If you’re an office worker, chances are you use your mouse more than any other device. Given this high amount of use, you want to be absolutely sure that you choose the right ergonomic mouse in order to prevent wrist pain and discomfort from your mouse. Read this article to learn how to choose the right mouse for you and see the top ergonomic office mice our ergonomics expert recommend.
Table of Contents
The Importance of Choosing an Ergonomic Mouse
Poor office ergonomics can lead to a painful musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) – a disorder of your body’s movement system (muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, blood vessels, etc). Common MSDs to the wrist include tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. These injuries often develop slowly over time as a result of exposure to MSD risk factors.
A poorly designed office setup can lead to wrist discomfort. Wrist discomfort can lead to wrist pain. Wrist pain can lead to loss of wrist function and eventually a wrist injury.
You don’t want that! Choosing an ergonomic office mouse is an important control measure to reduce your risk of one of these painful injuries.
Considerations for Choosing an Ergonomic Mouse
There are many different types of mice, and they each come with a set of pros and cons. In this video, Steve Meagher, PT, CEAS explains different types of computer mice and the pros and cons of each.
Wireless vs. Wired
Horizontal vs. Vertical
Alternative Mice
Which Mouse is Right For You?
With all of these options available, it can make your choice a little overwhelming. It’s helpful to try out different mouse styles and sizes to see what will work for you. Ultimately you want a mouse that is both comfortable and productive. You might have to run a few experiments with different mice to see what will work best for you.
If you’re looking for a good place to start experimenting, continue reading to see the mice our ergonomics experts use and recommend most often.
The Most Recommended Ergonomic Mice by the Ergonomics Experts
Now that you know the importance of choosing an ergonomic mouse and all of the key considerations involved in making your choice, you might be wondering… which mice do the ergonomics experts most often use and recommend?
Following are a few examples of the ergonomic mice our ergonomics consultants use and recommend most often to clients. These examples range in types, styles, and price points.
Anker Wireless Vertical Mouse
“The Anker wireless vertical mouse is a great option for those on a budget. While not as fancy as higher priced options, this model still puts the wrist in a great ergonomic position while giving the user solid functionality with mousing.”
Steven Herrenbruck, MS, ATC, CEAS
Evoluent Vertical Mouse D Wired or Wireless
“A vertical mouse puts the wrist in an ideal ergonomic position. The evoluent mouse is great because it has multiple buttons can be customized and include buttons for the fingers and the thumb. The laser sensor is very responsive which can be a problem with most products.”
Ray Albensi, MS, ATC, CEAS
Contour Design Unimouse
“If you are looking for a mid range priced mouse with a TON of adjustability, then this mouse is the one for you! Not all vertical mouse devices are made the same. With this device, you can adjust the mouse to fit your hand, adjust to have different levels of vertical movement, and/or adjust the width of the thumb rest to fit your hand.”
Ray Albensi, MS, ATC, CEAS
Contour Design Unimouse Roller Mouse
“This is a non traditional mouse that has a large upside for those with wrist pain. People are usually reluctant to change when it comes to mousing, but almost all that have made the switch to this mouse, report that this mouse has changed thier life!”
Mark Middlesworth, MS, ATC, CEES
What Can Our Ergonomics Experts Do For You?
If you’re a safety or HR manager tasked with ensuring your office workers have ergonomically designed workstations, we can help. It can be overwhelming to do this at scale. We can help you make sure your office workers are operating at maximum comfort and productivity, and deal with any fatigue and discomfort they’re experiencing!
