Preventing hand pain with the mouse - the best tips

A painful hand is often the result of permanent incorrect posture from an unergonomic computer mouse. We explain how this "mouse arm" is created and what you can do about it.

How hand pain comes from the computer mouse

Pain in the hand and arm caused by permanent use of the computer mouse is popularly known as the "mouse arm" and in medicine as the RSI syndrome. There are several possible causes:

1. The hand is turned inwards, which causes the ulna and spoke and, above all, the associated tendons on the forearm and wrist to be misaligned.
2. Permanent hand placement on the hard computer table puts a strain on the ball of the hand.
3. The monotonous movement of individual fingers strains the muscles.

How to effectively prevent mouse hand pain

You can prevent hand pain from frequent and long-term work on the computer by a number of measures:

1. An ergonomic mouse significantly reduces the misalignment of the hand. In this video, CHIP Online introduces three ergonomic mice and tests input devices for everyday office life.
2. Gel pads reduce the pressure when putting on the hand and thus reduce the load.
3. Take occasional breaks in which you rest your hand in a natural, relaxed position and massage it lightly.
4. Perform tasks that strain your hand in a different position to counteract the monotony of your hand position. It can also be like pouring coffee.
5. If pain is already occurring, do slight stretching exercises.

Another health tip for long-term work on the computer can be found in the practical tip for optimal positioning of the monitor.