom (actually the right edge) of my monitor when it's in portrait rotation.  The red ball is a gel squeeze ball that you see! ?

Considering I sit in front of this 90+ hours a week currently (between my business partner and I we have two old businesses that still barely pay the bills plus a startup that consists of two separate companies including a franchise), my work environment has to be comfortable.  Free time?  No idea what that is! ?

[iRelevant]

I've avoided mouses/track pads for the last 20 years, and been using a combination of trackball / track pin (IBM/Lenovo style) instead. No problems so far. 

[msmcleod]

I use a Kensington Orbit Trackball (the one with a scroll ring, and detachable  palm-rest) :

Before that I used the one without a scroll wheel, which I actually found more comfortable due to it being slightly lower profile, but the usefulness of the wheel won...

However, the best trackball ever for me was the Microsoft one, which they've discontinued. They were as low as £30 new at one point... nowadays I've seen second-hand ones go for more than £150 on eBay !

Edited April 19, 2019 by msmcleod

[msmcleod]

A hardware control surface is also a great investment, especially for selecting tracks & fader movement. I find fader movements awkward with a mouse, and even worse with a laptop mouse-pad.

Even something like the Korg nanoKONTROL 2 (or even better, the nanoKONTROL Studio) make a huge difference to both your workflow and reducing strain on your hands. I've never found the smaller faders an issue, and for £35 / £105 respectively, it's a no-brainer for me. 

[synkrotron]

1 hour ago, msmcleod said:

However, the best trackball ever for me was the Microsoft one

Yeah, I've still got one of them somewhere. I used it a lot and even took one to work. I had to keep a mouse plugged in so that if someone wanted to show me something on my PC they had something they could understand.

Great for CAD stuff.

But I did find it gave me a few problems, RSI wise, though I refused to accept it at the time.

For quite a while now I returned to a mouse and I use a Logitech G500s.

I don't find it that bad for what I do in which ever DAW I am using. I'm not doing major fader riding or anything like that. And most of the time I just use the scroll wheel for fader/knob adjustments.

1 hour ago, msmcleod said:

I use a Kensington Orbit Trackball

Got one of these too, stuck in a box somewhere. Not used that one for ages... I think I just preferred the Microsoft one and, for a time, there wasn't another trackball like it. For some reason, when the MS one went off the market most were ball operated by the thumb and the buttons with fingers, whereas the MS one was t'other way round.

[Simeon Amburgey]

Thanks for all of the replies and feedback. I just received this from Logitech and am excited to try these and see how they do? The vertical mouse and Ergo Trackball are particularly intriguing.

[craigb]

4 hours ago, msmcleod said:

I use a Kensington Orbit Trackball (the one with a scroll ring, and detachable  palm-rest) :

Before that I used the one without a scroll wheel, which I actually found more comfortable due to it being slightly lower profile, but the usefulness of the wheel won...

However, the best trackball ever for me was the Microsoft one, which they've discontinued. They were as low as £30 new at one point... nowadays I've seen second-hand ones go for more than £150 on eBay !

This was my secret weapon when I used to run game servers.  I was always being accused of cheating - lol!  I had/have a few, but also migrated to the Microsoft one and, I think, I may still have one a storage bin so I'll have to see if I can find it and put it up for sale evidently!

[craigb]

43 minutes ago, Simeon Amburgey said:

Thanks for all of the replies and feedback. I just received this from Logitech and am excited to try these and see how they do? The vertical mouse and Ergo Trackball are particularly intriguing.

Dang!  Just how many hands do you have Simeon??!  

[Simeon Amburgey]

40 minutes ago, craigb said:

Dang!  Just how many hands do you have Simeon??!  

Well I am hoping to publish some  unboxing and tests to share my experiences. Of course I can only use one (or two ) of these so there might be some left to give away.

I am also trying to reach out to Kensington as well to see if they can send me a couple of their trackball products.
Many years ago I went through so many different kinds and now just trying to do a reset and hopefully my experience can help my other musician friends and colleagues.

One thing I am working on is researching how Eye Tracking can be used to work with Windows and DAWs in particular. That would really be interesting.

Thanks again!

[InstrEd]

I have one of those squeeze balls for stress release. I grab it several times a day while at the computer to manipulate my wrist and fingers.
 Also I use this ball    It works but you have to learn how to use it.

[Simeon Amburgey]

4 hours ago, InstrEd said:

I have one of those squeeze balls for stress release. I grab it several times a day while at the computer to manipulate my wrist and fingers.
 Also I use this ball    It works but you have to learn how to use it.

That looks really interesting.

[scook]

14 hours ago, pwalpwal said:

Left hand mouse at work, right hand at home

This was my solution when working

[craigb]

6 hours ago, InstrEd said:

I have one of those squeeze balls for stress release. I grab it several times a day while at the computer to manipulate my wrist and fingers.
 Also I use this ball    It works but you have to learn how to use it.

So you have to have balls to manipulate your wrist and fingers, eh?  Interesting... ?

[InstrEd]

25 minutes ago, craigb said:

So you have to have balls to manipulate your wrist and fingers, eh?  Interesting... ?

Now Now craigb, I bet you were a handfull? for your teachers?
And to answer that question. Sometimes yes you have to have balls to..................................................................................................................................................................................