Why does my wrist hurt when I use a mouse?
If your wrist starts to ache after a day of working at your computer, you’re not alone. Mouse-related wrist pain is one of the most common complaints amongst people with desk-based jobs — and it’s usually a combination of setup, movement patterns, and overuse.
The wrist is a compact area packed with joints, tendons, nerves, and soft tissue. When you're using a mouse for hours at a time, especially without breaks, any one of these structures can become irritated.
You may have experienced symptoms such as:
Dull aching pain at the back or base of the wrist
Tingling in the thumb and first three fingers
Weakness in your grip strength
Increased pain with clicking, scrolling, or dragging the mouse
What causes wrist pain when using a mouse?
Tendinopathy: Overuse of the wrist extensors muscles (such as extensor carpi radialis brevis and extensor digitorum communis) can lead to small wear and tear injuries and inflammation in the tendons.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: Pressure on the median nerve at the wrist can cause pain, tingling, and weakness into the hand and fingers. You can read more about carpal tunnel syndrome here.
Poor ergonomics: A desk that’s too high or a mouse that’s too far away can increase strain on the wrist
Forearm tension: Tight muscles can compress nerves or reduce blood flow, causing pain and tension. This can be referred to as repetitive strain, or RSI, and you can read more about this here.
What can a physiotherapist do for wrist pain?
If your pain lasts more than a couple of weeks, interferes with typing or gripping, wakes you at night, or is associated with numbness or tingling, it’s time to see a physiotherapist. Early treatment for these symptoms can prevent long-term issues like chronic tendinopathy or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Our physiotherapists will first complete an assessment of the following to review the potential contributing factors to your pain:
Wrist range of motion and grip strength
Feel for tenderness over specific tendons or nerve pathways
Neurodynamic tests to assess for nerve irritation
Postural analysis (including shoulders, neck, and scapula control), as these can all have a big impact on how you use your wrist
Desk ergonomics – setup, reach zones, and support
Once we have found the cause of your pain, we can start on treatment. This varies widely from person to person, but may include:
Manual therapy: Mobilising stiff wrist joints, soft tissue release, and nerve gliding techniques
Strengthening: Focused on wrist extensors, finger flexors, and scapular stabilisers, depending on what was found in your assessment.
Stretching: For muscles around the wrist, such as wrist flexors/extensors, and pectoral muscles to improve posture
Ergonomic education: Discussion around mouse type, wrist rest, and keyboard alignment, adjusting chair or monitor height
Activity pacing: Short breaks throughout the working day, and alternating tasks to avoid overload
Small, repeated movements with a mouse can add up over time. But with the right setup, awareness, and exercise programme, you can stay pain-free at your desk, and protect your wrists from any problems long term.