# Attach Mousepad to Computer Chair Arm?



## Prockamanisc (Dec 14, 2015)

My back is starting to hurt from having to hunch forward to have to reach my mouse that's on my desk. I'd love to be able to sit back and use my mouse from a near-reclining position in my super-comfy computer chair. Can anyone recommend any sort of attachment or anything?


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## Jdiggity1 (Dec 14, 2015)

Have you thought about a trackpad? Or trackball?

Personally, I have my chair/mouse positioned so that my elbow rests on my armrest while I use the mouse.
It's tricky to work around our gear, but it's important to get right as early as possible.


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## Prockamanisc (Dec 14, 2015)

Haha, I was actually going to mention "I already tried trackpads and, though I tried, I just don't like them". I thought about it, and I really think I need something attached to the arm of my chair. Preferably the side of the arm, so my arm is hanging off to the right of the armrest.


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## Dr.Quest (Dec 14, 2015)

Yes, just like in Star Trek. That would make it ergonomic. Seems like it should be possible with some clever clamps and a found object or 2.


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## d.healey (Dec 15, 2015)

I sometimes get an achy arm or back from leaning forward to operate my trackball, but I now have a wireless one so I sometimes just sit back and put it on the arm rest of my chair - no attachment required with a trackball. For a mouse I'd just build a platform out of plywood and clamp it on as suggested above.


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## Saxer (Dec 15, 2015)

I had problems with my back and shoulder with a fixed mousepad and a too far away screen. Then I built myself a mousepad arm rest and have the screen on a monitor arm about 80 cm away from my eyes. Since then all problems are gone.

I bought an extra chair with removable arm rests in case I would kill it with my construction. But it worked well and it's in use for over 6 years now.

http://grab.by/MKra

http://grab.by/MKri

http://grab.by/MKrm


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## d.healey (Dec 15, 2015)

Saxer said:


> I had problems with my back and shoulder with a fixed mousepad and a too far away screen. Then I built myself a mousepad arm rest and have the screen on a monitor arm about 80 cm away from my eyes. Since then all problems are gone.
> 
> I bought an extra chair with removable arm rests in case I would kill it with my construction. But it worked well and it's in use for over 6 years now.
> 
> ...


Very neat! how's it attached?


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## Saxer (Dec 15, 2015)

d.healey said:


> Very neat! how's it attached?


It's just two layers of resopal screwed on the original arm rest and sticked with carpet and the mouse pad itself. The edge is covered with an aluminium bar.


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## Jaybee (Dec 15, 2015)

Saxer said:


> http://grab.by/MKra



"Warp factor One, Mr. Sulu."


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## bcarwell (Dec 15, 2015)

I also built one for reasons mentioned above- removed existing armpad on my chair and used the bolt holes to attach it.

BUT... just Google "chair mouse pad" or "mousepad attach chair" or some such or do it in Amazon or Ebay, and numerous reasonably priced commercial options ( $20 - 40 and on up) with widely varying design features will magically appear such as those from eLink, DxRacer, AiData. May the Chair Mousepad be with you.

Bob


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## chillbot (Dec 15, 2015)

Prockamanisc said:


> My back is starting to hurt from having to hunch forward to have to reach my mouse that's on my desk.



Arrrrr... didn't read anything past this. Sorry I don't try to be so negative but I am looking out for your best interest. Not sure how old you are but "back is starting to hurt" is just the beginning of a world of pain. Posture is SO important. I'm 39... I spent 10 years working with terrible posture, probably 60-80 hours per week, and the last 10 years trying to fix it. Some days I physically can't get out of bed because of nerve pain in the back and can barely touch a mouse anymore without shooting pain. When you hunch forward you pinch the nerves in your shoulder which run down to your wrists which causes carpal tunnel.

Ok I'm off the soapbox.... toward your original question a nice compromise might be something like this:



They are great, support your arms and give you full range of motion to also type or play piano keyboard. And the mounted pad will bring your mouse closer to you. I swear by them. If you like to lean back you can definitely do it with these, also make sure your monitors (screens) are close enough to your face so you're not slightly leaning forward to read the screen. Get one of these arm rests for each arm, and take off any arm rests on your chair, use these instead. Every person I know that's tried them has loved them.


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## chillbot (Dec 15, 2015)

Jdiggity1 said:


> Personally, I have my chair/mouse positioned so that my elbow rests on my armrest while I use the mouse.
> It's tricky to work around our gear, but it's important to get right as early as possible.



This is good advice.

If that link doesn't work above (it's being weird for me), search for "ergorest". I think you actually want the brand Ergorest, they are the brand I swear by. Super solid design, you can almost put your whole weight on the arm rest and it supports, which is what you want.


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## Prockamanisc (Dec 15, 2015)

Geez, this thread is making me realize I'm quite complicated.

I'm a bit tall (6'1), and my arms are long, so to have to keep my elbow on the arm of the chair would also be uncomfortable. That rules out one of the mousepads built into the front of the arm.

I already have back pain from 10+ years of practicing classical guitar. I did a year of physical therapy and now I can control the pain much better with good posture, but keeping good posture over an 80 hour work week is, well, impossible. Let's be honest.

I could replace the arm altogether, but I'd like not to destroy the existing it because I bought a nice (expensive-ish) chair because I was having knee pain because my last chair was uncomfortable on my butt so I was alleviating that (unconsciously) by putting pressure on my knees. That said, if I could find a perfect, permanent solution I would totally destroy my chair.

As it is, I like to rest my wrist on the table itself and move the mouse. If I had the mouse at the front of the armrest I would still need something to support my wrist, so that's why I'd need something that's either wide, or off to the side. 

Another factor: I have to reach my midi keyboard, which is on my left side, and I wouldn't want the mouse to bump into it.


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## Prockamanisc (Dec 15, 2015)

Maybe I'm just being a Negative Nancy, though. I think I might try out one of the existing products. It'll be cheap and easy, and I can just give it a try. Maybe it'll work, or maybe I'll just get used to it. Maybe I'll just trade back pain for wrist pain.


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## Hannes_F (Dec 16, 2015)

I am often using the mouse on my right thigh. Works well on pants fabric, not well on skin. Don't shoot ...


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## PMortise (Dec 16, 2015)

I tried this for awhile:





I got it from The Human Solution, but for my needs it stuck out too far and bumps into the desk. So even though it solved the problem of bringing the mouse/trackpad closer - it put me even further from the kwerty and keys.

Then I tried this from http://ergo.contour-design.com/ergonomic-mouse/rollermouse-red-plus (Contour Designs):




...which is a nicely crafted product, but I probably could've gotten used to better if the L/R speed of the curser was more adjustable. Also, getting the "plus" version with the additional palm support was a mistake as it took up too much room - and again made me have to sit further back. Great company though - they gladly gave me a full refund.

What's been working for me so far has been placing the keys _on_ the desk(as opposed to the pullout tray under it), and the kwerty/trackball/mousepad on the pullout under the desk.


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