[rogermugs]

my right wrist has started to feel crampy and tight... is my mouse too sensitive? not enough? just need to back off the computer?

any ideas as to what to do? anyone else having the same issue?

[Peter]

false

[ghporter]

The trackpad isn't doing anything to you. HOW YOU USE IT might be. "Crampy and tight" might just be crampy and tight. Are you experiencing tingling or numbness in any fingers? Which ones? Where is this pain/crampy feeling you describe-be very specific.

Carpal tunnel has some pretty distinctive symptoms which might start out with cramping and tightness in or around the wrist. If you simply adopt some good ergonomic practices you may simply reverse any problems you have now before they become real problems. Read here for the basics of how to more ergonomically use your keyboard and trackpad.

But just using a trackpad shouldn't do anything but more your fingers and hand around. The trackpad shouldn't have any affect that could contribute to carpal tunnel.

[MacosNerd]

Use a mouse, if you hand is bothering you from extended uses, then do something different.

My MBP is hooked up to a keyboard and mouse when I'm home, makes typing an navigating a whole lot easier.

[rogermugs]

hmm... yea. but i do almost all my computing for work and leisure in couches or lazyboys... maybe thats my problem.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by rogermugs 

hmm... yea. but i do almost all my computing for work and leisure in couches or lazyboys... maybe thats my problem.

That might be part of the problem. Your body position is definitely not ideal.

-t

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

That might be part of the problem. Your body position is definitely not ideal.

-t

Quoted for understatement!

Check out almost any site you find about ergonomic positioning for keyboard and mouse use. They'll all give you basically the same sort of idealized body position: sitting upright, arms hanging comfortably at your sides, elbows at around 90˚, forearms NOT resting on wrist while typing or mousing. Additionally, keep in mind that the smaller muscles in your hand and wrist are better for fine movement than your arm and shoulder muscles, but for larger mouse movements it's better to move your whole arm. In other words, use the correct muscles for the kind of movement you're doing, with fingers moving the pointer in tiny increments while the shoulder moves it across the screen.

[Zeeb]

I don't know that the trackpad specifically is causing you problems--perhaps its the position of your hands over the keyboard? The best solution is to use an external keyboard, mouse and monitor--with a wrist rest in front of the keyboard at a desk. I started have pain in my wrists and hands and doing this stopped it.