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General discussion (archive)Carpal tunnel ending my PC gaming addiction it seems(161 posts)(161 posts)
(161 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted November 27, 2013
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StingingVelvet: Thanks for your time.
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worlddan: I'd advise you to get more than one opinion. I had a doctor tell me that a decade ago; in fact, he wanted to operate. Thankfully, I went and got a second opinion, paid for out of my own dime, who told me the first doctor was full of shit. What he explained to me was gamer's can get tendonitis in their wrists that mimics the symptoms of carpel tunnel but when the wrist is operated on it becomes clear that no carpel tunnel exists. He told me to stop using the computer for a month to let my tendons heal and then gave me a series of stretching exercises to do for my wrists. Never had a problem since.

I'm not saying that your first doctor is incorrect. But I am saying is that not every wrist problem that manifests itself as carpel tunnel is in fact carpel tunnel. Get another opinion.

BTW and FWIW my eye doctor loves the fact I am a gamer. He says that gamers have better eye health.
underline this a hundred times! do NOT go for a carpal tunnel operation unless you've tried anything else, as once somebody screws around in there, you'll never be as good as new...

I've had these problems many times, one time I couldn't even raise my arms and lay them on the table, even this position hurt like hell

if you're there now, there's nothing else to do but rest, but these things can help get you better more quickly:

- ultrasound therapy/rehabilitation of your wrists and forearms (I've had that twice already, always helped get rid of the problem completely for at least a year)
- HUGE doses of vitamin B complex (so all of them, B1 - B12) - I had it even injected for super-ultra potency
- vitamin D/K supplements (these suckers aren't present in almost anything I eat/drink on regular basis)

once you're better you should also do some stretching exercises - I do them every day, it's quick and simple solution to not let your hands "get stuck" as I work as a translator and I also play games at home sometimes

I also use a special mouse at work and a regular mouse at home so that my hand moves in different positions during the day...

anyhow, I really do hope you'll get better soon and you'll be able to play again with keyboard and mouse (as god intended :) without the need of surgery!
Posted November 27, 2013
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Kunovski: anyhow, I really do hope you'll get better soon and you'll be able to play again with keyboard and mouse (as god intended :) without the need of surgery!
Thanks man, appreciated.
Posted November 27, 2013
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StingingVelvet: I thought I would give an update after basically being console only for a month or so:
Did you get that second opinion?

Also, did you try becoming a lefty? It really was the most useful thing for me. Training yourself to become ambidextrous relieves so much from your hands, as you find yourself spreading the load of all activities so much more.
Posted November 27, 2013
Got Killzone Trilogy in the mail today and man does Killzone 2 control like ass, even compared to Shadow Fall and other console FPS games. I feel drunk playing it.

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wpegg: Did you get that second opinion?
Not yet, insurance issues.
Posted November 27, 2013
I had carpel tunnel about 15 years ago. I couldn't use computers until I found the Logitech Trackman. Microsoft also made something similar called the Microsoft Trackball Optical. They're both trackballs, but your fingers stay on the buttons (like a mouse) and you move the trackball with you thumb.

I still use mine. I also use an xbox 360 controller and a program called xpadder, which lets me assign mouse and keyboard functions to my controller and set up profiles for all of my games. I just start the program, select the profile, then start my game normally. Basically, it just emulates they keyboard and mouse. You can even use it while browsing online if you want.

I also invested in a wrist rest (firm, not squishy) and found that helped a lot while typing.

Hope that helps.
Posted November 27, 2013
I don't know if using keyboards only is helpful, but a thread just started that might be of interest to you. Just in case it gets buried before you come back online ;)
Posted November 27, 2013
StingingVelvet

I know what you have it ain't carpal tunnel grab your hand between your fingers and stretch it backwards until you feel a slight pinch you do that about ten times then you make sweeping circles with your wrists like you are twirling around a magic wand about ten times you'll hear your elbows snap and crack do this for about 3 months while you games do it every hour and or when you feel the pain coming on it works for me my desk is also low so I don't need any gel thing!
Posted November 27, 2013
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StingingVelvet: I usually don't get personal on forums, but forgive me this brief info dump on my personal life.

I've been having subtle wrist pain for a couple years now when PC gaming for long stretches of time. I read all the literature on how to prevent it, and I always stopped gaming when it started hurting, but nothing has ever stopped it. I use a claw-grip style mouse hold and it means I move my wrist a LOT when gaming, and put a lot of pressure on it. All attempts to change to a palm-grip style have failed, I just can't get used to it.

Recently the pain and discomfort have been coming earlier, as soon as 20-30 minutes into a gaming session. I finally went and saw a doctor. I have early stage carpal tunnel, and was advised to stop using a mouse to game (or at all, preferably).

I'm not sure what my next steps are. My girl wants me to get a laptop and switch to console gaming, which probably does make the most sense. I know half my Steam library works with gamepads though so I am debating my options. I still plan to play my GOG classics on a touchpad when I can (adventure, rpg, etc) but some of the more modern shooters will probably be shelved. How does Deus Ex play on PS2? Haha... ha... oh god.

Anyway... input is nice, or just salute the end of a 20 year PC gaming addiction, possibly for the better.

Thanks for your time.
Well, I have mostly been a console gamer the last 15 years and am just now coming back over to the computer side and in my opinion, console gaming can be just as entertaining as computer gaming. You will probably have some sticker shock as gaming is far more expensive on consoles, especially if you want games within the first couple months of release. Coming from consoles, I am absolutely blown away at how cheap PC gaming is compared to console gaming. I have been like a kid in a candy store since I started buying PC games.

All in all, I wouldn't worry too much about it. It may take some getting used to but you should be just fine gaming on consoles. Personally, I have never understood why so many PC gamers hate console gaming. I have been playing video games my entire life and I enjoy both sides of the fence. Computers are better for certain games and consoles are better for certain games, but in the end both are capable of playing amazing games so again, I just don't understand all the hatred a lot of PC gamers have for consoles.
Posted November 28, 2013
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worlddan: BTW and FWIW my eye doctor loves the fact I am a gamer. He says that gamers have better eye health.
I've heard the opposite my whole life. They have special eye glasses for people that use computers. I wear contact lenses and I've read that computer users blink less when staring at the computer, their eyes dry out, because they don't blink as much, which causes problems for people that wear contact lenses.
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RighteousNixon: Personally, I have never understood why so many PC gamers hate console gaming.
Let me count the ways...
Auto Aim is cheating
Gamepad's suck
Games are pricier
Dumb downed interfaces for our favorite games - RTS and dungeon crawlers.
Due to the popularity of consoles less computer games are made or they are just shitty ports.
Have to pay for multiplayer
Social aspect of games are more emphasized

Other PC enthusiasts feel free to add to my list if I forgot something.
Post edited November 28, 2013 by jjsimp
Posted November 28, 2013
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jjsimp: Other PC enthusiasts feel free to add to my list if I forgot something.
I am a PC enthusiast. Please don't insult me by throwing me into the same bag with yourself.
Post edited November 28, 2013 by Fenixp
Posted November 28, 2013
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jjsimp: Gamepad's suck
I'll challenge this one. My 360 SF4 Fightpad is one of the best controllers I've used on my PC. Works perfect for classic and 2d games.
Posted November 28, 2013
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RighteousNixon: All in all, I wouldn't worry too much about it. It may take some getting used to but you should be just fine gaming on consoles. Personally, I have never understood why so many PC gamers hate console gaming. I have been playing video games my entire life and I enjoy both sides of the fence. Computers are better for certain games and consoles are better for certain games, but in the end both are capable of playing amazing games so again, I just don't understand all the hatred a lot of PC gamers have for consoles.
I don't hate consoles, there are just some differences that annoy me is all.
Posted November 29, 2013
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worlddan: BTW and FWIW my eye doctor loves the fact I am a gamer. He says that gamers have better eye health.
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jjsimp: I've heard the opposite my whole life. They have special eye glasses for people that use computers. I wear contact lenses and I've read that computer users blink less when staring at the computer, their eyes dry out, because they don't blink as much, which causes problems for people that wear contact lenses.
I do not know anything about this as I do not wear contacts. The discussion with my eye doctor came in the context of the diseases of middle-to-old age. He says that gamers generally need bi-focals much later than non-gamers, around five years. He also sees a lot less incidences of cataracts and glaucoma and other such diseases in people who were active gamers.

People in their 40s and 50s are really the first generation where there has been a substantial cohort of people who have been life long gamers to be able to engage in these types of analysis. So the medical view is in the process of revision.
Posted November 29, 2013
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jamyskis: It's not so much about knowing how to as it is about developing the same kind of muscle memory that allows us to play using WASD+mouse on a PC. Switching to that from arrow keys and to mouse+keyboard from keyboard-only involved similar adjustments in the 90s.
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StingingVelvet: Right. I guess I just thought a month was enough time to feel comfortable with it. Also the snap-to aiming infuriates me, but the games are balanced for it, so it's hard to turn off.
...really?

I've never had a problem with playing with auto-aim disabled on consoles - which is what I've been doing longer than I have been PC gaming.

Then again, all my favourite FPSes are pretty slow - Bioshock and Brothers in Arms, basically.
Posted November 29, 2013
Sorry, man :(
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Carpal tunnel ending my PC gaming addiction it seems(161 posts)(161 posts)
(161 posts)