If you’ve spent long hours in front of the computer using a conventional mouse, chances are there that you might have encountered wrist or arm pain at a particular moment. This is what makes a vertical mouse an advanced alternative to the old-school regular mouse you have been operating with.
A vertical mouse might look unstable and weird to look at. However, it is a complete game-changer in terms of your health and offers a comfortable experience while you operate it for a long stretch of hours. Also, they just feel different with their unique look designed in a handshake or neutral position.
Since we’ve started talking about this gem of a mouse, let us check the benefits a vertical mouse has on offer:
Vertical Mouse – Benefits
There are four key benefits of using a vertical mouse. Here they are:
- 1. The forearm is in an anatomical rest position while using a vertical mouse, which requires less muscle use.
- 2. The handshake position offers you to use the mouse with your forearm, rather than utilizing the wrist. It is ideal for those suffering from wrist strain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- 3. It keeps most of the wrist off the desk, leading to a reduction in pressure in that particular area.
- 4. Helps in avoiding forearm and wrist pronation.
Vertical vs Regular Mouse
First of all, a vertical mouse is way ahead in terms of comfort and helpful in avoiding injury as compared to a regular mouse. So, the debate already has a clear winner in the form of a vertical mouse. A vertical mouse is built on high ergonomics to let users maintain a handshake position (a comfortable and neutral position for most people’s arms and hands while at rest).
There is no requirement of twisting the wrist, which usually happens when using a conventional mouse. When you hold a regular mouse for a longer stretch of hours, there is a continuous twisting of the wrist that results in the compression of the median nerve and results in a person experiencing Carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition can result in a person having a tough time with weakness in the hand, tingling, or even numbness.
In complete contrast, a vertical mouse is ergonomically designed to help you avoid such circumstances.
Correct Way to Hold a Mouse
When you talk about a vertical mouse, it is easy to use and not complicated. It is built in a way to help your wrist and arms get into a handshake (neutral) position while you’re operating it. A few things to keep in mind:
- Keep all the fingers relaxed on the mouse, which includes the thumb as well.
- Make sure to rest the weight of the hand towards the side of the pinky finger and hand.
- There should be minimal pressure or contact on the underside of your wrist.
Tips to use a Vertical Mouse
Most people are so accustomed to using the conventional mouse that it gets a tad difficult to get used to using a vertical mouse in the beginning. It might take a few days of an attempt to completely master the vertical mouse, and that is quite natural.
Anyway, there are two different methods that a person can try to make the most out of the mouse.
Two Different Ways to Hold a Vertical Mouse
Before we do a proper rundown of the two different ways to hold a vertical mouse, it is important to know that there is a lot of misinformation on the internet about the proper way of using the mouse.
To confirm the legitimacy of the information, it is always essential to cross-check with an ergonomic specialist to consume appropriate information. The following are the two different ways of holding a vertical mouse along with the pros and cons for each:
Method – A:
Rest your forearm on the desk and pivot from the elbow, while you lift your forearm slightly off from the desk to move the vertical mouse. With this approach, it is a more comfortable and easier way to use the mouse instead of lifting the forearm entirely.
Pros
- Protects the median nerve completely by avoiding compression of it and keeping the wrist still all the time.
Cons
- A large working surface is required to fit in your entire forearm.
Method – B:
In this particular method, you can treat it like a regular mouse by pivoting the wrist back and forth. However, the chance of you picking up an injury goes up.
Pros
- It can be more energy-efficient for some as compared to pivoting from the elbow.
Cons
- Bigger chance of experiencing a wrist injury with your median nerve being compromised in terms of protection as it is quite similar to using a regular mouse (pivoting from the wrist).
In terms of theory, you can see that the first method seems perfect. However, it might not be the most ideal option for the long term or working with restricted working space. The second method on the other hand has some flaws as well with a touch of comfort while using it.
Whether you’re pivoting from the elbow (Method A) or the wrist (Method B), it all boils down to personal comfort and preference. Yes, a vertical mouse is your best bet as compared to using a regular mouse. But, to pick a method out of the two, there is no clear winner here.
You can simply alternate between the two to switch back and forth from one method to the other. Good ergonomics does involve a sense of personalization, where the guidelines need not be followed completely and rather have some personal preference too.
It would be advisable to switch between both methods when you talk about the best way to operate a vertical mouse as they both are equally good.
Buying a Vertical Mouse
If you’re planning to get a vertical mouse for yourself, you’re in for some good news. As compared to a traditional mouse, the options are limited for a vertical mouse and that’s a good thing. You would ask, why? The reason is that you’re provided with quality options from selected manufacturers to pick the best from the limited choices to pick.
With vertically aligned buttons to create a handshake position and a smooth surface that makes your surfing experience touch the roof, a vertical mouse is a must for people involved in long stretch hours of work. Why stick with a regular mouse, when you can get a top-tier vertical mouse?
Verdict
A vertical mouse might look strange to the eye at first as we are accustomed to using a regular mouse. However, it has a lot to offer that a conventional mouse fails to do.
It might take a while to get used to the mechanism of holding a vertical mouse, but you’ll eventually get there. The design of a mouse is shaped in a way to let you have the maximum amount of comfort and helps you avoid CTS and other related arm/wrist injuries.
What we love about the vertical mouse is that they boost your productivity and let you work efficiently. This is something that isn’t the case when we discuss a regular mouse. Moreover, there are a couple of ways to hold a vertical mouse. But yes, that is something it comes down to your comfort and preference. Keep it ergonomic, but add a touch of personalization too when choosing your preferred way of holding a vertical mouse.