Do specific types of clicking cause carpal tunnel syndrome?

[nulnul]

I'd like to begin this by simply stating that I am a complete layman when it comes to ANY of this (I'm just a regular 15 year old high school kid).

Recently there has been some fearmongering in a certain game that I play about how this type of clicking causes carpal tunnel syndrome. I am basically wondering if there is any truth to this.
Here are some videos showcasing it (keep in mind it's done by clenching your muscles) and placing your finger on your mouse.

 

[russ_watters]

Welcome to PF!

First off, that's frickin amazing.

Next, this is probably better asked to a doctor, but what I have seen from several people I know who have carpal tunnel or similar issues is that tend to be caused by position and too strong of a grip - in particular with the thumb. A vertical mouse enable a lower stress position (your bones aren't twisted against each other) and more relaxed grip and has helped a friend of mine:

 

[Drakkith]

I need to get me one of those, Russ!

 

[Evo]

I did some searching and there doesn't seem to be anything that conclusively leads to mouse use and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Causes


Biological Causes. Carpal tunnel syndrome is considered an inflammatory disorder caused by repetitive stress, physical injury, or a medical condition. It is often very difficult, however, to determine the precise cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. No tests are available to identify a specific cause. Except in patients with certain underlying diseases, the biological mechanisms leading to carpal tunnel syndrome are unknown.

Working Conditions versus Medical Problems. Although some studies suggest that more than half of CTS cases are associated with workplace factors, there is no strong evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship. In fact, most studies now strongly suggest that carpal tunnel syndrome is primarily associated with medical or physical conditions such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis.

CTS also tends to occur in people with certain genetic or environmental risk factors. These risk factors include obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse, or significant mental stress. CTS sometimes runs in families, which suggests that it has some type of genetic origin. When people who are susceptible to CTS are subjected to repetitive hand or wrist work, the risk for CTS can become significant. CTS, then, is very likely to be due to a combination of factors that lead to nerve damage in the hand.[/quote]

https://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/carpal-tunnel-syndrome

 

[berkeman]

CTS also tends to occur in people with certain genetic or environmental risk factors. These risk factors include obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse, or significant mental stress.

Now that's just plain weird...

 

[Evo]

Oddly, I had a whole body EMG a few years ago, and the neurologist said, "oh, and you have carpal tunnel syndrome in your right wrist". Now, I am right handed and use the computer all day so my hand is on my mouse all day, coincidence? Perhaps the mouse usage aggravates the underlying conditions already in existence?

 

[DiracPool]

"Jitter clicking" isn't going to help me. The limiting factor for me is slow web page loads. I'm not a gamer. I do worry about carpal tunnel, though. In 1994 I was at a college keg party (at my house). There was this little punk at the party that was mouthing off all night and later on in the night I ran into him in the kitchen where he made a rude comment about my girlfriend who was standing right next to me. I was a little heated from tequila poppers so instead of asking him to repeat what he said I decided to "correct" his attitude by giving him a right-cross to the jaw. Unfortunately, while I was swinging at him, my hand caught the corner of a wall and it dislocated my right index finger.

When I woke up the next day, my hand was swelled up so I made the brilliant decision to go to the campus "medical center." Here, Doctor death told me to "buddy tape" my index finger to my middle finger and all would be well. Well, that didn't work. What I needed was a splint, which doctor death was remiss about. Plus, he should have x-rayed it given the swelling. I know this because I started to freak out that I might lose the function of possibly the most important anatomical (maybe second) feature on my body, my right index finger. This is the one that does the "Jitter clicking." So I had to bite the bullet and go to a local orthopedic clinic (and have dad pay for it) and get it looked at properly. Which they did.

So the upshot of the story is that my hands work fine now but my Jitter clicking is a little rough. In fact, I'm good for about a few dozen old-fashioned jitter clicks on the old-style desktop mouses before I have to actually "buddy tape" my index finger to my middle finger and use them as a unit. Just using my right index finger to click the mouse tires out very quickly and becomes painful not long after. It's actually an itchy painful, which I hear is symptomatic of carpal tunnel. That has to really suck. I know people with joint problems, it's not good. I don't want joint problems.

 

[DiracPool]

Well, due to popular demand I have to finish the story (actually no one asked me to). This is all true, btw. About 2-3 months after the initial incident, I'm at a party out in basically the middle of college town. I'm chatting up this hot Christian girl I knew from my bible study class when I need to use the restroom. So as I'm about to enter the bathroom, this guy stops me and starts questioning me about the fight I got in two months earlier. And the little punk I got into a fight with is right by his side. So I tell the guy he was talking smack about my GF and I was going to proceed to punch him in the nose. I thought I made a good case but it ended up being a setup. Sure enough, these gang punks don't care about what's right or what's wrong, they're oblivious. I'm not worried here, even though I've been cornered, there's about 40 people at this house party and I'm thinking that nothing is going to happen. So I come out of the bathroom and the little punk throws a woosie punch at me. At which point I throw a karate kick to his face but the whole thing ends when I get tackled by his cronies on the football team that try to put my nosecone through the back of my skull. Fortunately, I did have one friend at the party who shuffled me out the back door and I escaped with my life.

 

[DiracPool]

OK, the story doesn't end there, but it ends here. Here's the third part of the trilogy. It's now about three years later after the house party incident. Now I'm in Hawaii, working on the booze cruise and having a grand old time. Sure enough, the little punk somehow managed not only to vacation in Hawaii but signs up for one of my booze cruises. When I find out about this, I tell the guy that signed him up and the boss that I don't want this guy on my boat. But I was overrided because there were 12 people in the party and they'd have to refund about $240 dollars. So I had to endure this. It didn't go so bad. I had a pretty hot date as I usually did back then. I was sitting on the back of the yacht and he walks out and asks me if I remember him. If I said yes, I was going to have to punch him in the face. So I said no, because my date was there and was rubbing my back. When I said no, his face kind of went blank and he started talking about how great my life was being a part of this Hawaii booze cruise and how he wanted to buy me a drink. So ten minutes later he comes out with a drink and with a much younger and hotter girl than I was with. So draw your own conclusions..