Help with RSI

[GeordieJedi]

Hi all, hope you're all well.

I have pretty bad RSI, and I'm looking for some useful apps and the like
to help with it (apart from the obvious....not using the bloody PC ha ha).

I seem to remember reading something in Hotpicks recently-ish, for a Gnome app
G.....something or other that looked quite promising. Now I've trawled through
about 1-2 yrs back issues, and I can't seem to find it. Any Ideas?

To be honest, it doesn't even have to be a Gnome app. I don't care as long
as it helps.

Anything to help with moving the mouse, clicking, typing (e.g. automatically
filling things out for me).


I have a few other questions.

1. Can I set up something, so that I don't have to type my password in all the time !
(I realise that this does have some security implications.....)

2. Or maybe have something like Seahorse/Kwallet remember all my passwords
for me, or set up a key binding to insert my password everytime the PC
asks for it ?


Info =
Ubuntu 10.10
DE = Gnome, (But I do run quite a few KDE apps)


Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[AndyBaxman]

I would suggest a "natural" keyboard and a trackball rather than a mouse.

[nelz]

Type which password where? If it's web passwords, most browsers handle that automatically. If you mean your user password when sudo asks for it, you can set sudo to accept you without asking for a password, with the security implications that you mention. If this is a desktop in a location you control, that may be fine, but I wouldn't recommend it on anything portable (I have my netbook set to allow passwordless sudo only when connected to my home network).

Run

Code: Select all

sudo visudo

to edit /etc/sudoers (don't try loading the file directly into an editor, a syntax error could lock you out), find the line that says

Code: Select all

%admin ALL=(ALL) ALL

and change it to

Code: Select all

%admin ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL

Save the file and you will be able to do untold damage to your system without the inconvenience of entering a password first.

[M-Saunders]

I've had RSI problems on and off over the years. My recommendations:

1) Ergonomic keyboard. I've got a Microsoft Natural Keyboard 4000 here and it's great. Pretty much the only thing I'd recommend from MS, but I love it.

2) Switching the mouse side. I'm right-handed, but I often use the mouse with my left hand to give the other a rest. Trackballs are supposed to be better but I've never tried one. Or perhaps a big touchpad like the magic Apple thing -- pricey, but could work well.

3) Stretching exercises. There are loads on the net -- find ones that really stretch and use the muscles and tendons in your arms and shoulders that you wouldn't normally use that way (albeit gently).

HTH

M

[GeordieJedi]

Apologies, I should have mentioned that I do have/use some ergonomic equipment =

Microsoft - Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
I Love it, I'd never go back to a "normal" keyboard again.

Mouse - Perfit Contour Ergonomic Mouse (Optical)
(It's not actually a mouse it's a rat! It's huge! But it's very good)


@ Nelz
Sorry, I should have been more specific. You're right, I did mean my user password. Cheers.


It is a desktop that I mainly use, so I still want to have to enter a password at startup.
But after that I don't want to have to.

I also use GUFW firewall and that asks for my password when I start it each time I boot up.
So I'd like that to startup and be enabled automatically each boot,
without having to type in my user password all the time.


@ AndyBaxman and Mike
Thanks. I'll look into the trackball, and some exercises.
It's difficult to use the mouse left handed, as its a specifically right handed mouse.


I'm also going to physio, and trying to get some hand splints.


Thanks for all the help so-far, its much appreciated.

[bobthebob1234]

1) Ergonomic keyboard. I've got a Microsoft Natural Keyboard 4000 here and it's great. Pretty much the only thing I'd recommend from MS, but I love it.

Ohh snap

[nelz]

Editing /etc/sudoers will cause any command that uses sudo to run without asking for your password. This doesn't include the initial login, because you're doing that as your user, not trying to run the desktop as root.

[Bazza]

Hi GeordieJedi...

Mike is about right with the track(er)ball assuming it is wrist RSI.
As for fingers however it might not be RSI.

In my case it is Arthritis rearing its ugly head in my thumbs. I don`t
know how old you are but maybe this could be happening to you too.

Be aware of this possible detail.

[bobthebob1234]

Also there are simple things like making sure you are sitting 'properly', feet flat on the floor, comfy chair etc.

There are also programs that force you to take breaks at regular intervals (they lock the screen and don't let you log back in)
Take a look at Keyboard Preferences.

[Dutch_Master]

You pretty much got all the sound advise you'll need, but it's worth emphasising that regular breaks are important in preventing RSI symptoms. That could be even as simple as a regular 5 min coffee break!

+1 on the trackball too, I have a Logitech Trackman for a good few years and so far managed to escape serious injury (although I admit sometimes I forget to take a break and then I do start to feel it in the wrist). And I spend anything from 8-16 hrs a day (!!) in front of the screen! (pathetic really, some would say: get a life! )

[Bazza]

Talking of RSI...

I wrote this some time ago...

http://www.thecryptmag.com/Online/50/BarrysBlog.html

:)

[John Lumby]

re
"It's difficult to use the mouse left handed, as its a specifically right handed mouse."

Long ago an ergonomicist(?) advised me (R-Handed) to switch to mouse on left, and I had the same reaction, and tried it, gave up, then someone else said give it 7 days and then decide, and on the sixth or seventh day it was Hallelujah.

In your case with the Contour you would have to buy a left-handed one, (I believe they make them, I don't know how expensive), but worth considering.

Also make sure your wrist is supported at a height where it is neither arched up or down (at the wrist joint) but I guess you already knew that.

[GeordieJedi]

I've taken you're advice and bought a trackball.
I'll let you know how I get on.


@ Bazza
I'm only 33, but I feel like I'm dropping to bits ! Ha ha.


Thanks very much to everyone who's responded, and for all the help and advice.

[hilly]

I've taken you're advice and bought a trackball.
I'll let you know how I get on.


@ Bazza
I'm only 33, but I feel like I'm dropping to bits ! Ha ha.


Thanks very much to everyone who's responded, and for all the help and advice.

Hi - on the software side of things I have come across the following:

http://www.workrave.org/

I saw article on this in Lifehacker a year or two back and in googling it nearly every second article seems to mention it for RSI in combination with PC's.

I personally had a lot of trouble with RSI because of my work at the keyboard all day long and then at home for half the night. What my main help was to introduce the Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard plus the then excellent Logitech Trackball which was a large one with the ball being almost exact same size as a Billiard Ball. I still use it from time to time if I find myself getting tired in the wrist area. The other thing that I added to this though at the time to overcome the problems was the use of a "Thermoskin" brace for my wrist. The beauty of it over the normal wrist braces is that it has a steel insert which follows the inside contours of the hand wrist brilliantly and works a dream with the Trackball.

So if you don't get any luck with anything else I would definitely recommend the Thermoskin brace from your local Chemist - currently they sell for around $25 to $30 here in Perth, Western Australia.

If you would like a picture of the brace I am talking about drop me a line at hill.phil@gmail.com and I will forward it to you.

Sorry if I have gone on a bit but I know how it is with RSI, it can feel miserable and very very painful.

Regards... Phil

[GeordieJedi]

Areet Hilly.

That's kinda spooky. I've actually bought a Thermoskin wrist brace
a couple of months back.
It's a bit of a life saver, my only niggle with it is, if you wear it for extended
periods of time it does get a bit sweaty and a bit stinky!
(At the end of the day though, I'd rather have that, than the bloody pain !)

I've actually just been to the hospital today to get some hand splints
(They look fairly similar TBH).

I'm still waiting for my trackball from Amazon.

Cheers for the advice though.