So it’s been a little while since I’ve written anything here. My excuse is that I hate to look at or think about my computer when I get home from work. This computerphobia has grown out of the makeup of my typical day at work. Essentially, I get to work around 8:30am at which time I sit down and stare at a computer until at least 4:30pm. Of course there are breaks & lunch, but I would say 90% of my work day involves staring at a computer screen while doing graphic intensive work. For those of you who don’t do this type of work, it can actually be very mentally & physically exhausting. I think my roommates wonder why I seem so tired when I come home even though I tell them that all I did is sit at a computer all day.
I’ve had some troubles already with carpal tunnel like symptoms, severe tendinitis in my wrist, and rotator cuff surgery in my dominate shoulder (still not fully healed). The summer following graduation involved me staying away from the computer as much as possible and essentially clearing up the pain & tiredness in my wrist/arm. I definitely didn’t do enough strengthening, but at least cleared up the irritation. 2.5 months into my first career job, I’m starting to experience the pain & tiredness that plagued me for the final two years of my college career. The gel wrist pads I was given just don’t do the job, and thus I’ve embarked on an ergonomic experiment. I’ve finally jumped off the standard mouse ship and into the exotic world of trackballs. I’ve made the switch from this mouse:
& this keyboard:
to this trackball:
& this keyboard
I’ll be reporting my change in pain, comfort, & fatigue here. I’m hopeful that a relatively cheap upgrade in input devices will make a big difference in how I feel & work. I honestly feel much more comfortable already.
