Hand To Mouse

The Age

Thursday April 10, 2008

Dan Kaufman

The correct ergonomic controller makes computing more pleasurable and safer, says Dan Kaufman.

It forces you to splay your arm at an unnatural angle - and the wider your keyboard, the worse this gets; it requires you to navigate a cursor to a precise position on the screen by moving the whole hand rather than using specific fingers, which are better suited for precision work; and, to add insult to injury (often literally), it's designed to make you click and double-click its buttons using fingers when thumbs are better suited for the task.

We could talk about the alternatives, such as trackpads (that allow you to use your fingers on a pad to move the cursor), trackballs (moving a ball to position the cursor) or graphics tablets that involve holding a pen. Yet none of these has taken off in a spectacular fashion - mainly because they just don't feel that natural, either. We're sure many people would argue with us on this but, having used and tested a variety of these devices for more than 10 years, we just don't find them comfortable.

However, there are some things you can do to improve the situation. You can use keyboard shortcuts, when possible - for example, pressing Control and C to copy something is more efficient than navigating your cursor up to Edit, clicking, then moving down to Copy and clicking again. You can slow your cursor speed to make navigating easier. You can improve your posture, take regular screen breaks and get into the habit of using your shoulder and elbow to move the mouse rather than controlling the movement from your wrist.

Finally, you can buy a more ergonomic mouse.

The most important feature to look for in a mouse is that it's arched high enough to fit your hand comfortably. Most mouses are too flat, meaning we need to twist (or pronate) our wrists to use them when instead our hands ought to be in a more vertical position.

If possible, try to play with the mouse before buying it to make sure it's the right size and fit for your hand and that it easily allows you to keep your hand, wrist and forearm in alignment. The buttons should be easy to press without you having to strain your fingers.

A common problem with mouses is that some people grip (or pinch) them too hard with their thumbs. Because of this some mouses have little rests for your thumb, such as the Microsoft and Contour mouses reviewed here but whether this stops pinching is arguable. But the more relaxed your hand, the less likely you are to grip it - which is why a good fit is needed.

Left-handed users have few options - the only mouse reviewed here that has a left-handed version is the Contour Perfit. Another option is the E-Quill-AirO2bic (aerobicmouse.com).

Many mouses are wireless and have optical tracking, instead of relying on the tracking ball that sits underneath older, cheaper mouses.

Optical tracking is the more important because it improves accuracy, eliminates a mouse mat and won't clog - the days of frantically moving your mouse up and down to get the cursor where you want it are over. Having a wireless mouse simply means that it's cordless. Most also need to be fitted with new batteries once or twice a year.

The contenders

Microsoft Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000

$99.95

5/5

microsoft.com.au

It's arched high to fit your hand comfortably and shaped so that your wrist is tilted slightly up, which is more natural than forcing it into a flat position as with most mouses. This is the easiest mouse here to use. It also has all the mod cons: scroll wheel, optical sensor, navigation buttons and it's wireless.

Contour Perfit

$165

3/5

effective-ergonomics.com.au

With the right-handed model in four sizes and the left-hander in three, the Contour Perfit fits your hand as closely as possible. It does this well and the buttons are easy to press but, for all its curves, it still felt too flat to reduce wrist pronation sufficiently. It also has a thumb rest, scroll wheel on the side and optical tracking but isn't wireless.

Evoluent Vertical Mouse 3

$109

4/5.5

www.ergonomicoffice.com.au

With the buttons on the side rather than on top, this keeps your hand in a vertical position so that you don't twist your wrist at all. This is great but we found the side buttons require slightly more effort to press than usual. It's also optical and has a scroll wheel.

3M Ergonomic Mouse

$120

4/5.5

mmm.com

This keeps your hand in a vertical position so that you don't twist your forearm and wrist, plus it lets your thumb rather than your fingers press the buttons. It also comes in two sizes. The only problem is that it elevated my thumb higher than I found comfortable after long periods of use. It also features optical tracking.

IT MAY have a cute name but the seemingly innocent computer mouse is often considered the least ergonomic part of your computer.

Verdict

This is tough. The 3M Ergonomic Mouse and the Evoluent Vertical Mouse 3 are cleverly designed and if you have an overuse injury either of these may make mousing easier for you. We still found Microsoft's Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 the most comfortable. The Contour Perfit is recommended for left-handed users.

© 2008 The Age

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