There is always a time when you require change, and the same thing can be said about your regular mouse. The traditional mouse over the years has gone through multiple changes, and it did look quite different when it was first invented.
If you’re dealing with a mouse arm or CPT, it is high time that the change must be in the form of your mouse. With technology evolving at a rapid pace, there are tons of alternatives to a regular mouse in the market.
Check out the 10 Best Alternatives to a Regular Mouse mentioned below –
1. Pen Mouse
One fine alternative to your old-fashioned mouse is the Pen Mouse. It is shaped like a Pen and does everything that a conventional mouse can do. People at times do get confused with a stylus due to its look, however, it is an optical mouse and you don’t have to use your wrist much. It is an essential alternative for people having wrist problems who want a change from the usual mouse.
As you hold the pen mouse, it looks like a handshake position and that automatically translates to less movement of your wrist.
Additionally, you can hold the pen in more than one way, avoiding overuse of the same muscles. Some of the gripping positions can be in the form of, a dynamic tripod, lateral tripod, or dynamic quadruped.
If you’re looking for the best Pen Mouse, look no further than Sadocom Pen Mouse with high responsiveness, and also it is extremely easy to use.
PROS
- It is way steadier when clicking left/right at the same time as compared to a normal mouse.
- A good option for people having CTS or Mouse Arm.
CONS
- Does not offer the same precision as a stylus.
2. Roller Bar Mouse
The Roller Bar Mouse is a sure-shot alternative to your standard mouse. It does look weird to be a mouse but provides a soothing experience for people dealing with wrist/shoulder strain or who don’t feel comfortable holding the regular mouse.
At times mentioned as a track bar, a roller bar mouse is located right below your keyboard for easy access. This prevents you from overreaching and results in arm pain or mouse arm in other words. The pre-programmed buttons and rubber roller bar let you switch between right and left hands, avoiding the usage of one hand and resulting in an injury.
Here you have to slide the cylinder to move the pointer from right to left and roll the mouse to place it up and down.
In terms of Roller Bar Mouse, you’ll find plenty in the market. However, Roller-Mouse Red from Contour Design packs a punch with an ergonomic design.
PROS
- There’s a palm rest for additional comfort.
- Other fingers can be used to maneuver the bar when a person is having thumb pain.
CONS
- Expensive compared to a standard mouse.
3. Joystick Mouse
This one is easy to guess by the name. Similar to holding a video game joystick, a joystick mouse lets you hold it in a handshake position. This way, your wrist, and forearm turn perpendicular towards the desk, leading to no twisting of the wrist.
It is a fantastic alternative for people having arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and an easier mouse to hold for those having cerebral palsy.
An amazing Joystick Mouse that you can go for it, is the 3M Wireless Ergonomic Optical Mouse.
PROS
- It is a good buy for people with tendinitis and Carpal tunnel syndrome.
CONS
- Lacks precision as it does require a lot of practice to offer better results.
4. Finger Mouse
The unique thing about this mouse is that it doesn’t require a surface to operate efficiently. The power is all in your thumb to operate the finger mouse by holding it in your hand and maneuvering a small trackball along with your fingers to press buttons.
When you talk about the trackball, it is sensitive and a minimal amount of movement is required to move the cursor. Since it doesn’t require a surface to operate, you can utilize it while standing and giving an apt presentation.
Undoubtedly one of the best finger mice that you can buy is the ELGIIS Trackball Handheld Finger Mouse. It is surely a top-notch product for those looking for an outstanding Finger Mouse.
PROS
- Wrist movement isn’t required as everything is mostly based on finger and thumb movement.
- You can operate a Finger Mouse without using the surface.
CONS
- It takes a bit of time to get used to using a finger mouse.
5. Vertical Mouse
The main objective of a Vertical Mouse is to reduce pain and stress caused by computer-related work. This is achieved by the way it is designed to keep your hands, arm, and wrist in a position similar to that of a handshake.
Invented in the year 1994, the vertical mouse consists of aggressive slopes to keep the hand firmly in a handshake position. This helps in the reduction of forearm and wrist movements to the minimum and avoiding any injury.
To move a vertical mouse, do try using your entire forearm to move it with your wrist not involved in the action.
One of the top-notch Vertical Mouse that is available in the market is the DELUX Wired Vertical Mouse.
PROS
- Reduction in muscle use by keeping the forearm and wrist in the natural resting position.
- The Handshake position provides you to move the mouse with the help of the forearm, instead of the wrist.
CONS
- Costly.
6. Handshoe Mouse
A Handshoue Mouse looks a lot similar to a regular mouse that most of us use. It is a horizontal mouse comprising of two basins to rest your thumb and pinky finger. If you’re bored using the same kind of standard mouse, this seems to be the right choice.
To use a handshoe mouse, put your palm on the mouse with the thumb placed on the left basin.
Check out Hippus M2WB-LC as this Handshoe Mouse delivers everything that you want in a Mouse.
PROS
- Does not require pinching or gripping the mouse as it results in the reduction of muscle activity. This helps you avoid pain or strain in the body.
CONS
- Not ideal for fine cursor movements.
7. Trackball Mouse
The Trackball Mouse includes a socket-held ball that consists of sensors to detect any kind of rotation. You need to move a regular mouse on a surface, while a trackball mouse is stationary placed with only the socket-held ball making the movements.
The two types of trackball mouse you’ll find in the market are:
1. Thumb-Operated Trackball – This looks a lot like a usual mouse with a trackball being placed in the thumb area. The trackball is moved by the thumb for movement with index and ring fingers are used for scrolling the wheel and left/right clicks.
2. Fingers-Operated Trackball – This version of the mouse comes with a big center trackball that you move with the help of your different fingers. To suit both a left-hander/right-hander, it is designed in a symmetric way as the left and right buttons are placed comfortably at the side. The buttons can be easily accessed by using the thumb and pinky finger.
For a Thumb-Operated, do go for ELECOM Thumb Control Trackball Mouse. In terms of the Finger-Operated Trackball Mouse, ELECOM Wireless/Bluetooth Finger-Operated Trackball Mouse seems to be the best option
PROS
- Recommended for people having CTS or wrist pain.
- Ideal option for elderly people who struggle to keep the mouse steady while clicking.
CONS
- Low accuracy.
- Slower activity.
8. Built-in Trackball Keyboard
Having a mouse and keyboard packed together in a solitary device can be magic and convenient. Similarly, some keyboards do have a built-in trackball mouse to avoid overreaching and resulting in pain.
In today’s market, you’ll find a lot of keyboards with a built-in trackball placed at the right. We’ll recommend separating the mouse and keyboard for a better experience. However, it is a handy option for people who are bedridden as they aren’t able to move freely.
Out of the many options, Perixx 522 Periboard is a viable option for you.
PROS
- Reduces overreaching and stressing of muscles.
- Ideal for bedridden individuals.
CONS
- Not a comfortable experience for left-handed people.
9. External Touchpad
A touchpad seems to be the cooler version of your regular mouse as it supports gestures and lets you operate with any of your fingers. It is somewhat similar to a trackpad built into laptops, but has more features and is bigger.
As an individual is free to use any finger to operate, it is a must-have for people having thumb pain.
Apple’s White Magic Trackpad does fulfill your requirement of having a buttery smooth external touchpad.
PROS
- Fast and highly sensitive to touch.
- Ideal for people with thumb pain.
CONS
- Does not support wrist or finger when in operation.
10. Unimouse
If you’re unable to come out of the habit of holding a regular mouse, a unimouse will be the wise option. It is a wireless computer mouse with thumb support as well as an adjustable angle, providing comfort to your hands completely.
Apart from being comfortable with good accuracy, it lets you adjust the angle of the mouse for holding it. The adjustments can range from 35-70 degrees. There are equally adjustable thumb supports to keep them stress-free and a perfect choice for not experimenting much and helping you avoid CTS and arm pain issues.
Whether you’re left/right-handed, Contour Design Wireless/Wired Unimouse is the best fit.
PROS
- A unimouse offers adjustable thumb and angle support for the user.
- Easy to use as it is similar to holding a regular mouse with a subtle difference.
CONS
- It is costlier than other options.