Choosing a mouse to reduce hand and arm pain?

Published in Mouse, touch pads + input devices on Friday, 12 June 2009
by Catherine Albert  |   Post RSS

When it comes to computer work the mouse is often seen as a prime cause of hand and arm pain and there are many reasons for this. Some of these problems might be down to the actual mouse but often its the way we use the mouse. 

Factors to consider include
• how long you are using a mouse for,
• the position you have the mouse in,
• the techniques you use
• the type of mouse work you do i.e. click and drag or
• the amount of pressure you are under at work.

If you have looked at these issues and still think you need a different mouse than you should know there is actually very little evidence to show that one sort of mouse is associated with less arm pain. What we do know is that when it comes to buying a new mouse you need to look at the shape, size, style and buttons to decide which is right for you. So remember its not just the shape of the mouse that can contributes to hand/arm and shoulder pain

The choice is usually between a wheeled (corded/wireless) or optical (corded/wireless) mouse.

SHAPE

The best shape is generally a smooth un-contoured shape. The important aspects are

• Tear shaped mouse that has no sharp edges at the wrist
• A flatter shape to avoid any extreme wrist angle
• A symmetrical shape so it can be used in either hand.

SIZE

• A mouse that is large enough to support all of your palm and most of your fingers.
TIP – as a guide the mouse should be as long as from the base of your wrist to the finger pad of your index finger.

STYLE

• The choice is generally between one that moves on the desk with a ball underneath e.g. whale mouse which is adjustable to the size of your hand.

• Or a ball on top such as a rollerball or trackball. The mouse doesn’t move across the desk so it's useful if you have shoulder or elbow problems. Movement of the cursor is through the thumb and fingers on the rollerball.

These include the Kensington Expert Mouse, Logitech cordless

  • Hand position - either a flat position such as those above or where your hand is vertical and rests on its side as below. There is less elbow and wrist movement in this position. However, some people do not like the pressure of resting on the side of their hand so do try them out first. Some examples are the grip mouse, or evoluent mouse.

• Remember to consider whether you can use the mouse in either hand or just the left or right hand. Usually a vertical mouse is for one hand only.

BUTTONS

• The buttons should activate with a light touch so there is no need to grip the mouse tightly

• A roller button is useful for scrolling

• Choose a drag lock or click lock if you do a lot of click and drag at work.

• Programmable buttons such Kensington Expert Mouse can be useful.
 

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