Mouse arm: These exercises and measures will help

A mouse arm is created through long and monotonous work on the computer. Various exercises and measures can help avoid a mouse arm.

A mouse arm can appear after a long day at work. The arm hurts with every movement. This is due to the constant clicking, scrolling and moving of the computer mouse. These regular small movements can be enough to trigger elbow pain later. Such pain is then referred to as mouse arm (or as repetitive strain injury syndrome). Other symptoms include pain in the neck, shoulder, tingling sensation in the hands, or loss of strength.

The mouse arm is not a recognized occupational disease because the symptoms are very unspecific and similar to those of other diseases. These are, for example, diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome or the Tendinitis.

Mouse arm: medical background

Diseases similar to the mouse arm are, for example, the tennis or golf arm. They also arise from monotonous and one-sided movements. The pain is expressed in the tendon tissue of the elbow, also known as insertion tendinopathies. In tennis elbow (epicondylitis humeri radialis) the outside of the elbow is affected, in golf elbow (epicondylitis humeri medialis) the inside.

The mouse arm cannot be precisely assigned to either of the two types of epicondylitis, since the symptoms are more diverse and are not limited to the area of ​​the elbow. On the other hand, the age at which the disease usually occurs is similar: the symptoms most commonly affect people between the ages of 45 and 60.

Mouse arm: These exercises will help

You have many options to prevent a mouse arm or to loosen the muscles in pain. Movement is in the foreground in all exercises. You mobilize muscles and joints that you cannot move or can only move one-sidedly while working.

Stretching exercises (described for the right arm):

forearm:

1. Extend your right arm so that the inside of your elbow and your right palm are facing up.
2. Use your left hand to grab the fingers of your right hand.
3. Now press down the fingers of your right hand with your left hand so that you hyperextend your right wrist. Keep your arm straight while doing this. You should feel a stretch in your forearm.

Inside elbow:

1. Extend your right arm as before.
2. This time, place your left hand on the back of your right hand from below.
3. Push the fingers of your right hand up so that this time you bend your wrist. You should now feel a stretch in the inside of your elbow.

Loosen up muscles:

Long one Sit and monotonous mouse clicks move the muscles only one-sided. Therefore, you should loosen your arms regularly during work hours.

• Circles: You can not only circle your arms, but also your wrists, elbows, shoulders and neck.
• Tense muscles in a targeted manner: Most complaints occur in the elbow. This exercise therefore promotes blood flow to this muscle region. Form a fist with your hand and tense your muscles for a few seconds. Let go again and spread your fingers. Repeat this process three to five times.

Further measures against a mouse arm

There are many individual steps you can take to prevent a mouse arm. However, one measure alone is not always enough to prevent tension. Therefore, you should try different measures in combination.

• Change sitting position: The mouse arm is often caused by incorrect sitting positions at the workplace. The right Ergonomics at the workplace is important and can prevent tension and the mouse arm. Especially when working in the home office, you should ensure that you are in the best possible seating position and that you are well equipped.
• Work standing up: Height-adjustable desks can be adjusted in height so that you can avoid unhealthy sitting and working positions.
• Change computer mouse: Special ergonomic computer mice should enable a more natural hand and arm posture. Such a mouse costs on average between 30 and 50 euros.
• Reduce mouse clicks: You can also replace many mouse commands with keyboard shortcuts. This makes your movements less monotonous and you relieve the mouse hand.

In addition to the measures for self-application, there are also medical therapies for the mouse arm. Depending on the consultation with the doctor, this can be pain relievers, cortisone injections or physiotherapy.

Workplace health and balance

Especially long work in the Home office without much exercise is unhealthy for the body. In addition, family life often takes place in parallel and the separation between work and family is becoming increasingly difficult. That puts a strain on the whole body.

Listlessness, Tension, sleep disorders or concentration problems can be the result of overwork and stress. This is why it is important that you balance the stress at work. There are several possibilities for that:

• Structure and organization: Schedule your working day in advance and plan short and long breaks. During the short breaks, you can get up from your desk chair and do a few movement and stretching exercises. For example, circle your shoulders and open a window for fresh air in between.
• Drink enough: When we are stressed, we often forget to drink enough. So use breaks to drink too. The healthiest is water or, alternatively, an unsweetened tea.
• Sports: Try to exercise regularly to keep your body fit and blood supply to the muscles. Movement also prevents a mouse arm. Exercise also helps clear your head.

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