Many people get shoulder and neck pain from mouse usage. It is often found that this is because the arm is being held away from the body for prolonged periods. Try and bring the mouse closer to the body.Ideally the mouse should be straight in front of the hand using it with the upper arm hanging relaxed from the shoulder. This is often in conflict with the position of the keyboard. Using a keyboard without a number pad can therefore be beneficial.
Other users holdthe mouse with their fingers held above the mouse buttons,again this could lead to pain in the wrist,forearm, neck and/or shoulder. A person should be able to rest their fingers on the buttons without them being inadvertently pressed..
Some users havefound using different shaped mouses with different button configurations helps.Trialling different mouse designs is recommended —remember a lot of research has gone into designing ergonomic mice.It is important that when people use a mouse they do so without high muscle stress.
LAPTOPS
Laptops are becoming increasingly common in the office. They are often a great convenience. However, the proximity of the integrated keyboard and screen is not good for regular use. If a laptop is to be used for prolonged periods it is recommended that, as a minimum, either an external monitor or keyboard is used.Having either an external monitor or keyboard allows an important degree of freedom in setting one’s posture with regards to monitor height and hand position that is not possible with just the laptop. Having an external keyboard at the office and at home does not present a huge cost.Laptops are weighty and cause awkward postures when being carried in shoulder bags. A backpack stylebag is recommended.
WRIST RESTS
The use of wristrests can reduce the muscle activity in the forearm and shoulder muscles, which can reduce muscle stress.They can also restrict movement of the wrists and arms, which is not so good. Many users find that the support of the wrists and hands is very helpful in reducing pain and find that their muscles feel less tired.Wrist rests are primarily for periods of rests between bouts of keying.
COPYHOLDERS
Copyholders are used to hold copy material and position it for the task.The copy should be at a distance from the eyes so that the material can be comfortably read.Copyholders reduce the amount of neck bending and twisting caused by prolonged viewing of documents placed on the desk beside the keyboard. The best location for the copyholder depends on the nature of the document -whether the user is a touch typist and whether the copy needs to be annotated as information is entered.