I don't know any other websites with gamer's who would have had this same problem, or if they had would be willing to assist me with my problem without trolling, so I decided to ask the TL forums, If this is the wrong place I apologize.
I've been having a problem with hand pain ever since I hit masters in starcraft 2 and I was hoping someone could shed some light on how to avoid or reduce such pain [Sharp pain occasionally dulls, not pins and needles] , because after a while it becomes almost unplayable. I have an opinion but its something I've always done, I don't see why it would cause pain only recently.
That's my standard mouse grip (claw i belive?) but for other games I will transition to other grips depending on my needs for that game, I don't even normally realize that I'm doing it but It happens automatically that my grip on the mouse changes.
A quick paint picture of the fingers in question that are feeling pain and below is a picture from the bottom grip of the mouse of the same fingers, also quickly paint edited to show where pain is felt.
The only reason I can see for feeling pain would be that occasionally i grip my mouse rather tight, to give me the precision needed for marine splits or focusing banelings out of a clump of zerglings whal stutter-stepping. But as I said before Its only begun happening recently.
Edit-
Mouse is a Steelseries Sensei DPI - 3600 Controls with fingers, does press hard on occasion, pain only recently.
i have had the same issue. there are 2 solves to this i think. One is to buy an other mouse with a different grip, and the other is the place your hand differently on the mouse. Like with your whole hand on top of the mouse. Not on the side.
On August 25 2012 22:52 Silidons wrote: if u have to grip it tightly for precision lower ur dpi
I run 3600 dpi actuially xD, I dont like moving my whole arm is why I run it high. :/ I did forget to mention the dpi i use so i'll edit it into the main post.
On August 25 2012 22:53 DarKcS wrote: Grip with your palm not your fingers. Use a higher sens if you're a low sense gamer so you're moving less.
On August 25 2012 22:55 Sammael wrote: I run 3600 dpi actuially xD, I dont like moving my whole arm is why I run it high. :/ I did forget to mention the dpi i use so i'll edit it into the main post.
While using your palm is more beneficial to avoid an injury, using a higher sensitivity causes more of a problem.
A lower sensitivity will more likely involve utilizing your whole arm in movement for your tasks (thus taking the burden off the muscles, joints and tendons of your wrist/hand).
Whereas a high sensitivity will put stress on the minute details of your wrist and hand as you're not required to utilize your arm at all. This will cause them to be worked a lot more as a result, and is a big contributor to RSI and other issues.
The unnatural claw position along with the stress of playing a lot (probably with high apm) can cause pain in the tendons that move your hand, however the two spots you point out sound more like pain resulting from constant pressure of the fingertips on the side of the mouse.
Try forcing yourself to watch how your hand is placed on the mouse and reduce the mouse sensitivity if it's set to very high (as said above, if your mouse sensitivity is very high, your hand will grip tightly to constantly make minor adjustments to your cursor's position). Very high depends on different settings, both of your mouse functions, your windows settings and your in-game sensitivity setting.
The perfect mouse sensivity that is good for high end gaming (SC2) is so that the only part of your hand that needs to move is your wrist in order to get the cursor from the furthest end of the screen to the other side (without lifting your hand). If your cursor reaches the other side of the screen without your wrist having to fully move the mouse, it's too sensitive.
If your pain persists after that, you should (seriously...) see a doctor or physiotherapist.
From someone who has had developing carpal tunnel, get a mousepad with a wrists support. Reason you feel it in your fingertips is that it's the cutting off of blood flow properly in a way that the hand isn't used to. Also, I'd suggest wrapping your wrist at the base. Trust me, it's how I've healed over the past year, wrapping it when I can, to avoid medical bills. Be careful how you wrap it though, people might start to think you're a wrist cutter like people thought of me when I had to do it.
Edit: I forgot, do not wrap to tight that you lose feeling; not to loose so that it does nothing. They do sell braces and they restrict the way your hand claws over the mouse while also helping the wrist and it does have a bump at the bottom in case you don't want to get a padded mousepad.
Stretch for a few minutes before you play. Also keep your hand relaxed as possible and make sure your not slumped over and your sitting up in a comfortable position so you dont put any added stress on your forarms and wrists.
you need to get a less stressfull grip. my friend had the same problem and he did something rather silly to force himself to hold on to the mouse more "relaxed", but it did work for him. he put sportstape around the joints in his fingers so that he couldnt bend them as far as you are doing in the picture. It forced him to work with his mouse while keeping his fingers (mostly) stretched. It really made it easier for the muscles in his fingers.
edit: also, playing through pain is really fucking stupid so dont do that, thats the way you get injuries.
Do you get this only when you play? Also, what position does your arm (including shoulder and elbow) have while you play?
I am asking because pain/numbness in those two specific fingers is a typical symptom of ulnar nerve entrapment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulnar_nerve_entrapment).
On August 25 2012 23:18 B.I.G. wrote: he put sportstape around the joints in his fingers so that he couldnt bend them as far as you are doing in the picture. It forced him to work with his mouse while keeping his fingers (mostly) stretched. It really made it easier for the muscles in his fingers.
I'd definitely not recommend that (though i didn't try it out), but strongly reminds me of R. Schumann ruining his right hand. rather see a doctor!
Hmm, I've noticed I seem to be the only one who does this (?). But my palm isent anywhere near my mouse... like I use claw grip, and use my pc for maybe 4hrs a day and I've never experienced pain... Even during lan parties where i game for 14hrs every day for 5-6 days. On the other hand i seem very unacurate, do you guys know if there is a way for me to change this ? I tried google'ing it, but no help :D. (And would the product linked above help??)
On August 25 2012 23:18 B.I.G. wrote: he put sportstape around the joints in his fingers so that he couldnt bend them as far as you are doing in the picture. It forced him to work with his mouse while keeping his fingers (mostly) stretched. It really made it easier for the muscles in his fingers.
I'd definitely not recommend that (though i didn't try it out), but strongly reminds me of R. Schumann ruining his right hand. rather see a doctor!
seeing a doctor is always a better idea when in doubt
I had a similar issue when I was playing with the Steelseries Kinzu.
On August 25 2012 22:48 Sammael wrote: The only reason I can see for feeling pain would be that occasionally i grip my mouse rather tight, to give me the precision needed for marine splits or focusing banelings out of a clump of zerglings whal stutter-stepping. But as I said before Its only begun happening recently.
This is part of the issue. Your mouse sensitivity is so high with 3600 cpi that you don't have to move your hand at all, only your fingers, but have to make up for it by gripping your mouse uncomfortably tight to mantain precision, which causes hand stress.
Secondly, you are claw-gripping a rather big mouse (could cause pain on its own) and you are bending your fingers too far to the back while doing it.
My advice: Try using a more forward grip, something like this, but with looser fingers:
Also: lower your cpi to somewhere around 900-1800 cpi so you have to move your whole hand a little bit more and loosen your grip. Do it! Yes, it will feel uncomfortable for the first 2-3 days, but, damn!, just do it! or you will find yourself feeling pain in some other part of your hand repeatedly.
Edit: forgot to mention that you should also do some finger/hand exercises or stretches whenever you can between games, especially when you start feeling tense.
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