« My Fingers are Tingling... »

And not in a good way.  After months of continuous sitting at a laptop and working 10 to 12 hours a day, something has finally cracked. My fingers feel like they are constantly on pins and needles. Of course, I couldn't possibly have a more inappropriate office space.  There are NO ergonomics for miles around.  Depending on who is working where, some days I get the kitchen table, and some days I get the office. That being said, elbows are always resting on the tabletop, on the laptop. Usually I have a resonable chair.

So - can I attribute the tingling - it's just 2 fingers right now, on my left hand - my baby finger and ring finger to the fact that i'm typing and working and being ergonomically incorrect for extended periods of time? It's not even my mouse hand!!  Any suggestions?  I think that just by installing a lowered keyboard, that could solve everything.  That, and maybe resigning and going into the interpretive dance field.




Technorati Tags: ergonomics, tingling fingers, owerworked

Comments

[trev]

While a music student, I suffered similar finger-tingling issues. A lot of it related to posture, and originated in the back rather than the hands and arms. Aefter a year or so of skepticism and agony, I went to a chiropractor (referrd by a fellow musician) and now I am tingle free.It took a few months of sessions to clear up, which is reasonable when you consider the injury came about due to a lifetime of slouching, ducking, attempting to fit into vehicles and furniture designed for people smaller than I, and repititive motion.

Odds are good it can be remedied and prevented with a litle TLC and re-thinking of how you work. Hope all goes well.

[jules]

Thanks Trev - I will see if those suggestions help - I'm also going to get a better work environment.. and speech to text software, just in case ;-)

[josh]

I'm waiting and hoping for no-contact typing soon: http://lightglove.com/

Most recent review linked from their web site:

http://www.examiner.com/a-311411~Sufferers_find__Lightglove__at_the_end_of_the_tunnel.html


They are not the only one. Senseboard.com looks more attractive (gyro for pointer control in addition to typing) but their web site has not changed for a while. My emails to lightglove got a reply from Bruce which suggest (in addition to the article from last fall) that once they find money the product will be on the market.

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P.S. Your site is optimized for high speed connections. First load cost me 400 KB. After previewing my comment, reloading the page to modify my comment cost another 100 KB. Was that intentional?

[jules]

Hey Josh - thanks for those links. As for the site optimization - I hadn't ever noticed... I will poke around my settings and see if I can make it a little more polite.

[May C]

I'd suggest you go to your doctor right away and tell them about it. This may lead to major problems later. Any kind of tingling sensation should always be addressed right away. The doctor may recommend physiotherapy.

I'm no doctor, but this sound like warning signs.

You may also want to consider checking out Nuance's Dragon Naturally Speaking which many claim works wonders at interpreting your speech onto text and other tasks. Check them out at <a href="http://www.nuance.com">Nuance.com</a>

[Jorge]

2 words:
CHIRO
PRACTOR

[Robert Park]

I also totally recommend the chiropractor. If you feel creative, go with acupuncture too, hehe. :)

[Matt]

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=043

Long time user of the 'Natural' keyboards. I notice a huge difference in the wrists and fingers if I work a few days from other locations.