Computer Mouse using the Left Hand
Alain Delisle at the Robert-Sauve Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute in Montreal, Canada, asked 27 right-handed volunteers to control their mouse using their left hand for a month. He found they were able to complete standard computing tasks using much smaller movements of their shoulders, arms and wrists (Applied Ergonomics, vol 35, p 21). It is these movements that can lead to musculoskeletal problems.
The reason for the improvement, says Delisle, is that standard computer keyboards are not symmetrical, and with the letter keys centred in front of the user the numeric keyboard sticks out a long way to the right. The result is that you have to stretch further to reach a mouse placed on the right of the keyboard than the left.
Delisle's volunteers got so used to having the mouse on the left that over the month's trial they learned to work nearly as fast as with the mouse on the right. Sixteen of the volunteers found switching so beneficial that they kept their mouse on the left after the trial. If you are right-handed and cannot countenance changing, Delisle recommends using a keyboard without a numeric pad.
Paul Mark
New Scientist
The reason for the improvement, says Delisle, is that standard computer keyboards are not symmetrical, and with the letter keys centred in front of the user the numeric keyboard sticks out a long way to the right. The result is that you have to stretch further to reach a mouse placed on the right of the keyboard than the left.
Delisle's volunteers got so used to having the mouse on the left that over the month's trial they learned to work nearly as fast as with the mouse on the right. Sixteen of the volunteers found switching so beneficial that they kept their mouse on the left after the trial. If you are right-handed and cannot countenance changing, Delisle recommends using a keyboard without a numeric pad.
Paul Mark
New Scientist
Labels: computer mouse, ergonomics, left hand
posted by owled @ 12:57 PM
1 comments
links to this post
1 Comments:
I've been a right-handed computer system administrator for 30+ years, and used a mouse right-handed until I saw the article in New Scientist about this. I tried switching it to my left hand (but leaving the mouse buttons configured for a right-hander) and never switched back. After a couple of months it became completely natural to work this way.
Being able to mouse left-handed and write notes or drink coffee with my right hand at the same time speeds things up. I'm sure it spreads the load between the two halves of my brain too. My left hand has also started doing of its fair share of other tasks. Previously I also suffered regular back problems which have become considerably less frequent since moving the mouse and sitting more balanced.
I've noticed people look puzzled when I've got both hands working independently, but that's no problem - I just explain the benefits and suggest they try it for themselves. Some of them do!
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home