And the winner is….

Two weeks ago, Help My Hurt began a contest to give away an ergonomic mousepad. I asked people to leave comments, stories of how they had problems or how they over came them. I was hoping we’d come up with some good discussions about chronic pain and how to deal with it.

Several comments were of the “I want to win” or just one word comments to be considered an entry. However, because I didn’t say they *couldn’t* be considered, they were. So, counting up all the entries, I had sixty-something entries.

To be fair, I used the Excel spreadsheet randomization function. It took a bit of figuring out as I’d not done it before, but it really wasn’t that difficult. To randomize a number in Excel, you just make a list of numbers down one column, then you enter the randomization formula. Like magic, it gives you a number.

The ergonomic mousepad does not eliminate the chances of developing a repetitive stress injury or repetitive strain injury (RSI) and you still need to use caution: take regular breaks and be sure your body position is proper. Also, an ergonomics professor told me that that the “wrist rest” on the mousepad should really be a “palm rest.” He said that we shouldn’t be resting or wrists on the gel part, but the palms of our hand. The pressure of the gel can be too hard on the bottom of the wrist.

Ok, now for the winner. The Excel randomizer chose Amy who wrote: I ended up with some severe tendonitis from excessive keyboarding a couple of years ago. I tried physical therapy, braces, etc. Nothing seemed to help. Finally someone suggested acupuncture, which I’d never done before, but I was desperate. I had four treatments and improved greatly, but not all the way. The acupuncturist said she’d done what she could and she thought a deep-tissue massage would take care of it. So I did; let me tell you, deep-tissue massage is not the relaxing kind–it’s downright painful, and I even ended up with bruises! But I also ended up healed. I’m much more careful now about not overdoing at the keyboard, but if I ever get that bad again, I won’t hesitate to try the acupuncture/deep tissue massage combo.

Thank you Amy. Please contact me at marijke(dot)durning(at)b5media.com so I can arrange to have your prize sent to you.

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