Flight simmers beware "Students elbow"
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Regardless of setup, hours of repetitive motion and firm grip on the flight stick would still cause stress and pain. Knowing your limit with planned periods of relaxation to free the stress and careful wrist flexing
to erase the muscle memory helps me. It also helps that F4 actually has a useful AP so I can relax and flex my ligaments during a flight. 100% manual games like Elite Dangerous I can only tolerate 1-2 hours a week.
The Saitek X65 with its sensitivity profiles have allowed me to keep gaming. Otherwise I would have had to stop many years ago. My flight stick is sitting on top of my server case at the same level about eight inches in front of my chair armrest.
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+1.
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……or I’ll have had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome…
Had carpal tunnel some years ago from mouse and joystick. I work with computers, and had to learn to use the mouse with the opposite hand. Very painful. I’m fortunate that i’m left handed, so mouse is throttle hand, still the short rotary radius of both the TQS and warthog, puts a lot of stress on the wrist. The warthog particularly bad in DCS A10 because you are nearly full throttle most of the time, and this is very awkward.
Hope you sort it out Stevie. -
Had carpal tunnel some years ago from mouse and joystick. I work with computers, and had to learn to use the mouse with the opposite hand. Very painful. I’m fortunate that i’m left handed, so mouse is throttle hand, still the short rotary radius of both the TQS and warthog, puts a lot of stress on the wrist. The warthog particularly bad in DCS A10 because you are nearly full throttle most of the time, and this is very awkward.
Hope you sort it out Stevie.Thanks, Fish44. I’ve used a trackball for years, and I’ve also spent 40+ years playing guitar (and riding motorcycles, now that I think…both dirt and street) so my right wrist has taken quite some over-use. Only now getting to the point of trying to take some care before things really get…er…out of hand. Improper ergonomics during desk flying can really do some damage…and I think it’s worse using the stick on the side rather then in the center, so setup is key if you’re a hardcore F-16 simmer.
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Thanks, Fish44. I’ve used a trackball for years, and I’ve also spent 40+ years playing guitar (and riding motorcycles, now that I think…both dirt and street) so my right wrist has taken quite some over-use. Only now getting to the point of trying to take some care before things really get…er…out of hand. Improper ergonomics during desk flying can really do some damage…and I think it’s worse using the stick on the side rather then in the center, so setup is key if you’re a hardcore F-16 simmer.
Ha Steve, you have put those tendons to good use and had some fun with them, so i’m sure no regrets there! Me, my poison was/is DIY, woodwork. Also taken its toll.
Hope this thread alerts some of the younger ‘hard core’ simmers about the dangers of RSI , and a discussion on how it can be avoided or minimised.
I invested in a herman miller aeron chair recently. Only wish i had done it years ago.
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I just got a dose ‘Olecranon bursitis’ on my stick hand, after a few hours in the sim. Dident really notice it during flying, but woke up with it. Unfortunately i have my stick and throttle on the desk, and did not have any protection for the elbow directly against the desk. I’m guessing, resting it on a wrist pad, or something similar would prevented it.
Have you considered MonsterTech table mounts? I have them, and I place the joystick between my knees so I can rest my elbow on my thigh.
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Have you considered MonsterTech table mounts? I have them, and I place the joystick between my knees so I can rest my elbow on my thigh.
94$ each ? lol
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Have you considered MonsterTech table mounts? I have them, and I place the joystick between my knees so I can rest my elbow on my thigh.
Well, I just got a whole bunch of ideas…!
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Add in shipping and handling…$240 to the States. FWIW they’re examples of superb German craftsmanship.
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With the proper tools… less than $94 or can be as expensive as you want it to be:
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Have you considered MonsterTech table mounts? I have them, and I place the joystick between my knees so I can rest my elbow on my thigh.
Had not seen them before now. They look very well made. And if it protects me health for a few years, then they are worth it. If you moved from the desk to those, what did you do with your monitor/s, how much did you have to move them if any?
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Had not seen them before now. They look very well made. And if it protects me health for a few years, then they are worth it.
My surgically repaired R shoulder is grateful for these mounts.
If you moved from the desk to those, what did you do with your monitor/s, how much did you have to move them if any?
I did not have to re-arrange anything.
FYI once the order ships, it takes between 2-3 weeks to arrive. They ship via DHL, package goes to Frankfurt and is handed off to the US Postal Service. Then it gets put on a boat (USPS tracking will only show it having been scanned in Frankfurt but NOT in transit) and if you opt for text alerts you will know when it gets off the boat in NJ. But between the handoff in Frankfurt and it getting scanned in NJ, the USPS is unable to provide ANY tracking info. That can be disconcerting, but I queried the MonsterTech guys and they provided the transit time.
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…and don’t forget the possibility of a Customs hold period (on either end, really). In most of the international purchases I’ve made (and I find myself making more of them these days…) Customs may hold and/or actually physically inspect your…er…shipment. I’ve had some things held and some not and can’t figure a rhyme or reason, but it seems to happen. Bottom line - be patient, shipment will arrive.
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This is one of the reasons why I chose not to buy a Warthog, and elected to buy a CH stick instead. I figured the Warthog was hard enough to move it could get tiring in the end. I guess I wasn’t entirely wrong.
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I have Warthog and CH sticks and personally find the CH stick to be far more objectionable…same motions involved, no resistance, no feedback as to over-do. Not to mention that with the stick being so “fast” it’s far too easy to over-control…and I have the same kick against ALL CH gear now. Used CH stuff for years, but now that I’ve gotten hold of my Warthog and Saitek Combat pedals there is no going back. WAY more like what I’ve experienced in actual military trainers…YMMV.
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No doubt, no real stick would be as light as the CH one, as you don’t want light controls in a moving vehicle that fly fast and under great load factors, but I have the opposite experience with sims : I’m more accurate with a light stick than a heavy one, because there’s no or very little muscular tiredness to affect my precision. To each his own, I guess.
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All of us “realisimo” addicts likely prefer the workout…and yes, it’s interesting to watch yourself get sloppy as you get tired. At least, I think so. The more like real operation, more better. Once again, MMV.
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No doubt, no real stick would be as light as the CH one, as you don’t want light controls in a moving vehicle that fly fast and under great load factors……
That’s where the FSSB mod makes sense (and there’s one for the warthog also, but they arn’t cheap)… There’s really no wrist movement, just different forces. Like the real aircraft.
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Hey Ice, The hell with the desk and table mounts, who was the manufacturer of the great looking computer seat? Name and manufacturer ? Inquiring minds want to know PLEASE!!!