If you ‘sit-for-a-living’ at a computer, with ‘mouse oriented’ software; you are at risk of developing a painful condition called ‘computer or mouse or tennis elbow’.
Since 1991, we have been the ‘ergonomic resource’ for many Winnipeg companies and individuals in, and around Downtown Winnipeg. The traditional ‘tennis elbow’ or lateral epicondylitis is a major problem at Portage & Main; given the dominant finance, legal and civil service hub of Manitoba.
The mouse and keyboard dictate an ‘extended wrist-hand’ position, that many function in for upwards of 6-8 hours per day. This static posture, with eccentric load on the extensor muscles takes advantage of the ‘design flaw’ of our wrist-forearm tendons. They basically originate at the elbow in a single tendon junction. It is at this tendon-bone junction that the ‘epicondylitis’ refers to; inflammation of the area of bone, deep to that tendon.
DO NOT REST YOUR WRIST! Using your hand-fingers, from a ‘rested wrist’ will NOT reduce the force strain of the task load on your hand-wrist. It will amplify the extensor work required only.
The most common accessory I recommend for early or acute computer, mouse elbow pain is a ‘support brace’; the brand we use the most is the Bandit Elbow brace. It is meant to help reduce the tensile force and load at the tendon origins, whether is be outside or inside the elbow.
Remember with any medical appliance, get educated on its use, variability of function and durability.
Know your ergonomics too; a vertical mouse may be required for those chronic conditions that keep re-occurring…you only have so many sick days!
Stretch to prepare for your work, and strengthen to perform it effectively. We can teach you the proper stretches and strengthening exercises for work, home and play.
