I was off to a screeching halt
Ron Knights
Posts: 2,121
Last month I was so excited about finding Floyd 8 and a brief amount of creative energy. All that faded quickly as my 3TB DAZ3D hard drive died. I moved my DAZ stuff over to the data drive that I use for my Genealogy (Family Tree) research. The data drive ran out of room.
I'll eventually buy another hard drive to replace the DAZ3D drive. In the meantime, I've gone back to my Genealogy work. And I'm dealing with some intense pain on my left arm. I swear it's a broken bone, but the doctor disagrees. Eventually I need to convince a doctor to do an XRay so we can fix the problem. In the meantime, I've been wearing an Ace Bandage. I am getting pretty good at wrapping that thing around my bicep!
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Comments
it can be your neck
my mouse arm gives me hell but it's actually a nerve in my neck being pinched sitting at the desk
It's hard to say. When I move my left arm, I hear a snapping sound, and it really feels like pieces of the bone are rubbing against each other. I'm in constant, excruciating pain. The ace bandage sometimes gives me a brief pause from the agony.
outrider42, you have my sympathy concerning the loss of a family member. I called for an ambulance to take me to the emergency room because I was tired of the pain I'd suffered for 3 weeks.
The doctor said my bone couldn't be broken because I was able to move my fingers, and felt pain above the area where I felt the pain. But I feel a sharp pain and what feels like pieces of bone moving when I move my arm. I hear a snapping sound, like the bone is coming apart then going back together. I've been a bit upset with the regular doctor I've been seeing because the thinks all my problems are caused by my being overweight. I may see about getting a new doctor who is willing to do an XRay.
You could try a trackball, Logitech M570 is great, been using them for years. Never had any problems with my arm anymore, even after many hours intense work. Mice also feel very clumsy to use after being used to a trackball, I'll never go back.
That sounds nice. I've been thinking about getting a trackball for years. My biggest problem is that mice are too small. My hands aren't huge but I have to curl my fingers up into a claw shape to grab this tiny mouse. It starts to hurt my wrist and forearm after a while and I'm pretty sure it's gonna cause problems further down the road. Do the trackball buttons have any extra functionality in DS?
Ron Knights, sorry to hear about your ordeal. Hopefully you can get a second opinion. Or another doctor.
Outrider42, sorry for your loss. I hate to see any family go through that.
Yeah, I had trouble with mice being too small. I had to look for a larger mouse and finally found the Logitech M510. It fits my hand very nicely, is wireless and has long battery life. If you find one in a store, check it out to see if it looks any bigger that what you're using. https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-mouse-m510
I tried trackball, but find it clumsy and incredibly difficult to use accurately.
There are also vertical mice that keep your arm and hand in the position like holding a glass. There are also laser projection mice that just let you move your fingers on the table and read the movements!
Agreed. I have used one for years and can't stand regular mice. At work we use the basic ones and they feel so inefficient. trackball is much more precise with creative work for me, I mean using just your thumb to control it as opposed to your whole arm, no brainer for me.
Sorry to hear about your problems, Ron. I hope you get some ease.
I will add a voice for the Trackman: I've used both wireless and wired version and they are great. I had to run a meeting recently in a venue with a ropey trad mouse, and I could barely manage. I started with the Trackman because I bought a computer desk that was very tight for space; but I wouldn't go back to a regular mouse now, however pretty some seem to be.
I've been using a Logitech Trackball for over a decade. The pain is in my left arm, near the biceps. I am right-handed!
Thanks for all your support. I've been feeling extremely down and overpowered over recent weeks. I have a tentative plan to start reasserting control beginning this week. That includes finally getting the laundry done so I have clean clothes. Then it's time to conquer the dishes in the kitchen, and clean the rest of the apartment. Of course it's hard with the sore arm!
Outrider42 I am so sorry about your family member. We have had something similar happen, too long a story to go into but, my sympathy's
Ron Knights, my mil just broke her wrist two months ago, snapped both bones completely. She should feel everything above and below the break and while moving her fingers and thumb is painful, she certainly can move them. And you definitely need to see a different doctor. If its not broken, then something else is terribly wrong. You may have torn tendons or something else like that.
Not sure, it comes with a special driver where you can configure the buttons AFAIR but I've never used it, just using the default Windows driver. It only has two extra buttons anyway, so not much to configure.
You could also try their new MX Ergo, I consider trying it myself. It comes with an adjustable hinge which can make it a bit larger, sort of.
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Advanced-Wireless-Trackball-Windows/dp/B0753P1GTS/
The MX Ergo button switches are also said to last longer, this has always been a weak point with the M570, or at least with some batches of them. Just had to replace one myself because it started double clicking by itself when doing single clicks, which can cause a lot of trouble in some contexts. I've replaced several because of this, it may start already after 1½ years of use, depending on how much you use it (I use mine a lot).
The M570 used to come with 3 years of warranty (in the beginning it was 5 actually), don't know if they do that anymore and it may depend on where they're bought. So you may have them replaced under warranty if it happens but often common wear is not covered by warranty so I don't know for sure. I'll instead try to fix the ones I have worn out myself by replacing the switches. There are youtube videos showing how to do, here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X892nA5MtE
I actually wrote a program for testing mouse buttons because of this, it can detect if any of the M570 button are double/multiclicking (haven't tested it on other trackballs/mice, but it should work except perhaps with special buttons). Can be downloaded here: http://taosoft.dk/software/freeware/mousetester/
I had to replace my logitech mouse because it was double clicking. That's how I ended up with this small mouse I have now. I guess the double clicking is a common thing with them. Other than that, I never had any problems with logitech mice. I found a free utility that filters out those double clicks, but it didn't work that well for me.
I've had the problem with a Microsoft mouse as well, I think it's fairly common as those switches won't last forever, though some seem to last longer than others. I don't recall ever having it with my first Logitech trackballs (the model in the middle on the youtube video) so maybe they used some higher quality switches back then.
I've also heard some say that it's a design problem with the buttons themselves on the M570 so that after some time they don't press reliably on the switches, depending on where you press with your finger on the button or something, don't recall what the fix was but it can be found somewhere in the Logitech forums. Others have mentioned other solutions. Maybe there may be several causes, I think I'll try new switches first and if that doesn't fix it, I'll try something else.
Yes, even if I'd have to replace them every two years I'd still keep using them, it's worth it. Though it may get a bit expensive if you have several computers each with their own trackball.
How does the MX feel in the hand, compared to M570?
Thanks for sharing your insights into mice and trackballs. I've used a trackball for many years. I am right-handed. The left arm is what appears to be injured.
BTW, can the rechargable battery in the MX Ergo be replaced by the user? Otherwise it probably means that the MX dies when the battery does.
Off of it's little base, it is a bit wobbly since it's made to be operated either flat or slightly tilted to one side, on it's base and tilted to the side it is 100% stable, and that little tilt is fantastic for my writsts (I've got carpal fairly badly, the 570 made a huge difference in that, and the Ergo is even better). As for the shell itself, it's just a bit beefier in the palm than the 570, maybe 1% or 2% is all, just enough to be that little bit more comfortable than it already is. Also, it's a bit more textured, so your hand doesn't feel like it's going to slide around. The button layout is essentially identical, just with the addition of the scroll wheel now tilts to either side for scrolling to the side as well. I absolutely love the trackball, and the abiliity to hook it up to 2 computers simultaneously and switch between them with either a button click on the mouse, moving your mouse to the side of your screen or with a keyboard shortcut (the last two are both configurable in the software) is a wonderful touch if you have more than one computer you use at the same time.
The constant charge/discharge cycle is what really kills the rechargeable batteries, and with this trackball I've only had to charge once in the last 6 months. It's supposed to get enough charge to last for a fuoll day in 1 minute. Historically, I've have exceptionally good luck with logitech rechargeable batteries, I've got a harmony remote that's over 10 years old and spends most of it's life on the charger and it still holds a charge for several weeks if I leave it off the charger. Of course, that's definitely a "your mileage may vary" kind of thing, but I have absolutely no reservations about this one being rechargeable. Also, it runs perfectly fine when plugged into USB, so even if the battery does eventually die, it'll still be fully functional as a wired unit.
OK, thanks, sounds promising, will be the next one I try I think.
As for switching between computers each with their own monitor I'm using Mouse Without Borders:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35460
It can switch both mouse and keyboard at the same time. Just drag the mouse pointer to the other screen and the keyboard moves to that computer also. You can switch between up to 4 computers that way actually.
I've tried commercial apps like Synergy and Sharemouse that can do the same, but had many problems with them, MWB is free and works flawlessly on my systems. You do need to have a mouse and keyboard connected to each machine though, in return you can control all the others from any of them. I switch between two machines and only use the keyboard on one and just hide the keyboard on the other behind the desk so it doesn't take up space on the desk. I've been thinking if maybe you can just plug one of these into each "slave" machine instead, instead of a keyboard and a mouse:
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Unifying-receiver-keyboard-connects/dp/B0058OU8VY/
OK, that sounds good. If it can run 6 months on a single charge it's probably not a problem. I also have a 10+ year old cell phone which has been used very little and therefore not been charged many times (max 50 I think), battery has never been replaced but is still fine and holds full capacity even several months after a charge.
Yea, sorry for turning the thread into a trackball discussion, but if nothing else it maybe can help others who suffer from mouse arm syndrome. I hope you have the probem with your arm solved as soon as possible, so you can feel well again!
I'm with you on that, I can't do a thing with them becasue I constantly overshoot my target with the cursor.
Ron do you lean on the left arm while at the computer ?
carrie58, I sit on an easy chair with a rolling desk in front of me. Both of my arms rest on the easy chair's arms. I have noticed that my muscles ache if a fan blows cold air at them....
Thanks for your thoughts.
Bone doesn't effect your ability to move your fingers, that is straight up wrong. As long as you have connective tissues and your nerves are sending the controls from your brain it will at least try to function.
The doc could be right, but the ramifications of him possibly being wrong are kind of high. A better safe than sorry approach would seem to be the order of business here. But moreover, if it is not a fracture, just what is it then? Something clearly is wrong. It could be a nerve. I have broke my arm, pretty badly in fact, as a teen. I slipped on some ice. It was a compound fracture, breaking both bones in two. Not only did I break the bones, but I also severed my nerve. I learned some things about our nerves and bones as a result. Your nerve going to your fingers is split evenly in two. Half the fingers are on one, the other half on the other. And the middle finger??? It is on BOTH. It is split exactly down the middle of the middle finger. One side of the middle finger is on one nerve, the other side is on the other. I severed one of these and lost feeling in half my hand. Thankfully I was a young teen. As a such, my nerves grew about 1 millimeter per day. The doc estimated it would take about a full year to get full feeling back. I was crushed.
Of course, I was in a cast for a good while, too. Fun times. Anyway, after several months my numb fingers really aggravated me. I got tingling sensations and it kind of hurt. One night I was trying to sleep and this was going on, and it frustrated me. I started just shaking my hand in frustration. And suddenly I felt a *POP* in my arm. I almost freaked out, "oh crap, what did I just do?!" I didn't move for several minutes, I laid down and kept still. But then...I noticed something. Where my hand was...I could feel my leg there. Whoa. I could feel again! And it was several months ahead of schedule! I jumped out of bed and jumped up and down with joy. My parents yelled at me to get back to bed. "But Mom...I can feel again!" LOL, I seriously said that. She was like, "Ok, but go to bed." No emotion. Jeez.
Anyway, the point I am getting to is coming. Sometimes to this day I can feel a pop in my arm, and when that happens, it feels very weird. It almost feels like something is loose, but it is in fact my nerve doing something. If I get hit in a certain spot, it really sets it off, too. Like I was playing basketball and I slapped at the ball, it hit my arm in certain spot, and set off a wild intense sensation that was not pleasant. Like it was on fire or something. So...I guess I need to be careful about things like that.
So perhaps what you are feeling is related to your nerves. Or something is pressing up on your nerve causing this pain. And it is possible this feeling of something being lose may be the nerve or a tendon out of place, maybe you did something in your sleep? Either way, it probably should be checked out by somebody willing to take a look. Whether it is bone, nerve, or whatever, it should be looked at if it is causing you pain. The body feels pain for a reason, and such signs should not be ignored. If your doc refuses to work with you, then perhaps you need a different doctor.
And you know what is funny? I use my PC from a couch. I have a flat dinner tray I use for my mouse pad! It works well. I just use my keyboard on my lap. One lasting effect of my broken arm is that the two bones healed and got fatter. And by doing so they do not properly overlap each other, limiting how much I can turn my wrist. I can turn my palm up, which my bone doctor would joke was more important anyway since you take people's money that way. Ah, bone doctor jokes, LOL. I cannot turn my palm facing downward all the way, which makes typing on a keyboard very tedious. To type, I need to hold my elbow out in order for my wrist to twist enough to type. I can do it, but not for very long. Which led to this weird set up I use. On my couch, my arms are more at ease. I can rest my arm on the couch arm while typing.
BTW, there are lots of mice geared at people with different physical issues. I do not have a specialized mouse, but I do love my Logitech G602. It is nicely curved and comfy. It has a few extra buttons you can map, and best of all, it can last for a couple months on batteries. And it is a high DPI gaming mouse! There is a mouse I saw online that could be interesting. The RBT. It is designed to prevent carpel tunnel. Instead of clicking with the ends of your fingers, you can use the base of your fingers. It is hard to explain, but this review covers it well. I want to stress I have never used the RBT, but it does interest me. The reviewer does this video from the perspective of a gamer, but it is not hard to see how it can help anyone who has possible carpel tunnel issues. Looking at it and hearing him out, I think they may be on to something.
He updated his review months later when the new version released. You can skip to this if you want as both videos are over 15 minutes long. They are very detailed.