Using an Ergonomic Mouse Can Help with Stress Injury Care

Our hands perhaps are the most used part of the body every day. Of course, next to the brain that might still be working even if you are just lying down and doing nothing, and your brain is still anxious and troubled by some concerns about work, home, business, relationship, or anything that makes you think much.

You use your hands when you are cooking, cleaning your house, putting your baby to sleep, gardening, sorting files on your office, typing on your laptop, using your phone, and so on.

People who work with their computers every day are probably using keyboards and mouse. The extended period of using a keyboard and mouse mainly causes wrist or hand repetitive strain injuries.

There are wide varieties of mouse – vertical mice, trackballs, laser-pointer-style pen mouse that you can find. All these ergonomic mouse always aims the same thing: minimize the threat of repetitive strain injuries you may incur from using a mouse and keyboard for many hours each day.

When you are using a computer daily for longer periods, there is a greater risk that you may damage the tissues you are using, resulting in various repetitive strain injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a severe pain hand disorder caused by pressure on the median nerve that runs through the wrist and hand. The inflammation can increase if left untreated, and repetitive work continues.

Repetitive strain injuries, also called RSIs, are a set of musculoskeletal disorders caused by holding an unnatural position for too long or making the same motion repeatedly. Keyboard typing and using a mouse for an extended period have both been known to cause RSIs after years of using a computer every day, and these ailments tend to manifest initially as pain, weakness, or numbness in your fingers and wrists.

Invest in your ergonomic mouse

It’sIt’s not new, but a must-try option to make your work more comfortable and more manageable, is the use of ergonomic equipment, besides ergonomic furniture.

It’sIt’s now time to invest for a quality ergonomic mouse to protect your hands and your health. Why? One most taken for granted is the type of the mouse one uses for work. People tend to be more focused on the latest graphics card, CPU, or even PC case. If you’re guilty, consider this- the mouse, besides the keyboard, is the only part of the computer you’re always in physical contact with.

The different types of ergonomic mouse

Ergonomic “Horizontal” Mouse

By far, this is the most popular form factor primarily due to users’users’ familiarity with the design. It comes with a contoured dome shape for comfort, which uses either optical or laser to track movement. A horizontal mouse is still an excellent option for productivity if that is the most important consideration for you.

Ergonomic “Vertical” Mouse

Think of a “handshake” instead of holding the device with your palm down as the mouse’s primary buttons are located on the side. It has a shape of a conventional mouse turned 90 degrees, or the base of a mouse with a second sideways one stacked on top of it, which allows you to grip it without twisting your arm.

There is least to no twisting of the wrist, which may cut down on your carpal tunnel syndrome chances.

Trackball Mouse

This mouse has a base that usually remains steady as users roll a ball to control the mouse cursor. It only requires less space and involves virtually no wrist or arm movements to operate, which could significantly lessen the chances of RSI related injuries in those areas. A trackball mouse offers decent precision, though some users find general tasks such as cutting and pasting or drag/drop more difficult than other form factors.

Pen Mouse

This is just a regular mouse housed in a pen form factor, which lets you hold similar to a pen or pencil, with minimal wrist movements required to operate it. This is the best alternative to some people with CTS and wrist problems who can no longer work a regular mouse.

Joystick Mouse

This is a more radical form of the vertical mouse with a small but loyal following among people suffering from specific existing musculoskeletal issues. This includes people with carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and arthritis. The user’s hand assumes the textbook “handshake” position to use this mouse. The hand is perpendicular to the desk, thus, no pronation of the wrist. Some people have issues with the precision of this mouse type. The most popular joystick mouse is the 3M Optical Mouse.