To The Lefties Among Us

[redhedlvr]

How do the left-handed amungst us play WoW, and any other computer game for that matter?  Do you bite the bullet and learn to right hand it?  Or are you working with left-handed specific mice and other things?  I have no clue

Comments

[killiara]

I got a keyboard with extra buttons on the left. Specificly, a repeat of buttons across the keyboard that games often keybind to, including in a double row of 1-6, 7-11. QWEASD is on there too, really big, as is ta, caps, jump, ya know, all the fun stuff.

With that keyboard, I can rely on my left hand to do most of the heavy lifting, while using the mouse with my right hand to move.

[redhedlvr]

I pretty much do this now. Mouse for moving and lots of left-hand button action. Maybe I just need to reconfigure my gaming space better. I'm going to blame Diablo III for this. Lol, all that left and right clicking that I should have mapped to a left hand button. Oh well.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[penguinsane]

Get a game pad! They come in a bunch I different styles and most you can use left or right handed just fine.

[redhedlvr]

I looked at the Logitec G13 (?) I think was the number. Several people poo-pooed the thumb joy-stick though, which would get me off the mouse for movement. From there re-map some of my left hand buttons over to the right.

Thanks for answering.

[penguinsane]

So... you don't want to use the mouse at all? Or do you mean you want to use a mouse with your left hand? I'm so confused.

[redhedlvr]

I'm thinking of getting a left-handed mouse for work to give my right hand/arm a break. I usually play for about 2 hours every night. I do like the suggestion of a vertical mouse for home. I wanted to find out what left-handed people do in this right-hand dominant world.

[jeymien]

Another suggestion is the left handed mouse recently put out by Razor - the Deathadder's a nice little mouse. http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.182251700/parentCategoryID.35208800/categoryId.35210600

I've actually got the same issue as you, but what I've done is I mouse left handed at work and at home, I use my right hand for gaming. - I have the deathadder, it's just the normal ergonomic one, so good on the hand. If I have to switch it up, I just change the buttons to match what hand I'm using. I've been considering getting the leftie mouse. I also use an ergonomic keyboard at both work and home. I wish there was an ergonomic gaming keyboard.. the steelseries merc and merc stealth come close but..they also are HUGE and not sure I have room for it on my keyboard tray!

[redhedlvr]

I just looked at the leftie mouse. I really like the Razer products specifically the deathadder. So I know I wouldn't be wasting my money. Mousing with the left hand at work sounds like a good idea since I spend much more time glued to my desk there than at home.

Great idea, thanks!

[jeymien]

You're welcome! I just found work to be the easiest place to do the lefthanded mousing since it was mostly just point and click at work. Splits up the time mousing for both hands to do it that way too. After numerous bouts of tendonitis, one that advanced to a tenosivitis that had my doctor worried and sending me for carpal tunnel testing, this was what ended up working out for me. They still get pretty strained and I do need to take nights off/wear a brace once in a while though. Plus, always remember to stretch your fingers/hands/arms out every hour or so.

[redhedlvr]

Yikes! We really take these things for granted until something like this starts to happen. Hope you're doing better now. I know I have good and bad days and I really believe weather ties into it as well.

[phoenix_singing]

I just use a right-handed mouse. Have for years. It's easier and less expensive to get ergonomic mice that way, plus I don't aggravate the carpal tunnel/arthritis in my left hand (I need to be able to write and draw, so I do whatever I can to keep the pain down in that hand). And it's nice for office jobs because I can mouse with my right hand and have my paper/pencil/whatnot on the left. Not that it didn't suck to learn to use a mouse right-handed, but it does have its upsides!

If you want a lefty gaming mouse, Razer has a lefty DeathAdder, and there is talk of a lefty Razer (but no release date for the latter, so I wouldn't hold my breath). I've also heard good things about vertical mice. I can't confirm how well any of these will work out since I haven't had the opportunity to use them, but there are possibilities out there. The Nostromo game pad is nice too, very lefty friendly - only reason I don't use mine more is that it's too damn big for my tiny hands

[redhedlvr]

I've been holding off doing to the doctor. I just don't want to here her say cut down on my computer time! LoL. Isn't being a grown-up swell?

Anyway, I've never heard of a vertical mouse but will check it out. The braces sound like a good idea too. I know I tuck my hands under the pillow at night and wake up with numb hands some times. You're the second person to say mouse with your off-hand (so to speak) at work. My IT guy thinks I'm insane anyway!

Thanks for the suggestions.

[ne_jyam]

Just to give you some hope, around 6 years ago I developed some carpal tunnel and was in a lot of pain. Doc had me lay off the computer activity (I couldn't completely, because I was in school and my part-time job involved typing, but I put all my recreational computing on the back-burner) and I wore wrist braces almost 24/7 for a couple months. My wrists recovered, and eventually I eased my way back in to gaming and other computer stuff, and haven't had a problem with them since, knock on wood. So yeah, I second the braces, but definitely see the doctor too. You already know the worst thing they're gonna say. ;)

[redhedlvr]

Ok, braces are on the shopping list for tomorrow.

I did take a two week rest, although it wasn't on purpose. I have no computer access at all, and when I came back is when things really started to flare up. As usual, this community has lots of good ideas no matter how far fetched I think my question might be.

Have a peachy weekend.

[lizzie_borden]

My husband ended up with quite a bit of problems in hands and shoulders due to oh so much computer time and guitar playing

[redhedlvr]

I'm glad to hear things worked out well for your husband. Having something go seriously wrong with my fingers/hands has always been a fear of mine for similar reasons. Not just gaming and knitting, I also play piano, not professionally, but it would still be a major blow to not be able to do those things anymore.

Thanks for your comment.

[lizzie_borden]

You should really consider going to the doc about it. I'm sure once you explain that it's your job and you don't really have the option of just stopping, they'll look for other solutions like bracing or physical therapy- but your hands are super important- don't leave it up to guessing, see a professional. The last thing you want is for it to get worse.

[redhedlvr]

I know. I'm a bad patient.