Writing & Physical Pain

VGrossack · Dec 18, 2007

I've been rather quiet recently, for a variety of reasons. One of them is that I've been working too much on a laptop, with the screen and the keyboard too close together, leading to poor posture and eventually severe pain.

I'd be curious to hear about other people's experience with pain at the keyboard or even using a pen and paper. I admit that I'd like to collect the general themes into an article like the one I did for my article on computers and creativity (posted in this section of the forum) because I think it's a subject that would be useful to many writers. I won't use names, though, unless you want me to...

So, tell me if you hurt, and if so, how you hurt, and what you've done to help yourself!

joyce · Dec 18, 2007

My first novel I wrote almost entirely by hand and I thought my hands were falling off. I went to my doctor and asked about them and he told me it was because I was writing, 8 hours a day for months on end. My second one I'm splitting between the computer and writing by hand. Now after I sit at the computer for hours a pinched nerve in my neck starts killing me. I personally think it's just old age creeping up on me. After so much pain I have a drink and give up for the night.

VGrossack · Dec 18, 2007

joyce said:
My first novel I wrote almost entirely by hand and I thought my hands were falling off. I went to my doctor and asked about them and he told me it was because I was writing, 8 hours a day for months on end. My second one I'm splitting between the computer and writing by hand. Now after I sit at the computer for hours a pinched nerve in my neck starts killing me. I personally think it's just old age creeping up on me. After so much pain I have a drink and give up for the night.

Do you try to vary your position at the computer?

Do you have a laptop or a desktop? Is your monitor raised high enough so that you're not hunching over?

I just bought a wireless keyboard and mouse in order to improve my ergonomic situation.

choppersmom · Dec 18, 2007

I have carpal tunnel syndrome - darn those syndromes anyway! - and I wear wrist braces, which help somewhat, but as the pain increases I think it might be the knife for me. Nothing else has seemed to help, so unless there's some sort of PT thing that eases it, I'll have to have the surgery. Uck!

Toothpaste · Dec 18, 2007

Ah the pain. Yeah, I know that! I had to buy a chair with proper back support after mine went so bad. And I now also have an ergonomic keyboard. It rocks! My wrists hurt way less, but these keyboards do take some getting used to as the keys are placed slightly differently. If you are going to write using a computer, it's well worth the investment.

Emily Winslow · Dec 19, 2007

I had an awful, *awful* experience with hand/wrist issues while working daily on a computer at an internet startup ten years ago. It started with numbness in my thumb and pinky, and got so extreme that at its worst my whole arm just curled up at the elbow, quivering. I couldn't even hold a spoon to eat cereal. I eventually solved it by switching to a left-handed mouse, though I can still trigger the symptoms even now if I type too much, especially on a right handed machine. It's obviously some kind of RSI (repetitive strain injury) but not carpal tunnel--I tested negative for that.

jenngreenleaf · Dec 19, 2007

There was a tiime when I was sitting on what appeared to be a stunted bar stool (no back) when working at my computer. The outcome? Very bad posture = very bad neck pain. It almost felt like a migrane coming on. I had to do this, though, in the interest of saving space. As soon as more space was available, though, I had a BETTER chair!! The pain went away following that.

The pain, though, was so distracting that I had a very difficult time getting through a work day. Thank goodness I was working for a newspaper at the time, so I had to leave (almost daily) to do interviews.

nerds · Dec 19, 2007

I first draft in longhand just because I enjoy it, and can do it curled up comfortably anywhere. Everything after that point is done on the computer, which used to be okay because all my stuff was short.

Now for the first time I'm second-drafting a book-length WIP many hours a day and it's not been fun. It's bothering my eyes, I usually end up with some degree of headache daily, and my wrists don't feel like wrists anymore, they feel like boiled spaghetti strands. My back hates me now since when I'm absorbed in the work apparently my posture goes to the dogs.

Now I break it up into two-hour increments, I make sure I get up and outside and walk around or take a quick bike ride, anything to feel physical for a bit before going back to it. I'll be over the moon when this is done, I don't think I've ever felt so overall crummy in a general vague sort of way. Too much sitting, sitting, sitting, staring at a computer screen, wearing out the last brain cell I have.

(When I can afford the ergonomic toys, chair, etc., I will definitely avail myself of them but they're out of the budget question right now.)

K. Marshall · Dec 19, 2007

I am in constant pain but it has nothing to do with my writing. My old doctor thought I had fibromyalgia but nothing is for sure. I have noticed that since we moved to Florida my pain is worse than it has ever been. Makes working difficult, and yes I think the laptop makes things worse. It seems like my neck is affected most.

By the end of my day I can hardly move and have little motivation to do other things like homeschool my kids or make dinner. Thankfully my husband is a great cook. I'm told there are new meds that may help, but with no insurance there is little chance of getting to a doctor any time soon.

Anonymisty · Dec 19, 2007

VGrossack said:
So, tell me if you hurt, and if so, how you hurt, and what you've done to help yourself!

I've developed a problem in my left leg, primarily down my hamstring. When I sit for a while (and the "while" varies) it starts to ache. The longer I sit, the worse it gets, and it doesn't seem to matter what kind of chair I'm in. I can alleviate the pain by standing up and walking around, and doing some of my dance stretches helps even more. I can't stretch for two minutes and sit back down, though. Usually I need about a half-hour break.

I know, I should see a doctor. I just hate going.

Kalthandrix · Dec 19, 2007

Ahh yes - the hand cramps! I too write my material out longhand and I am a "hard" writer, so after about three hours my hand is killing me. When I was in my groove of writing 5 or 6 days a week for three hours a day I thought my hand would fall off and some nights I went to bed with an ice-pac clenched in my hand with a towel wrapped over the whole thing to keep it in place.

Uncarved · Dec 19, 2007

I've a condition that puts me in chronic pain. I'm really only able to work at home now. What I do is write during my good times, and to take frequent breaks. Too much pain and it shows in the writing, its rushed and just....bad.

Other than that, I tend not to notice "normal" pains of being a writer because I can't distinguish them from the other pains.

VGrossack · Dec 19, 2007

Anonymisty said:
I've developed a problem in my left leg, primarily down my hamstring. When I sit for a while (and the "while" varies) it starts to ache. The longer I sit, the worse it gets, and it doesn't seem to matter what kind of chair I'm in. I can alleviate the pain by standing up and walking around, and doing some of my dance stretches helps even more. I can't stretch for two minutes and sit back down, though. Usually I need about a half-hour break.

I know, I should see a doctor. I just hate going.

Could you write standing up?

III · Dec 19, 2007

I have chronic back and neck pain from sitting in front of a computer and stressing out. Over the years I've learned breathing exercises, incorporated stretching into my daily routine, and started wearing glasses. I've also found that I tend to lean forward towards the screen as I tense up, so I try to be aware of it. But some days nothing helps - it's agony. Deep breathing is by far the most effective tool in the relaxation arsenal.

lfraser · Dec 19, 2007

I have a condition that flares up every couple of months (and gets worse as time goes on). When it's bad, my elbows and wrists and fingers ache. I just try to ignore it. If I'm deep in the writing process that's not too hard. There are times when it's so bad I can't write, but those are thankfully rare.

L M Ashton · Dec 20, 2007

I have cataracts and extreme light sensitivity. Staring at a computer monitor for too long makes my eyes hurt. Staring at it on ultra sensitive days sends me into migraines. Yay.

Other than that, I'm pretty much like tinasamuels. I have constant chronic pain. I don't notice the little things - there are too many big things.

VGrossack · Dec 20, 2007

III said:
I have chronic back and neck pain from sitting in front of a computer and stressing out. Over the years I've learned breathing exercises, incorporated stretching into my daily routine, and started wearing glasses. I've also found that I tend to lean forward towards the screen as I tense up, so I try to be aware of it. But some days nothing helps - it's agony. Deep breathing is by far the most effective tool in the relaxation arsenal.

Could you place the monitor higher so that you look up instead of leaning down?

joyce · Dec 20, 2007

VGrossack said:
Do you try to vary your position at the computer?

Do you have a laptop or a desktop? Is your monitor raised high enough so that you're not hunching over?

I just bought a wireless keyboard and mouse in order to improve my ergonomic situation.

I have a desktop and my monitor seems to be ok. I fell years ago and injured my back, pinching a nerve in my neck, so here is where my problem starts. My hands.......I can't complain when I think of my step brother. His hands were crippled by the time he was 20. My father was nice enough to pass on his horrible arthritis to all of us. My mind is still young and warped, but the body parts are starting to show wear and tear. I won't allow it to stop me from writing though.

Anonymisty · Dec 20, 2007

VGrossack said:
Could you write standing up?

Technically, I suppose so...but since none of my furniture is at the right height to allow long-term upright typing, I'll stick with my stretching and breaks instead.

VGrossack · Dec 21, 2007

mollyluna said:
Back never hurts from typing, I always use a rigid pillow for support. There are neck exercises you can do and the monitor should be positioned so that you spend most of your reading at horizontal eye level (straight across)..

Hi Molly:

can you tell us about the neck exercises? And describe the pillow? Do you use it while sitting up?

klasskat · Dec 24, 2007

neck pinched

There seems to be a lot of "support" for your topic. I also suffer dagger pains in the middle of my upper back from the compressed setup that comes with a laptop. The laptop also forces the head to be in the wrong position and that adds to the strain. I plan to purchase an extra keyboard for use at home, but that doesn't alleviate my joy of writing elsewhere!

I have a decent chair but I tend to sit forward and that doesn't help either.

What I do is to take forced time-outs - brief is fine - to stretch backward over the chair (well, that worked on my old chair) and to use the door frame to help with stretching. Just standing up, walking around the room, touching my toes - (or somewhere close to the floor) - seems to help.

- klasskat (I'm new here)

Azure Skye · Dec 26, 2007

Where to start?

Sciatica -- yeah, that's the big one. If I sit too long my butt goes numb and my left leg starts aching and tingling.

Eye strain -- My eyes are very sensitive to too much light or lack of light. Staring at the computer monitor for too long makes my eyeballs burn. Plus the headaches. Yay.

Wrist/arm pain -- I just finished my latest project a month ago and I wrote the last chapter in pain. I was approaching the finish line and I couldn't stop. Unless the mood or situation calls for it, I doubt if I'll do that again.

HeronW · Dec 27, 2007

Lessee, dry eyes from not blinking enough, back pain from not using a support cushion.

I fixed the wrist pains and eye strain by making a stand of wood, angled 45 degrees with 2 padded steel L angles at the bottom to keep the laptop from sliding off. This also raises the screen, and angles the keypad, making it more natural to use.

aka eraser · Dec 27, 2007

Aside from occasional shoulder pain, the computer keyboard has been a godsend for me. I used to write first drafts of everything in longhand but about 20 years ago tore ligaments in my forearm and they've never properly healed. Holding a pen becomes painful in short order. As a result, my once not-too-bad handwriting has become an embarrassing scrawl.

I wish I could explain the circumstances with every book I sign but it would hurt too much. Plus, they probably couldn't read it anyway.

HeronW · Dec 27, 2007

http://store.ergocube.com/micevertical.html

has ergonomic mice, the 3M one that looks like a joystick is excellent for people with wrist pains

Writing & Physical Pain

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