Anyone else get controller cramp?

[NevilleNobody]

No jokes about how this affects my love life you animals

So, I have always had an issue with Interlagos, the constant left turns means my left hand often goes numb. But two weeks ago it was my right wrist that also actually hurt a little. Then there was monza, i cannot help it but i press the gas button (X in my 1990's world) very hard.

Now my right wrist is dead set killing me, it is properly sore. Luckily this week's dailies are not calling me and PGA Tour 21 was free on the network so that has turned out to be the best game since GTS to me anyway (I am very fussy re. games).

But man, wrist is busted.

 

[kilesa4568]

I had the same problem when GTS came out and had to have steroid injections in the tendons of my wrist. Not sure which hurt more so I used it as one of my excuses to switch to a wheel.

If you give it a long enough rest (I didn't...), it should settle down without any help but if it doesn't, see a doc to make sure it's not carpal tunnel or something similar. My missus had that in both wrists and it made her life a misery for a year or so until it was surgically fixed.

 

[NAXEHT]

No numbness but I may experience some light pain after long and intense sessions, such as when I sat a few hours trying to improve my LH TT time on Nordschleife last week. Goes away relatively quickly after some resting though.

 

[avgracer41]

No numb, but i feel pain after racing for a while on DS4. This issue doesn't happen when I play with wheel but I'm waiting the replacement.

 

[AbsoluteBarstool]

It might be worth looking into attaching extenders to your sticks or applying grip tape, in order to alleviate any unnoticed muscle tension that could be contributing to cramps and numbness. Playing '90s-style is sub-optimal, but I understand how awkward it is to try adapting to unfamiliar control schemes.

I managed to make my gaming experiences a lot healthier and more comfortable by following a lot of the tips that are found on the YouTube channel Fracno. Have a look at his videos and see what they do for you.

 

[NevilleNobody]

OK so I am not alone here. Only solution is trying to get it together with a wheel. I have tried and tried and tried, countless hrs but getting absolutely nowhere.

 

[MidnightRun85]

I get this too, especially if I enter an endurance race or any races requiring a long time of constant controller use. It's basically RSI. The only thing for it is time away from the controller! Getting on a wheel will help, but if you're gripping that thing as hard as the controller and playing with the buttons on the wheel as well you'll end up in a similar place.

 

[kilesa4568]

OK so I am not alone here. Only solution is trying to get it together with a wheel. I have tried and tried and tried, countless hrs but getting absolutely nowhere.

Could you share a video of you using it? Faults are easy to spot so you'll know what you need to work on.

 

[NevilleNobody]

urggggh i just deleted it. Basically, zero feel on brakes, like none. Then the steering, i turn a little, nothing happens, i use a touch more force and i swing too far then I am constantly correcting. I was expecting a wheel to feel like a real car, but it just feel like a circular shaped remote control. And I am not close either, after 40 laps with a wheel i will grab the controller and instantly go 1.5 seconds a lap faster.

 

[kilesa4568]

When I was on the G29, I used to practice with the Alpine's as they're very sensitive on the pedals and this might sound boring, hot lapping in FR and MR N100 cars as you have to be very smooth with the steering to avoid losing time. Less speed doesn't dial down your wheel's feedback so you'll find it much easier to 'tune in' to what it's telling you and have more time to react.

 

[CBH]

urggggh i just deleted it. Basically, zero feel on brakes, like none. Then the steering, i turn a little, nothing happens, i use a touch more force and i swing too far then I am constantly correcting. I was expecting a wheel to feel like a real car, but it just feel like a circular shaped remote control. And I am not close either, after 40 laps with a wheel i will grab the controller and instantly go 1.5 seconds a lap faster.

What you need is heaps of practice with that wheel mate, stay on the wheel and don't use your controller. When I got my wheel I was slow and my driving inputs was letting me down, I was going to give up mate because I was getting nowhere with my wheel. So I stayed on using my wheel and I have never looked back ever since, and a wheel is heaps better than a controller, and it is also like driving a real car.

Edit: Try doing these online Time Trials or download and watch the lap times of the one or two of the top 10 players, by doing this you will learn a lot more than doing it on your own and getting frustrated.

 

[kilesa4568]

You can cheat on a lot of the practice by watching some of the best drivers streaming on youtube as well.

Zavasic is one of my favourites to learn from. He has a buttery smooth driving style that makes driving on the limit look easy and is regularly in the top 10 (EMEA) in the dailies. He really nails the rhythm of the track and you can't help but be inspired watching it.