TargetTalk

I'm setting up a new computer at home, and I've heard two conflicting opinions on whether shooting & mousing are best done with the same hand. I noticed a number of years ago that I had a tendency to "jerk the trigger" with an aggressive motion when clicking the mouse button with my index finger, and I wondered if this might be affecting my trigger control when shooting. I asked a fellow shooter who was on the US national development team, and he said that he had switched to mousing left handed for this reason. I switched as well, and I certainly can't say it made a huge difference.

I took a pistol clinic from Brian Zins last year, and asked about this. He was adamant that I was much better off mousing with the same hand. I think his theory was that they both require fine motor skills, and that one would help the other. However, he is used to shooting with several pound trigger pulls, and not free or air pistol.

I've temporarily set up my new computer right handed, and I have been working on it for several hours a day installing & setting up new software. I've noticed that after a while my forearm muscles get fatigued. That presumably means it would help the overall muscle tone in my shooting arm. The mouse button action is more a tapping or pressing down with the tip of my finger than a horizontal pulling action with the pad, so the similarity to a trigger squeeze seems pretty small.

So, any thoughts on this issue? I use a computer a LOT at work, and then I come home & spend an hour or so on-line most days. It would be nice to think that mousing right handed might actually HELP to strengthen my arm, but I certainly don't want to develop a trigger squeeze anything remotely like my mouse-clicking action.

Thanks!

You pose an interesting topic and one that impacts me. I use a mouse - a LOT. There are days that my hand hurts from being stretched over the mouse most of the day. I am right handed. I was also diagnosed with carpel tunnel syndrome caused by keyboarding and "mousing". Once I ordered a left handed keyboard. It wasn't an exact mirror image of a right handed keyboard. For example Escape is in the same place. The 10 key pad was on the left instead or the right. I think it was good for my brain because I had to do things differently. Well, I am no longer at that job. The person who replaced me probably said what the heck is this thing.

I'm sure you'll find as many unique answers here as there are people who take the time to respond. Here's my story...

Started working in high tech about the same time I started shooting 50m Free Pistol. Had always had troubles with trigger control as a result of shooting too big a gun too young. But never had problems with shoulder, arm or wrist strength. New job brought intensive computer use, using straight keyboard and right hand mouse. Within a month I couldn't lift my briefcase, let alone a pistol.

Spent some time with an ergonomist and she suggested several changes, including ergo keyboard and mouse. The ergo keyboard (logitech Cordless Desktop Pro) is fantastic and I now find that I can't type on a "straight" keyboard for any more than about 5 minutes without getting very sore. The ergo mouse, however, was a total disaster. It was a "vertical" mouse, looking more like a joystick. This provided immediate benefit, but within two days caused intense pain in other areas of my hand and wrist.

The next step was to move to a track ball. Purchased a Logitech Trackman FX (monster ball, a little smaller than a tennis ball). Started using this with my right hand, took a week or so to get the hang of using a trackball rather than a mouse (kept pushing the trackball around on the mousepad - DOH!). Then I noticed that my right hand was still much more sore than my left hand. And it had developed an inability to stabilize a pistol, be it a free pistol or a short standard pistol. Not good.

My next step was to move the trackball over to the left side of the keyboard and teach myself how to use my left hand to drive the trackball. Took less time to teach myself to use my left hand on the trackball than it took me to transition my right hand from mouse to trackball use, likely because my left hand had never learned how to mouse.

Now for the long-term feedback. Have been "tracking" with my left hand for 8 years. Now left and right hand grip strength is about equal. I find that my ability to shoot is still very adversely affected by keyboard use. If I have a brutal day at work then there's no sense going shooting that evening. BUT I can still function for most tasks, which would not have been possible had I stuck to a straight keyboard and mouse, or continued "tracking" with my right hand.

Oh, one other thing. All those stretching exercises recommended for computer users? Do them, or you WILL pay the price. It's not a question of "if", it's only a question of "when" your body will rebel against computer usage. Teach your kids to do likewise with taking a break from the keyboard and doing the stretches.

FWIW:

If you are right handed, you should mouse with the left hand (and vice versa).

Think about it.

If you are right handed, then your right hand is best for typoing, writing, etc. doing fine motor control stuff.

Mousing is not fine motor control stuff.

You can work faster and more efficiently if you parallel process; mousing with the "dumb" hand and doing the higher level stuff with the "smart" hand.

Nothing to do with shooting; it's a "geek" thing.

We actually used to argue about stuff like this a lot back in the late 70s . . . (don't get me started on top vs. bottom posting in newsgroups!)

Mark,
do have a reference for these exercises?

Oh, one other thing. All those stretching exercises recommended for computer users? Do them, or you WILL pay the price. It's not a question of "if", it's only a question of "when" your body will rebel against computer usage. Teach your kids to do likewise with taking a break from the keyboard and doing the stretches.

Moused with my left hand for the very first time :-) Think I will make the switch!

Fred

The IT guys will hate you :-)
They used to get frustrated when they had to do anything on my PC, cuz I set up the trackball for full left hand...the buttons were reversed. So they could not simply move the track ball and use their right hand.

I use a Logitec Marble Mouse trackball, specifically because it is symetrical. That way I can move it from right-hand to left-hand as I feel like it.

I'm a translator, using the keyboard a lot. My right shoulder is under treatment, lifting the pistol hurts a lot.

Reason: very high table. Bought a laptop keyboard from IBM, high quality keys, good to work with, with touch pad and extra long cable.

Use the kb on my lap, on a swivel / reclining chair and a foot rest. Improved a lot. When use the mouse it is on left hand.

Steve Swartz wrote:FWIW:
<snip>
Mousing is not fine motor control stuff.

I don't entirely agree. It depends a lot on what sort of computer work you do. I'm a microwave circuit designer, and I use a lot of graphic-centric CAD tools and mechanical drafting packages. I also do a fair amount of image editing. I've found that I have to use a good "mouse button squeeze" on a lot of CAD work to avoid having the mouse move when I click. On the other hand, a large amount of my mouse use is still "get the cursor somewhere on the big icon & hammer on the button" sort of mousing that I suspect could mess up one's trigger control.

For now I think I will continue to mouse lefty at work but try righty at home & see what happens. That means only about 15% of my mouse use will be right-handed. If I detect a downhill (or uphill) trend, I can always switch to whichever side seems best.

Thanks for the input, and I'm sure everyone would appreciate comments from others.

I agree with using the mouse on the left hand too. Other than the fact that it reduces chances of repetitive injuries on my right hand(mostly due to clicking), it also allows me to have the mouse closer to the keyboard. Reason being, the number pad on the right is in the way and forces me to place the mouse further right should i use my right hand.

i believe in aligning the typing section of the keyboard in front of me. i noticed that some people align the whole keyboard infront of them resulting in a somewhat offset position when they type.

btw, i also switched to dvorak layout and find that it strains my hands less.

I use a Wacom Tablet and pen rather than a mouse and have no trouble, I find it just as fast as a track ball but with out the pain in the hand.

I made the switch to left mousing about 8 years ago due to over use issue and soreness. I was a very active at Air and Free pistol before and after the switch and did not notice any change to my performance.

Now shooting bulls-eye I have noticed some soreness in my forearm. Since the rules allow it I use a brace on my shooting arm when shooting bulls-eye and my arm does not bug me any more