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It hurts.

Blogs > Heafmo
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Heafmo
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
United Kingdom70 Posts
January 22 2011 19:23 GMT
#1
So I got into BW under a year before SC2's release, I've played it a bit under some terrible conditions but have never had a problem with my keyboard hand giving me any problems, only my right hand from playing Xbox extensively and well, let's not go there.

I've got nearly 200 games of SC2 under my belt in the 1-2 months that I've owned it and the past two days I have played what I consider to be all day, even though I may not have fit as much in as others.

I try to clench my fist and my pinky and ring finger are sore around the knuckles. Would any know know whether this is some kind of RSI or is it because I've been having to have those fingers slightly turned up to hit the ctrl and shift as opposed to index and middle finger hitting the number keys and most else? I just don't know if I should be worried. Any ideas?

To try and demonstrate how I hold my hand in 'neutral'
-tip of thumb 1/3rd up the space bar
-pinky on ctrl
-ring finger resting on 'a'
-middle finger 4
-index finger 5

BTW Just couldn't find a subforum that seemed suitable. So I made a blog, am I doing it right?

*
Ooh, I love it when they touch it.
bITt.mAN
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Switzerland3693 Posts
January 22 2011 19:50 GMT
#2
Daymu that feels like a really akward way to hold your board dude (cuz u gotta...)

What I suggest is use some anti-inflamatory and take the blue pill, then it'll all fell better. Or you could use a keyboard that has the left ctlr key sticking out and push it with the outer palm of your hand (so with the pinky-knuckle), that's what I do and I only use pinky for shift.

Hope it helps
BW4LYF . . . . . . PM me, I LOVE PMs. . . . . . Long live "NaDa's Body" . . . . . . Fantasy | Bisu/Best | Jaedong . . . . .
Romantic
Profile Joined January 2010
United States1844 Posts
January 22 2011 19:58 GMT
#3
1. Pop pills and ignore the pain\damage to your hand

or

2. Quit playing all day.

This seems incredibly simple, I don't know what else you are expecting.
Seth_
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Belgium184 Posts
January 22 2011 19:59 GMT
#4
I recommend the pinky-knuckle on control as well. On a laptop keyboard I can reach up to Ctrl + 6.

If it still hurts after a while, go to a doctor though.
freelander
Profile Blog Joined December 2004
Hungary4707 Posts
January 22 2011 20:06 GMT
#5
man, your hand posture is really weird.

imo you should hold your hand in a more natural neutral position and move it when you have to reach farther.

for example: tip of ringfinger on 1, tip of index finger on 3.
And all is illuminated.
Blazinghand *
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States25562 Posts
January 22 2011 20:12 GMT
#6
Another thing you should consider is rebinding your hotkeys to be more ergonomic. I personally moved my control groups down so I also use QWERT as control groups, and if I also moved "control" to "caps lock", it would be a pretty ergonomic setup.

Don't feel like you need to stretch your hand to fit your hotkeys when you can stretch your hotkeys to fit your hand.
When you stare into the iCCup, the iCCup stares back.
TL+ Member
Comeh
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
United States18919 Posts
January 22 2011 20:20 GMT
#7
On January 23 2011 05:06 freelander wrote:
man, your hand posture is really weird.

imo you should hold your hand in a more natural neutral position and move it when you have to reach farther.

for example: tip of ringfinger on 1, tip of index finger on 3.

Agreed with this.
it feels very awkward/uncomfortable to have your hand in position like that.

Generally i'm around
-joint/knuckle of thumb on spacebar around 1/3 - 1/2
-Pinky on a, but moves to shift
-From there, either asdf, or awer, and adjust from there as needed.
Also, wrist posture is very important as well - try to keep it straight with the rest of your hand. Resting it on something helps a lot as well (those keyboard rests do wonders)
ヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノDELETE ICEFROGヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(⌐■_■)ノヽ(
Raeleigh
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Canada902 Posts
January 22 2011 21:02 GMT
#8
My hands aren't even big enough to do that hand position! D:!!!

I suggest getting a wrap for your wrist and wearing it all day, especially when you're playing, icing it twice a day, and getting an anti inflammatory.

My right wrist is really fucked and I have to do this everyday. I pulled a weird muscle right on the bone and it's swelled up and looks so weird, and it's calloused over now. @_@;;
Where I work i'm standing and using a mouse at my hip level, so my hand is like ._| all the time. D:
you are perfect porcelain.
djcube
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States985 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-22 21:11:12
January 22 2011 21:08 GMT
#9
That hand position seems like you'd be putting in a lot of unnecessary force for your neutral/default position and would fatigue your hands pretty quickly. I'd suggest just try placing your fingers in standard "asdf" as your neutral/default position.

I personally find it comfortable to just leave my pinky on 'a' and my ring, middle, index fingers on 1,2,3.
HeaDStrong
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Scotland785 Posts
January 22 2011 21:08 GMT
#10
On January 23 2011 05:12 Blazinghand wrote:
Another thing you should consider is rebinding your hotkeys to be more ergonomic. I personally moved my control groups down so I also use QWERT as control groups, and if I also moved "control" to "caps lock", it would be a pretty ergonomic setup.

Don't feel like you need to stretch your hand to fit your hotkeys when you can stretch your hotkeys to fit your hand.


i consider it cheating... changing hotkeys and shortcuts is usually considered cheating in competitive broodwar...
bITt.mAN
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Switzerland3693 Posts
January 22 2011 21:14 GMT
#11
Heh, I just noticed how wrong this sounds if you take it as an innuendo ^^ :

On January 23 2011 04:50 bITt.mAN wrote:
What I suggest is use some anti-inflamatory and take the blue pill, then it'll all fell better.


Yea, like Raeleigh said if your wrist is hurting, stop. My wrist was really sore last weak (I messed up a freeze in breakdance class) and I found the best pain-relief was to not use the computer.
BW4LYF . . . . . . PM me, I LOVE PMs. . . . . . Long live "NaDa's Body" . . . . . . Fantasy | Bisu/Best | Jaedong . . . . .
zer0das
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States8519 Posts
January 22 2011 21:22 GMT
#12
I don't know why you need your hand on control and the control groups at all time... just move your hand when you need to, and have it sitting in the typical wasd position in the meantime. I have big hands and my hand can barely fit your position, and I can imagine it becoming really painful over time, especially if you move around a lot. I can't imagine there being that big of a speed difference either.
Blazinghand *
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States25562 Posts
January 22 2011 22:02 GMT
#13
On January 23 2011 06:08 HeaDStrong wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 23 2011 05:12 Blazinghand wrote:
Another thing you should consider is rebinding your hotkeys to be more ergonomic. I personally moved my control groups down so I also use QWERT as control groups, and if I also moved "control" to "caps lock", it would be a pretty ergonomic setup.

Don't feel like you need to stretch your hand to fit your hotkeys when you can stretch your hotkeys to fit your hand.


i consider it cheating... changing hotkeys and shortcuts is usually considered cheating in competitive broodwar...


It was cheating in BWr because it required 3rd-party software to do it-- you'd have to hack the game. In SC2, it's not, because the functionality is build directly into the game. Just click the "Hotkeys" button and make the changes, no cheating required. To assert that changing your hotkeys in SC2 is cheating is comparable to saying that hotkeying groups of buildings in SC2 is cheating because you couldn't do it in BW.

That aside, consider moving your Control Key to Caps lock if nothing else, and that might alleviate your wrist issues.
When you stare into the iCCup, the iCCup stares back.
TL+ Member
Raeleigh
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Canada902 Posts
January 22 2011 22:08 GMT
#14
On January 23 2011 06:14 bITt.mAN wrote:
Heh, I just noticed how wrong this sounds if you take it as an innuendo ^^ :

Show nested quote +
On January 23 2011 04:50 bITt.mAN wrote:
What I suggest is use some anti-inflamatory and take the blue pill, then it'll all fell better.


Yea, like Raeleigh said if your wrist is hurting, stop. My wrist was really sore last weak (I messed up a freeze in breakdance class) and I found the best pain-relief was to not use the computer.

Yup, take a couple days break. Don't just let your wrist get stiff though. Move it around slowly. Look online for some wrist excersizes(can't spelll ahhh yeahhhh) that'll loosen it up and make it feel better ^_^
you are perfect porcelain.
YejinYejin
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States1053 Posts
January 22 2011 22:12 GMT
#15
Just don't keep your pinky on Control, and your ring finger on A. And if you do have them there, don't rest your middle and index on 4 and 5. Listen to one of Day[9]s podcasts (I forget which one) on beginner's mechanics. He made them before SC2 came out, and I would actually recommend listening to all of them, because they have concepts that apply to both SC2 and BW. Anyways, he mentions three hand positions. One is pinky on a, 3 fingers on 1, 2, and 3. This lets you do 1a2a3a really easily. The pinky in this position does not rest on control, but you can slide it down really quickly if you need to bind a hotkey or control group.

I'm not completely sure if this will relieve the pain, but it can't hurt, right?
안지호
HwangjaeTerran
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Finland5967 Posts
January 22 2011 22:17 GMT
#16
Don't force your hand to stay in one position, you can move it fast enough when need be. I let mine just lay on the keys. Just look at the classic NaDa videos, it looks so smooth and not forced at all & that guy has (enough)/\3 APM.

My table is so high it would kill me in minutes if I tried to keep my hand like you do :S
https://steamcommunity.com/id/*tlusernamehere*/
synapse
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
China13814 Posts
January 22 2011 22:53 GMT
#17
I play SC in the same position that I type... usually I'll rotate using my index finger (on F) as a pivot point or just stretch my fingers out to hit 1,2,3 easily.
:)
Typho0n
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Canada276 Posts
January 22 2011 23:46 GMT
#18
lol that hand posture is ridiculous! I tried it out and its so uncomfortable Just relax your hands and hit the keys when needed
Reason
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
United Kingdom2770 Posts
January 23 2011 00:59 GMT
#19
On January 23 2011 08:46 Typho0n wrote:
lol that hand posture is ridiculous! I tried it out and its so uncomfortable Just relax your hands and hit the keys when needed

This entire post is exactly what I would have written.

Important part bolded for emphasis.
Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.
Heafmo
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
United Kingdom70 Posts
January 23 2011 01:16 GMT
#20
My desk is also quite high. I've been trying to sort out a better desk for some while but the sheer size and storage space it creates is too good to pass up.

I remembered a post saying about using the palm of your pinky (where the palm meets pinky) to press control so I'm going to try that alongside the fact I've had to let my hand relax and be a bit natural and the ache is fading.

At first it just seemed the most logical way to do have my hands, I change hotkeys a lot to help get a surround and maybe I was just overthinking.

Thanks for your suggestions.
Ooh, I love it when they touch it.
TechniQ.UK
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United Kingdom391 Posts
January 23 2011 23:22 GMT
#21
I wouldn't worry about it. I played all day a few weeks ago and my fingers hurt. Went away when I reduced the time spent to a reasonable amount.

Fan of: Acer.Scarlett and Liquid'NonY //
SpoR
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States1542 Posts
January 24 2011 05:16 GMT
#22
Use 3 and 4 instead of 4 and 5 and I bet that will help. We have similat neutrals and I have never had keyboard hand fatigue from playing non stop (but I have had mouse hand).
A man is what he thinks about all day long.
Perguvious
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States1783 Posts
January 24 2011 08:06 GMT
#23
was anyone else reminded of the trilby series from the title of the blog
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