well good news is my overtime has ended so I now have more time to devote to gaming. however I can't handle my keyboard and mouse for any longer then 30min before my hands go completely numb. which sucks even more then not having the time to play
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well good news is my overtime has ended so I now have more time to devote to gaming. however I can't handle my keyboard and mouse for any longer then 30min before my hands go completely numb. which sucks even more then not having the time to play
I am sorry to hear that. :( what is the problem with your hands.... carpal tunnel or something else. Is there anything that can help it out?
Numbness sounds like possibly a blood supply issue. Be sure to check if your hands are resting above the height of your elbows when you play. If they are, it might be worth looking for either a higher chair or lower table, so the blood isn't fighting gravity to get to your hands over a prolonged period. Alternatively, are your arms resting on anything that might restrict blood flow (like the edge of the table)?
If its a matter of hand positioning, I actually keep my keyboard in my lap. I have a piece of 1/4" MDF (partical board) that i cut to a 10"x20" rectangle, that is big enough for my keyboard and mousepad. Then i prop the "overhanging part" (the left side) on a small pillow. I came up with this because I have a lot of issues with my right wrist, and keeping the keyboard low really helps me out.
I'd check in with the doctor to see if you can get some of that inflammation down. Some over-the-counter hand splints may help relieve the numbness.
I've had to switch to an ergonomic keyboard (though I miss my light-up keys!!!) to take some of the stress off my hands from writing and gaming.
sorry to hear about your troubles. pls review usual ergonomics (google/wiki/etc) to make sure your gaming setup is good
i had trouble w/ mice when i was doing a lot of mouse work w/ traditional mice. (i was a graphic artist at the time). i had great relief from this problem when i used a trackball - made all the difference.
take care of yourself!
regards,
Malle
I have MS that messes up primarily the left hand and arm, but somtimes the right as well. I find that if my forearms have tilt back up from the elbows, the keyboard is too high. Forearms should be parellel to the floor or so the hands are a tad lower than the elbow. That just seems to help a lot. My computer desk has a roll out tray for the keyboard and mouse at the right level for me. A slight tilt up on the keyboard (legs at the back in use) also helps. Of course, ergonomic would probably help a lot too. I know my keyboard is not ergonomic, but it at least has a nice extension on the front to help you have a place to rest my wrists without having to have a wrist pad.
Of course, as others have said, definitely go see the doctor and get referred to a neurologist for tests on what might be going on. It might be an obvious thing or it might be something that takes them a bit to figure out. It might be strained from your overtime, but not sure what you actually do at your job to know for sure.
I also have problems with my wrists and fingers, particularly my right hand with mouse use. I have had some success with using a combination of nostromo and a naga mouse, but still can't use the mouse for extended periods of gaming.
However, I have had a lot more success with using an xbox controller with Pinnacle (a bit like xpadder) I use the xbox controller in GW2, Defiance, Neverwinter and most recently in The Secret World. If you think this could help you I would be happy to send some links to the profiles I use, mostly I have found ones that other players have made and just tweaked to my own preferences. It feels a bit like cheating sometimes it is so easy, but there are also some things you can't do quite as well, but hey, whatever helps to make the games fun and keep you able to play is all good in my book.
depending on how you are typing, keeping the keyboard on your lap could be aggravating the issue. the carpal tunnel should be open and straight (ie wrist as close to completely straight as possible) to allow for proper blood supply and tendon movement. also some anti-inflamatory meds and a wrist splint or two should help, as suggested above. ergonomic keyboards might be useful as well. you will want to make sure you're not cutting off the blood supply somewhere higher up on your arm as well. i do this all the time, by resting against the arm of my chair wrong, for example. it gets aggravating.
