Trackball or trackpad for desktop to reduce wrist strain?

[antef]

I've been having some pain in my mousing wrist lately, doctor says it's probably inflammation. I've reduced the pain somewhat by taking an anti-inflammatory and going back to my Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000. However the mouse has always been a little awkward to use and I feel like I could still be helping it more. I've looked at trackballs but I wonder if that would just strain my thumb joint after time. I'm pretty interested in desktop trackpads since there is nothing to grip and it might work well with Windows 8 as well, but the only ones that really seem to exist are Apple's and one by Logitech. I'm not even sure if that would really work out.

Does anyone have any suggestions for reducing wrist strain beyond your typical ergonomic mice?

Thanks.

 

[corkyg]

I had the same problem several years ago. My fix was to replace most of my mousing with a Wacom digitizing pad - a small one. Holding and tapping a stylus lile an ordinary pencil totally took the strain off my wrist. Now I* use a mouse only for macro navigation, and all precise stuff is via the pad and stylus. It really worked for me.

 

[frumply]

Or you could go full ergo with the mouse and get a vertical Evoluent mouse. Wouldn't use it for gaming but in the office where I do most of the mousing anyway it's saved my wrist. You also get the added benefit of no one touching your PC because they have no clue how to operate this absurd-looking mouse.

 

[bico]

trackpoint! you can try finding yourself keyboard with one. ever since i remember i'm using ibm thinkpads and never got any aches

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_stick

 

[AdamK47]

I use a trackball and never have any strain. It's a Clearly Superior Technology LaserTRAC 2545W trackball. Kinda pricy, but very much worth it.

 

[corkyg]

I guess it depends on what you do, but I have tried, and precision drawing or graphics work with a trackball is truly an adventure - even signing your name is tough. <LOL>

 

[bico]

I use a trackball and never have any strain. It's a Clearly Superior Technology LaserTRAC 2545W trackball. Kinda pricy, but very much worth it.

one question, how well it manages dirt? my keyboard gets pretty dirty and i guess cleaning trackball requires disassebly

 

[antef]

AdamK47, I see that your trackball is mounted on the top. Maybe that would be better than the side one that you operate with your thumb. Do you just sort of put your palm on it and move it around?

The wireless Evoluent is certainly an interesting idea. The position doesn't seem drastically different from how I use the Natural Laser Mouse, but I should probably read some more reviews about it. The Wacom pad is also a new idea. I'm not sure that a pen-holding position for long periods is the best either, but I can consider it.

 

[GrumpyMan]

I've used a thumb trackball for years and can do anything with it. No carpel tunnel and a must have with multiple screens. I love not having to pick up my mouse every 2 minutes like my co-workers do to put it back near the keyboard after heavy use. To clean them all you have to do is pop out the ball and clean the 3 sensors in there that accumulate dirt with a Q-tip. I do that every couple of months or so. Can't go back to a regular mouse.

 

[AdamK47]

one question, how well it manages dirt? my keyboard gets pretty dirty and i guess cleaning trackball requires disassebly

I have never had to open up the trackball to clean it. This is what it states on their product page.

The combination of Superior-X Button Control and the L-Trac offers unparralled flexibility, performance and reliability. Designed to minimize the effects of contamination build up and the resultant degradation of performance, this high performance laser trackball uses highly polished stainless steel rollers. It has been found by CST that the "ruby ball sliders" used in most optical trackballs, cause performance degradation when "gunk" builds up on them. This can be annoying when playing games on-line (or anytime). The "mirror polished" stainless steel rollers do not readilly collect "gunk" and are easily cleared by spinning the ball rapidly. The Dupont Delrin bearings are embedded with teflon and internally coated with a lifetime lubricant making the feel of this trackball extremely smooth and it's reliability very robust. The stainless steel rollers are extremely tough and give a super smooth feel. Life testing indicates that this unit may outlive most users. It, most probably, will be the last pointing device you will ever need to buy

If I even feel it sticking, I do as they say and spin the ball really fast. Afterwards it's sooth again. The trackball feels just as smooth as it was when I got it two years ago.

 

[AdamK47]

AdamK47, I see that your trackball is mounted on the top. Maybe that would be better than the side one that you operate with your thumb. Do you just sort of put your palm on it and move it around?

The wireless Evoluent is certainly an interesting idea. The position doesn't seem drastically different from how I use the Natural Laser Mouse, but I should probably read some more reviews about it. The Wacom pad is also a new idea. I'm not sure that a pen-holding position for long periods is the best either, but I can consider it.

Yes, you rest your palm on the bottom part and move the ball with your pointer and middle fingers. You use your thumb and pinky for the buttons. If I need added pricision then I move the ball with pointer, middle, ring, and pinky fingers. This trackball can be very accurate.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

I had the same CST that AdamK47 has. It really wasn't as precise was I was hoping. The ball has some real mass to it, which is a curse and a blessing. The blessing of it is that once it is rolling it is easy to control, but getting it rolling can be difficult. Finding the balance between when you are exerting enough force to get it rolling and traveling too far was very difficult for me to find.

Also the location of the scroll wheel and middle button is completely stupid on the CST. I ended up returning it.

 

[dawza]

If you are a trackpoint fan, the Lenovo Thinkpad USB KB with trackpoint is excellent. The key and trackpoint feel are on par with what you find on classic Thinkpads. I tend to experience some wrist strain in my mousing hand even with my adjustable KB arm, but the trackpoint lets me continue to work without pain for hours on end.

Depending on how much monitor resolution you're dealing with and the kind of precision you need, you may want to keep a mouse on hand. But for general Office app work, I actually prefer the trackpoint KB regardless, since the pointer is right there. I've been using mine at work alongside my Thinkpad for months and am seriously considering picking another up for my home workstation.

 

[_Rick_]

Or you could go full ergo with the mouse and get a vertical Evoluent mouse. Wouldn't use it for gaming but in the office where I do most of the mousing anyway it's saved my wrist. You also get the added benefit of no one touching your PC because they have no clue how to operate this absurd-looking mouse.

Just discovered these mice yesterday. Think I might end up getting one. Anyone else used them? They are a bit pricey, but after a long day at work mousing, my wrist does tend to feel a bit strained. Should be better soon when I'll have switched to a tenkeyless keyboard, but right now, comfort is elusive.

 

[Eug]

I am right handed, but switched my mouse to usually my left hand. Got rid of the repetitive strain injury on my right side, and didn't introduce it to my left side.

 

[Boomhowler]

I've been using a Logitech Optical Trackman for about 4 years now, it immediately reduced strain in my shoulder and elbow. Wonderful tool (especially combined with a tenkeyless-keyboard, such as the apple ones. Gets your arms where they "should be").

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/trackballs/cordless-trackMan-optical

Unfortunately they seem to be on their way out of logitechs sortiment, which is very sad. I will probably buy another one very soon to have an extra replacement

 

[ripster55]

Started up a Reddit/Trackball subreddit.

Come subscribe and check out the news.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Trackballs/

AND......

If you want me to post pics of the CST internals let me know there and I'll post up a IMGUR album.

 

[antef]

Well, after being annoyed with the cumbersomeness and weight of my Natural Laser Mouse 6000, I went back to my MS Wireless Mouse 5000. I quickly realized why I stopped using it - having my hand in that position doesn't feel great, and I keep wanting to rest it on its right side, pretty much in the position the Natural Mouse 6000 puts it in. So I'm back on that mouse for now. But its weight and feel just make mousing feel slow and not ideal.

I'm seriously considering giving the Logitech M570 trackball a try. It may put my hand in the ideal position that the Natural Mouse 6000 does but without the hefty weight to move around. However I'm still concerned about thumb strain. It seems to me you are adding a massive amount of repetitive action to your thumb joint and it would suck for that to result in a different pain later on. However the top-mounted trackballs are older products (old-style large receiver), and don't put my hand in that ideal right-tilt position.

I'm really not sure what option is best. Can anyone with a thumb trackball comment on thumb strain?

 

[funboy6942]

I've been using a Logitech Optical Trackman for about 4 years now, it immediately reduced strain in my shoulder and elbow. Wonderful tool (especially combined with a tenkeyless-keyboard, such as the apple ones. Gets your arms where they "should be").

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/trackballs/cordless-trackMan-optical

Unfortunately they seem to be on their way out of logitechs sortiment, which is very sad. I will probably buy another one very soon to have an extra replacement

+1 more.
I been using mine for 8+ years and it works great. Easy to clean, more precise then a thumb track ball, IMO for I have one too, and holds up really well. I sit here for 12+ hours a day 7 days a week and its held up for this long so far.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Thumb strain? Your thumb is the most versatile finger you have with way more mobility than all your other fingers combined. No such thing as thumb strain.

 

[AdamK47]

Unless you strain your thumb by straining it.

 

[Cerb]

If you go for a trackball, get one with a fairly big ball, like a Kensington Expert Mouse or CST LaserTRAC. Tiny balls (don't let it wear a kilt, or other people will know! ), like the Logitech Trackman Marble or Kensington Orbit, can help cause strain, lacking momentum and being tricky to get precision position with, without trying to hold your wrist and knuckles in place. The higher-sitting ball also makes it easier to find room to position wrist rests, should you need them, compared to short ones, and the big ball let's you just roll it in a direction to go across the screen.

Logitech's Optical Trackman aught to be OK, but they don't make a corded version, which, IMO, sucks, because I'd buy one if they did. Screw batteries. I used to have its competition, MS' Trackball Explorer, to which there is no USB-power competition, today, and it was awesome. Sadly, it was awesome enough that there is a healthy repair market, and on both of mine, it is the plastic loosening over time, not the switches, that were a problem.

Then, with a trackball...

I guess it depends on what you do, but I have tried, and precision drawing or graphics work with a trackball is truly an adventure

Make sure, in Windows, to apply Mark C's mouse fix at your preferred DPI. Vista and 7, and probably 8, do have some idiocy left over from Vista wrt to the mouse. Turning the sensitivity down a bit, with no acceleration, work fine for graphics work. Acceleration makes it practically impossible, though.

Thumb strain? Your thumb is the most versatile finger you have with way more mobility than all your other fingers combined. No such thing as thumb strain.

Maybe if you practiced moving your thumb around in intricate shapes as a kid, or maybe got lucky with thumb dexterity genes. Thumb trackballs hurt within a minute or two for me. Both my parents have the same problem. There is such thing as thumb straight, and those trackballs can cause it quickly.

I would definitely not get a trackpad, but a larger surface, like a digitizer, might be alright.

I have no experience w/ the funky vertical mouse.

You could also consider a small joystick, using Xpadder or Joy2Key, as a more esoteric option.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Maybe if you practiced moving your thumb around in intricate shapes as a kid, or maybe got lucky with thumb dexterity genes. Thumb trackballs hurt within a minute or two for me. Both my parents have the same problem. There is such thing as thumb straight, and those trackballs can cause it quickly.

Negative, sorry, strain not found or anyone I know who has ever used one. I must come from a strong thumb family. After 2 weeks you won't want to use another mouse ever.

 

[Cerb]

Negative, sorry, strain not found or anyone I know who has ever used one. I must come from a strong thumb family. After 2 weeks you won't want to use another mouse ever.

Two weeks?! Two minutes and I want to run to my car for a mouse! Extended use does hurt my tendons, though.

 

[weovpac]

Another vote for trackpoint.The ThinkPad USB Keyboard with TrackPoint[1] works really well for me. When I need to use another system, my finger tries to use the trackpoint in vain.

[1] https://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...8&amp;Code=55Y9003