Numbness in your Hand from your Computer Mouse? Here's What you Need to Do.

Numbness in hand from computer mouse - what can you do

15 Nov 2015

Tags:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Ergonomic Mouse Ergonomics Hand Pain Self Help Guide Wrist Pain

numbness in hand from computer mouse use ergonomic

Numbness in your Hand from your Computer Mouse?

Here's what you need to know...

Prolonged use of your computer mouse, can lead to the onset of a repetitive strain injury (RSI). RSI is the most common injury for office workers, and if left untreated, can develop into a debilitating condition. Early signs of RSI include:

Pins and needles in your fingers and/or hand
Numbness or tingling sensation in the fingers and hand
Other symptoms may include waking up at night with pain in the wrist or a loss of grip strength.

So what can you do?

We recommend you firstly consult with your GP and a Physiotherapist or Hand Therapist. Seeking medical advice and treatment will help speed up your recovery. Once you have consulted with your GP and a Physiotherapist, it is important to review your workstation to ensure it is appropriately setup and not causing you any aggravation of your symptoms.

You can also follow these simple steps below to make sure your workstation and equipment are best setup to minimise RSI:

Keep your mouse as close to your body and keyboard as possible. If your keyboard prevents this from happening, perhaps you need to invest in a compact keyboard
Try using your non dominate hand to operate your computer mouse. This will give your dominate hand a rest break and will help evenly share the repetitive nature of using a computer mouse
Try to use your whole arm to operate your mouse, rather then just moving your hand and wrist
Take regular rest breaks, 5 - 10 minutes every hour
Switch your traditional mouse for a vertical ergonomic mouse