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In the office or home office, a computer mouse is hard to imagine living without and is also increasingly being used in connection with a laptop. Computer mice come in a wide variety of shapes and designs. Unfortunately, health complaints with the wrists, such as tendonitis or RSI syndrome, are in many cases direct consequences of incorrect mouse posture. In this article, I explain what you need to look out for in a computer mouse and what features an ergonomic wireless mouse or a wired computer mouse have. Ergonomic posture
For your health and well-being when working with a computer mouse, the posture you adopt is fundamentally important. This is especially because people often work for hours in an incorrect mouse posture. This can lead to painful and long-term health complaints, such as tendonitis, tension in the wrists, and shoulder and neck complaints. Numbness or a tingling sensation in the muscles can also be part of this.
It must be said in advance that a "normal mouse", i.e. not a vertical mouse or other special ergonomic mouse, can cause health problems in the wrist and elsewhere the fastest. This is for the simple reason that the forearm assumes an unnatural position when it rests flat on the table and you work with a standard mouse. Two problems occur in this posture: On the one hand, the wrist is bent, which in the long run can be the beginning of carpal tunnel syndrome or RSI syndrome. On the other hand, in this posture, the two forearm bones, the ulna and radius, are slightly twisted. This twisting creates permanent tension in the forearm muscles and can lead to a so-called mouse arm or tennis elbow.
The first problem with the bent wrist can be solved relatively easily by using a wrist rest, which is placed under the wrist, relieving it and thus practically automatically creating more ergonomics. These wrist rests are available in different designs, usually made of foam or a gel filling. For people who prefer an ecological wrist rest, there are also those filled with millet husks.
The second problem with the twisted forearm bones can only be solved with a vertical mouse, thanks to the unique ergonomics in product design. When using a vertical mouse, the ulna and radius are in an almost parallel position, which causes a neutral mouse posture and thus promotes an ergonomic body posture.
Wireless or is a cable better after all?
In my experience, there is already a lot of cable clutter on many desks. Therefore, it should be obvious that a wireless mouse is generally a good solution. But is this actually the case?
The freedom of movement with a wireless mouse is undoubtedly greater than with a wired mouse. You don't have an annoying cable lying on your desk, which in extreme situations can even be too short and hinder your work.
Most wireless mice work with Bluetooth, although a wired connection is no worse as long as the cable is not damaged.
Pros and cons of an ergonomic wireless mouse
Pros:
A wireless mouse offers more freedom of movement because it is not connected to a cable. These mice are generally more versatile, portable, and take up less space because there is no annoying cable in the way. Most wireless mice connect to a special receiver via the USB port.
Cons:
Power source: The need to regularly charge or change the batteries.
If this is forgotten or the warnings appear too late, you may run out of power, which can be very annoying at times and instantly affects ergonomic working. However, today's ergonomic wireless mice sometimes have a very long battery life, which means they only need to be charged every few weeks or even months.
Cost: Wireless mice are usually much more expensive.
Interference: Possibility of interference with wireless frequencies.
Pros and cons of a wired mouse
Pros:
Simplicity: A wired mouse is easy to install: simply plug the cable into a USB port and it works.
Cost: However, the price structure of wireless mice is somewhat more expensive than that of wired mice.
Speed: The precision of wired mice used to be better, but this is no longer the case today. What used to be a problem with wireless mice has now been addressed by technology, which has made great leaps, so that both types of mice are now on par.
Cons:
Limited freedom of movement: The resistance of the cable can restrict freedom of movement and represent an annoying obstacle.
Limited range: The length of the cable also limits the positioning of the mouse.
Durability: The cable is quite fragile and prone to breaking because it gets tangled or pinched. It is therefore not the best choice if you are traveling.
With both types of mice, you can find good ergonomics in the product design and you should definitely pay special attention to this point to ensure an ergonomic mouse posture.
More ergonomics for the gaming sector
For the gaming sector, there are hardly any disadvantages with transmission speed anymore, but in rare cases interference can still occur with wireless mice, especially when many participants are involved in a game and this can cause transmission interference, although this really happens rather rarely.
A bigger obstacle for gamers, on the other hand, is regularly charging the mouse. If this becomes necessary during a game, it can have drastic consequences and lead to frustration and anger. On the other hand, gaming with a wireless mouse also gives you greater freedom for fast movements without a cable getting in the way. Nevertheless, when gaming, you should still pay attention to an ergonomic body posture, with or without a cable on the mouse.
Ergonomic design for people in the workplace
When it comes to design, it should be said first of all that you have to look out for right- or left-handed versions first. Unfortunately, left-handers find less choice, but the overall range has increased considerably.
Ergonomics in product design is diverse, but as is so often the case, design does not always automatically bring more ergonomics. This fact is particularly evident in office chairs. Through my many years of work in the field of ergonomics, I still find all too often that someone has bought an elegant designer office chair for often very expensive money, but at the same time has to go to the physiotherapist because of back problems. Therefore, an ergonomic design for people in the workplace is not only important for the office chair, but also for all other devices, including the mouse.
The design is reflected in the various shapes, but this is particularly pronounced in the so-called vertical mouse. With vertical mice, you have a large selection of ergonomic wireless mice and also those with cables. The overwhelming advantage of a vertical mouse is the ergonomics in the product design, which immediately catches the eye here. With the design of a vertical mouse, the forearm is "automatically" brought into a neutral position and the two bones, ulna and radius, are thus almost parallel and do not create any muscle tension. This promotes an ergonomic body posture and massively prevents the problems of tendonitis or RSI syndrome.
The advantages of a vertical mouse result in more ergonomics, as muscle tension in the forearm is reduced and an ergonomic body posture can also be achieved practically on its own. In addition, there is a large selection of vertical mice, whether for small or large hands, with more or fewer programmable buttons, right up to individual options such as adjusting the thumb rest and changing the angle of inclination up to sometimes 90°.
Unfortunately, the vertical mouse still has some disadvantages. Often the biggest problem is the long adjustment period, which can sometimes take several weeks. Another disruptive factor for various people is the greater strain on the side of the hand, especially the pressure points on the little finger. Overall operation also seems to be slower with vertical mice than with a normal mouse. From an ergonomic point of view, however, it can be said that the overall mouse posture is certainly better with a vertical mouse.
To adopt the correct posture with the mouse and the positioning of the hand and wrist, as well as to ensure an ergonomic posture, the following factors should be observed:
- Make sure that the wrist is not extended beyond the shoulder line when using a mouse. Keep your elbow close to your body, do not stretch it to the side to operate a mouse that is too far away, but bring the mouse closer.
- The elbow should form a 90-degree angle with the forearm and upper arm, otherwise an unnatural twisting of the forearm occurs, which can lead to health problems right up to the shoulders. An ergonomic body posture must always be guaranteed.
- Do not grip the mouse too tightly, but hold it loosely with a relaxed hand.
- Make sure that the mouse is on the same surface as the keyboard.
- Tap or click with the fleshy part of your finger and not with your fingertips, as this can lead to an unnatural curvature of the hand and cramps.
Concluding thoughts
Ergonomic design for people in the workplace is playing an increasingly important role and, fortunately, there is a rich selection of both ergonomic wireless mice and normal wired mice for computer mice. Even with a small mouse for on the go, you can find good offers for little money, with the very cheap ones usually being equipped with a cable. When it comes to design, however, it is not always the ultra-modern that counts, but rather the ergonomics in the product design. For example, an Apple Magic Mouse is absolutely elegant with its simple design, but unfortunately it doesn't really offer much ergonomically, apart from the ingenious functions in connection with another Apple device. Personally, I bought a high-quality vertical mouse with various setting options. After a few days, however, I went back to my rather unergonomic Magic Mouse because no other mouse could offer me the absolutely ingenious functions of a Magic Mouse. It must be said that I use the Magic Mouse in combination with a wrist rest with millet husks. This combination makes up for certain ergonomic disadvantages of a Magic Mouse and for me the ergonomic mouse posture is just right, allowing me to work pain-free and enjoy the efficiency of the Magic Mouse anew every day.
One of my colleagues, on the other hand, uses a Logitech MX3 mouse, which is a compromise between a conventional and a vertical mouse. She uses her mouse more than her keyboard and found the vertical mouse too heavy to move and not precise enough for her work.
So it is always a subjective point of view what ultimately leads to more ergonomics and an ergonomic body posture. It is best to test the desired products beforehand and exchange them if you do not feel any improvement. You should also seek advice from a specialist or your doctor if you are already having problems working with the mouse.
If you like the topic of ergonomics in the office or home office and are interested in learning more, my book "Wellness im Büro" can give you even more tips and tricks. Combined with humorous drawings, I share 50+1 tips there to turn your office into a little paradise.
