Best Ergonomic Mouse
As you probably guessed, there is no ‘best’ ergonomic mouse or the perfect mouse. You need to consider how a mouse is used, the size of it and your wrist and shoulder posture (click here to read more about the research of different computer mice). The computer mice below are ones that I’ve recommended and used in the past that seem to work well and have some research behind them. The descriptions come from a recent review article that examined the effectiveness of a variety of mousing devices (Radwan, 2018).
Evoluent Vertical Mouse
When to use: Wrist or forearm pain
Summary of review article (Radwan, 2018):
The vertical mouse, which offers arguably the largest deviation from full forearm pronation, was also created in an attempt to reduce pressure over the palmer aspect of the wrist. Instead of maintaining a pronated forearm and forward flexed shoulder, a vertical mouse user remains neutral in the forearm and experiences less neck and shoulder discomfort.
Translation:
When you use a traditional mouse, your palm faces against the desk (aka. pronated), which is not optimal in terms of joint stress. The vertical mouse puts your forearm in a neutral position, which means there is less stress on forearm and wrist muscles and joints.
Personal opinion:
I’ve found this has been really positive for some people with forearm symptoms. The first thing I hear when someone tries it is related to the awkwardness of using it. However, the learning curve is not steep and people seem to catch on to it after a short period of time. Overall, I have found this to be a good alternative for someone with wrist or forearm symptoms. Size matters with this mouse. Getting one that is too large or small can impact the comfort significantly. The one shown below is a standard size, and you can click here for a smaller one.
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Other sources: Ergocanada
Roller Pro Mouse
When to use: Shoulder, neck or finger symptoms
Summary of review article (Radwan, 2018):
Research has also shown that the abduction of the arm seen with the lateral placement of the mouse may be related to musculoskeletal symptoms (Cook et al., 2004). The increased activity of sub-occipital muscles and a requirement for a significant amount of hand–eye coordination and strenuous wrist and shoulder postures associated with conventional computer mice may be avoidable with the placement of a roller-style mouse just below the keyboard. Multiple studies have shown that the roller bar can significantly reduce the muscle activity in comparison to a conventional mouse, with a reduction in complaints for the fingers.
Translation:
When the mouse is beside the keyboard, it can cause abduction (chicken wing of the shoulder) or reaching, and can lead to increased muscle activity of the smaller neck and shoulder muscles. The Roller-pro is placed directly in front and has been shown to reduce muscle activity in the shoulder.
Personal opinion:
I’ve seen success with this mouse for someone with shoulder problems. It allows you to use the mouse with either hand and any fingers. The buttons are very light and the scroller bar is easy to use. One issue I’ve noticed is that it may cause more reaching when using the keyboard. If you are someone who needs to type consistently, especially using keys above the letters, then it may be an issue.
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Other sources: Ergocanada