Mouse With Your Arm™ Methodology: Five Core Principles
The following is a step by step guide to apply Mouse With Your Arm (MWYA) Methodology as your “go to” posture. This workplace solution encourages you to sit back in your chair, position your elbow by your side, enable movement, and maintain your wrists in a neutral posture.
Try the following and if it works for you, share MWYA with colleagues, friends, and family.
- Sit back and relax into your secured (locked from reclining) chair and adjust the armrest to comfortably support your arm operating the mouse (upper arm relaxed, forearm horizontal, & elbow near your side). If the armrest offers 4-dimensional support (height, width, length, & pivot) you are fortunate and have a higher probability of being able to obtain optimal placement to your station and comfortable forearm and shoulder support. If the armrests do not fit, request/obtain a chair that fits you and your station, allowing you to accomplish this step.
- Adjust your chair or the surface your mouse sits upon to place the mouse just below your relaxed elbow height. If you adjusted your armrest well, this will place the mouse surface level with or just below your armrest’s height.
- Move your mouse to the edge of the surface to allow you to operate your mouse comfortably, supported by your chair’s armrest, and not requiring reaching or work surface resting.
- Remove any obstacles to accessing the mouse such as wrist rests.
- Consider other factors like adding movement. If you can, stand up during your call. It’s free!
There are a host of other contributing elements to workplace comfort that are essential components of a holistic relationship with one’s computer. The steps above introduce MWYA Method and do not address chair lumbar support and seat depth, monitor screen/s, keyboard placement and profile, workstation style, etc. MWYA should not be applied without considering all postural needs including symptoms, medical treatments and recommendations, job tasks, personal characteristics and limitations, and station and product components.