Which Ergonomic Mouse Can Improve Your Workplace Wellness?

Although workers’ compensation mitigates the financial loss, getting hurt at work in San Jose is never a pleasant experience. Some injuries develop more slowly than others, such as repetitive stress injuries. For office workers, the computer mouse is a common culprit of thumb, hand, and wrist pain. Talk to your boss about investing in ergonomic computer mice for a healthier workplace. Or, if you purchase one yourself, it might be a tax write-off. High-end ergonomic mice can get pricey, but they can be an effective way to reduce future medical bills.

Categories

When you begin looking for a better mouse, you’ll notice most of them fall into just a few categories. Upright or vertical mice are much like using a conventional mouse—except that your hand is positioned in a neutral, handshake position. Stick mice also facilitate a handshake position that reduces stress on the soft tissues. But, as the name implies, they look more like a joystick than a mouse. A third style is much more hands off—literally. It doesn’t require any input from your wrist, hand, or fingers at all. Instead, the cursor movements and clicks are controlled with input devices operated with the feet. These mice can be hard to find. You’ll likely have to order one from a company that serves patients with severe disabilities, such as upper body paralysis.

Size

Mice controlled by hand are available in different sizes, and getting the right size for your hand is crucial for proper ergonomics. If you choose a mouse that’s too large for your hand, you’ll strain your ligaments and tendons trying to reach the buttons. If it’s too small, your hand will feel cramped. Take a quick trip to an electronics store and wrap your hand around some mice to determine which size is right for you.

Contour

Ergonomic mice might look a little odd, but that’s because they are correctly contoured to fit the hand. Extend your arm so that your elbow is at a 90-degree angle as if you were going to shake someone’s hand. This is the position that an ideal ergonomic mouse should keep your hand in.

Buttons

Button placement matters more than most people realize. Before purchasing a mouse, do some clicking with it and use the scroll wheel. Click all of the buttons as you normally would while observing whether you have to move your fingers too much. If so, this is a sign that it might hurt you at work later down the road. Choose another model that feels more natural.

Ergonomic Mouse