Strain and pain

On Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:23:18 -0500, tony cooper wrote:

What do y’all do to avoid problems caused by using a computer for hours on end?

….

I use a Trackman Wheel trackball with my right hand. It’s for right-handed use only. Yesterday I purchased different trackball; one that can be used with either hand. I thought I’d switch off for a few days.

You’re on the right track. Change up the equation for a while and reduce the wear and tear. Also, change how you sit – the height of the chair, etc.

Another thing to try is a WACOM tablet – the Bamboo model is $80 or so. This uses different muscles and joints altogether, and you may find the extra degree of control helps with finer detail.
—
Mike Russell – http://www.curvemeister.com

You might try learning all the keyboard shortcuts and using them all the time. This will free up the right hand and make things easier as well as making your job faster.

HTH

Gar

tony cooper wrote:

What do y’all do to avoid problems caused by using a computer for hours on end?

My right shoulder is killing me…shoulder, neck, somewhere in that area. I know it’s from too many hours at Photoshop.

I use a Trackman Wheel trackball with my right hand. It’s for right-handed use only. Yesterday I purchased different trackball; one that can be used with either hand. I thought I’d switch off for a few days. It’s hard to get used to using my left hand, especially editing a mask with a lot of detail, but I’m managing.

"tony cooper" wrote in message

What do y’all do to avoid problems caused by using a computer for hours on end?
My right shoulder is killing me…shoulder, neck, somewhere in that area. I know it’s from too many hours at Photoshop.
I use a Trackman Wheel trackball with my right hand. It’s for right-handed use only. Yesterday I purchased different trackball; one that can be used with either hand. I thought I’d switch off for a few days. It’s hard to get used to using my left hand, especially editing a mask with a lot of detail, but I’m managing.
Tony Cooper – Orlando, Florida

I love my tablet, but it doesn’t do a damned thing for my posture.

The problem is sitting frozen in one position, with the exception of your right hand and forearm, for hours on end, and I’m sure we all do it to some degree. My physiotherapist pal says to get up, do a few stretches and walk around the room a couple of times… every 20 minutes, and I’m sure none of us do that. But, if you’re able to tear yourself away from the keyboard once an hour, it can’t hurt and might be a reasonable compromise. I know, when the hour is up you’ll tell yourself that it’s a waste of time and you’ll hate to step out of the creative zone, but remind yourself that it’s an excellent alternative to chronic pain.