Back in 2017 I was mostly playing PC games and at the time played a bunch of Diablo 3 and started speedrunning GEAR:Full Circle again (requires aiming with the mouse and holding the mousebutton for movement). About a week after quitting Diablo 3 due to being bored by it I had focussed on GEAR exclusively, doing runs and ILs for a few hours each day. One day during an IL stream my hand suddenly hurt so badly that I had to end the stream and see a doctor. I could not use that hand at all for like a month and ever since I've had that pain return after extended gaming sessions.

A few months after that I started streaming with a regular schedule, iirc 4 days a week, doing Pokemon Emerald runs and had no hand pain issues at all. At the time I guessed that it was due to me mashing with my thumbs and not the two fingers that I'd use for the mouse buttons.

Earlier this month I got into Emerald again, after finally finishing the new abra route, and have taken off 3 days a week again, but the hand pain is so bad that I may have to skip today as well. Is there anything other than regular stretching I could do to combat this hand pain issue? I'd rather it not get as bad as last year again, but I also really want to practise Emerald a bunch for ESA Summer in July.
Currently the pain gets worse from doing pixelart or picross puzzles, both similarly using the mouse, but that only started after getting into emerald again.

I know this is a bit different, but I had a really bad hand issue due to drawing for hours and hours with no breaks every single day. I basically had to stop using the hand full stop I take more breaks now every few hours or so when I get in to a drawing session. maybe trying a new controller for a while just to practice might help like using your touch screen instead with an emulator on there for emerald, because your hand will be in a different position. also resting your hand on something soft helps me a lot so maybe you could try that too? I guess you could also try and use your mouse with your left hand although it won't be perfect will help you memorising where everything is meant to be, I had to do that with my drawings happened during inktober so I couldn't stop haha I have no clue if any of these things will help you but I hope so.

I hope your hand feels better soon it really sucks.

I know someone mentioned this video before on the forum

@MelonSlice I'm playing emerald on console, so I can basically only use a GBA SP as controller, because the GC controller is WAY worse on my hands for mashing. I can't really take more breaks sadly, emerald is 3 hours long (unless I get better, obviously) with only one actual video cutscene and I never draw for that long.
Using my left hand kinda works for basic things and I'm actually getting good at typing onehanded, so that's nice I guess? I have actually considered getting a small pillow to rest my wrist on, when using the mouse, just haven't found anything yet. Sadly that also doesn't work during runs, because I'm turning away from my desk, towards the TV for that (I actually tried that with a larger pillow last time and the pillow just kept getting in the way :\)

edit:
@Seydie I'm already doing various exercises like those that I learned from various places, but that's not doing enough, even if I do them every day after waking up and before starting to do runs.

Awee sorry I couldn't help you I hope someone else has advice 🙂 yeah I draw a lot haha ^^

Preface: You shouldn't dissuade yourself from taking more time off the game until your hands improve their condition. Also, I've not found any sort of gloves helpful whatsoever.

Workload Modification:
I have issues with hand pain (some carpal mostly sore hands/fingers). I play a 1 hour game and modified my key setup to decrease my workload. If you consider changing your controller here's something that you may wish to consider

A SSBM player is currently leading the development of a more ergonomic controller that you may want to consider. I believe it will be able to function as a controller for speedruns as a great improvement for many games, not just melee. I believe it should be released for production in the upcoming months?

There are many, many, many ways of modifying the workload of artistic creation. If you contact me over Discord I'd be glad to try to offer more help with creating ergonomic assistance scripts for you and showing you how to make them. If you haven't already, I recommend getting a mechanical keyboard, I prefer brown switches. You may also want to consider an ergonomic trackball mouse for nongaming activities.

Stretching:
I hate trying to use the stretches mentioned earlier in the video. It's so difficult to actually do them until you memorize them and he has so many different videos you feel like you need an hour to do them all. Here's a video you can actually follow along with -

Pain Reduction:
I cannot yet personally vouch for effectiveness of heat lamp therapy but I strongly believe it is a game changer for hand health. When my hands hurt, I like to run them under fairly warm nearing hot water. This only heats up the top layer of your hands. Heat from these lamps penetrates through your hand into your muscles, greatly increasing blood flow as well as alleviating pain in many studies. I am currently awaiting mine in the mail.
https://www.amazon.com/Woods-0165-Brooder-Guard-Reflector/dp/B001BM5YZW/ref=pd_ybh_a_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JRJKV9K09HYSSWAADCCR
https://www.organicolivia.com/2016/12/why-at-home-infrared-light-therapy-is-a-cheap-easy-way-to-change-your-life/
You can dive further into the rabbit hole if you wish, I think this is something anyone with hand pain should be using, daily.

I'm not using a gamecube controller, as already mentioned before multiple times and I already mentioned that I have my hand stretches figured and that it's not doing enough. Should've known that posting here would just end up in a thread that repeats 5 times a day.

Isn't that a bit rude? You are asking to reduce hand pain and you get answers to this.

- Maybe your stretching is wrong
- Maybe you need to have more pauses between your runs
- Maybe you shouldn't run too much
- Maybe try massaging your hands
- Maybe try different games without intensive clicking
- Maybe some painkillers
- Maybe try different controllers
- Maybe try to use your feet

there isn't a one way method to reduce hand pain. just take all of the hints here in consideration and game in moderation, or you'll end up in the ICU station. Kappa

Chop off your hands, sure it will hurt a bit at first but that pain will go away. It will also stop you from making rude comments to people that were only trying to help.

@Seydie

Quote

Isn't that a bit rude? You are asking to reduce hand pain and you get answers to this.

Quote

- Maybe your stretching is wrong
- Maybe you need to have more pauses between your runs
- Maybe you shouldn't run too much
- Maybe try massaging your hands
- Maybe try different games without intensive clicking
- Maybe some painkillers
- Maybe try different controllers
- Maybe try to use your feet

@Dickson while the emote in your message basically already gives away that you're just making fun of me, I'm not even getting the hand pain from gaming in particular, if you actually read what I'm saying.

@Peacefroggie messages like that is why this forum needs a report button

and overall this thread is a reason to give the OP the freedom to lock or delete the thread, like all other forum software does. I thought there were people capable of reading and proper answers, but sadly I am mistaking and I regret thinking that this forum hasn't gone to complete shit.