Gorilla Arm Syndrome

Fatigue, pain, and discomfort in the arms and shoulders caused by prolonged use of interfaces that require sustained arm elevation without support. The term originates from early touchscreen computing and has become particularly relevant in virtual and mixed reality, where users must frequently raise and hold their hands in front of head-mounted displays for freehand gesture interactions. Gorilla arm syndrome is especially problematic for users with upper limb motor impairments, limited arm range of motion, or shoulder pain, as even short interaction periods can cause significant fatigue. Mitigation strategies include allowing lower hand positions for interaction zones, providing arm rest support, and designing UI elements within comfortable reach ranges calibrated to individual users.