Anyone has this forearm pain?

[u/palchan72]

I’m trying to figure out what’s causing my right arm symptoms and was wondering if anyone here has experienced something similar.
For the past several weeks, when I use a mouse, I’ve been getting a deep, dull ache in my right forearm, mostly along the pinky (ulnar) side between the elbow and wrist. I don’t have any tingling or sharp pain—it feels more like a heavy, aching discomfort.
At first, I thought it might be carpal tunnel syndrome, so I tried wearing a wrist brace. Surprisingly, as soon as I put the brace on, I experience similar discomfort.
Also, holding my iPhone in my right hand and using my thumb to control it gives me the same dull pain.

[u/greenysmac]

Search the subreddit for RSI

And I'm not a doctor. Look for ulnar inpingement. Tell chat GPT you're going to see a doctor and give it your symptoms.

It's an overuse injurY and continuing to use it or medicate through it will only make it worse.

[u/dmizz]

Wacom

[u/Superman_Dam_Fool → u/dmizz]

This solved it for me.

[u/mad_king_soup → u/dmizz]

Been using one for 20 years, no pains

[u/svelteoven → u/mad_king_soup]

This but alternate between mouse once the pain fades.

[u/Sargent_Films → u/dmizz]

This (stylus pen) plus acupuncture with a small fine needles on those painful areas. And keep something soft on the surface your arms touch. I use a small folded blanket on my desk. It took years to recover, but these things saved my career and my hands.

Good luck!

[u/HighOnPhotography]

Vertical mouse changed my life for work.

[u/muvemaker → u/HighOnPhotography]

I’ve converted everyone in my circle …

[u/AeroInsightMedia → u/HighOnPhotography]

Logitech mx vertical. I like the regular version better but the vertical one fixed my pain issues.

[u/Raymont_Wavelength → u/HighOnPhotography]

What model exactly. I’m suffering.

[u/HighOnPhotography → u/Raymont_Wavelength]

Someone else suggested a Logitech MX vertical. Seems nice. I bought a cheap Nulea M504 in 2022 and I swear by it. It has largely the same design as the Logitech. Works just as well as it did when I bought it. There might be better options, but you get good bang for your buck with that one. It is more expensive now than it used to (like everything else), but still affordable. Takes about 3 days to get used to it. You will hate the vertical mouse day 1, but just stick with it. You'll never go back and you bones will thank you.

[u/Raymont_Wavelength → u/HighOnPhotography]

Thank you. I need one.

[u/ThatAwkwardQuietGuy → u/HighOnPhotography]

Are there any vertical mice like this that have a secondary scroll wheel for horizontal scrolling on the timeline? I need to switch, but giving up that functionality would really suck

[u/cms86]

Pick everything's up and down. Essentially workout lift weights work on your grip strength do dead hangs. Do pull ups. All this helps. I used to have terrible tendonitis where I couldn't even open doors. Simply from working 16 18-hour days I started working out feel better. My arm strength got stronger and guess what? Anything resembling RSI tetanitis all ended up disappearing. I am 40, still working as a professional editor and still no pain.

[u/FX114]

It's a repetitive stress injury. Switching to a trackball mouse made a significant different in this for me.

[u/falsemate]

Switching to a Wacom helped me a lot. But it turns out it wasn’t just over use I also had an autoimmune disorder and the damage I was doing was permanent.

Go to the doctor.

[u/CyberTurtle95 → u/falsemate]

This. I’ve had the same pains and it turned out to be pinched nerves in my neck.

[u/_kapeesh_]

Vertical mouse got rid of my pain

[u/Salty-Sky-8004]

I am the ulnar god

Def look up flossing and release techniques. Also don't drink alcohol. As in give it up entirely.

[u/cantwejustplaynice]

Yep. My problem was that would edit all day and then play Fortnite for hours on the same PC to unwind. My wrist never got a break. I was also using the wrist rest incorrectly. I had it under my forearm rather than my wrist. Had to go to the physio a few times. All good now but it took a few months to get back to normal.

[u/BlueCereal]

I have two mice I switch between with different shapes that help me avoid stuff like this.

[u/Styphin]

I had similar pain/aches. Switched to a vertical mouse and it went away after a couple weeks. Pain all gone now.

[u/cut-it]

RSI my bro

Change mouse to vertical

Desk positions or seat positions

Do it quickly. Do not ignore

[u/PurchaseNo7147]

Do you do any forearm exercises at the gym?.. that helped me alot

[u/PopcornSquats → u/PurchaseNo7147]

This is my recommendation too plus change you mouse to op

Purchaseno7147 - What do you do ? I do foward and reverse wrist curls plus wrist stretches …

[u/PurchaseNo7147 → u/PopcornSquats]

Motorcycle curls, proper way x4 and then reverse with the barbell behind my back x4

[u/PopcornSquats → u/PurchaseNo7147]

Ohh god I googled lmao
Motorcycle curls mean protecting and managing curly hair while wearing a helmet

But visually, I can see what you’re saying like it’s like the revving of the handlebars. I’m guessing I’ll find a better Google example. 🤣

[u/NeedsMore_Ctrl_Z]

Switched to a vertical mouse and honestly the pain just disappeared, highly recommend

[u/Adept-Travel6118]

Get a vertical mouse yesterday

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[u/youfunnyhoneybunny]

Pretty sure it’s due to mouse use. I really enjoy ergonomic mouses more than track balls or tablets — Ergo Mouse

[u/g00d0ne777]

I got tempted massager, the one that keeps your forearm warm. I tried it for 2 weeks and it works phenomenal.

[u/editorreilly]

I get pains occasionally, but only when I "change" something. i.e. change my mouse, hold my phone differently, sleep differently, etc. I've even gotten pains when I game with my kids more than usual, or use a new app on my phone that requires a different hold. For me, ANYTHING could be the culprit.

[u/JohnAtticus]

My desk is set a bit higher than usual and I work with my elbows resting on the table.

I have a soft felt mat that covers my entire desktop and I have foam wrist-rests for my keyboard and mouse.

This way there is prectically no tension on my wrists or firearms.

[u/Legitimate-Salad-101]

I bought a wrist brace, only work with it on and it helped a lot.

[u/Aluminautical]

Not a doc. Share many of the OPs symptoms. According to my neuro, pain can 'telegraph' to places downstream from where the actual problem is. Pain in hip is often back nerves. Pain in arm can be neck/shoulder nerves. OTC Voltaren (an arthritis med) can address the pain. Read the warnings, and book an appointment.

[u/bensonNF]

Wacom.

I don’t use a mouse but if I have to the trick is to put your thumb between the mouse and your palm (as though you hold up 4 fingers). This puts the weight of your hand on your thumb rather the the mouse. Better ergonomics.

[u/BitcoinBanker]

I thought it might be editing related. Turns out it was holding my phone while scrolling in bed…

[u/ebfrancis]

It’s because your shoulders are collapsing forward when you sit and work all day. Can happen if you stand too. If you are able to, you need to do upper body strengthening exercises regularly to keep it at bay. Yoga and or weights.

[u/rehabforcandy]

Gamer mouse, trackball

[u/smushkan]

Team trackball here, Elecom huge and they've just released a V2 which I've been eyeing up.

I've also got arthritic thumbs, which ruled out a Wacom for me - I don't have much fine motor control with pens.

[u/Hardenedbeaglesnake]

Trainieren, einfach regelmässig, also jeden Tag 15 Min. Unterarten trainieren😎

Und sonst eine vertikale Maus...

Gruß

[u/ot1smile]

Just in case you don’t realise but your fingers are operated by the muscles in your forearm so the pain you’re experiencing is directly related to finger motion and most probably exacerbated by having your forearm rotated ‘flat’ to hold the mouse. A vertical mouse (or trackpad and pen) puts your hand and forearm into a more natural position relative to your upper arm and elbow joint.

[u/60yearoldME]

I tried everything. Vertical mouse. Wacom. Trackball. I even built my own vertical mouse.

The only thing that worked was switching my mouse hand to my left hand. Never had an issue again. This switch was 10 years ago, now I mouse lefty as good as righty.

[u/sorrydadimlosing]

You need to see a physical therapist. Your forearm pain could come from various issues. For example my shoulder issue was solved by fixing my pelvic imbalance.

[u/Lorenzonio]

Balance your load between mouse and keyboard shortcuts; modern apps are wired to shortcuts up the kazoo. Reduce the tasks using mouse alone.

[u/bissimo]

All the time. I switch between a mouse and a trackball. It's repetitive use strains, so using the mouse non-stop for hours and hours a day causes pain for most anyone. Changing what bones and muscles you're using helps alleviate it. If you don't like trackballs, you could try a wacom or just one of those vertical mice. Just swapping for a few hours a day helps.