If you experience wrist discomfort from repetitive mousing tasks, you may want to get a vertical mouse. These ergonomic mice are better than traditional models for people who deal with frequent wrist pain.
The wrist pain is the fourth most common place in the body to experience musculoskeletal pain. It afflicts two out of three people at least once in their life, resulting from repetitive movements (like those associated with mousing).
So, if you're ready to ditch chronic wrist pain and switch to a vertical mouse, this guide will help you find the best one for you.
What are Vertical Mice?
When referring to a vertical mouse, the design and layout of a vertical mouse position your wrist in a more natural position than a traditional mouse.
Vertical mousing helps to alleviate the pain associated with repetitive strain injuries (RSI) like carpal tunnel. There are even semi-vertical mouse options for those looking for a more traditional mousing motion.
Vertical mice place your hand in a handshake position, which is better if you have lots of repetitive mousing tasks or have wrist discomfort.
The handshake or vertical mousing position keeps pressure off your tender carpal tunnel area. These mice transfer the mouse movement to larger muscle groups in your forearm and elbow versus smaller muscle groups in your wrist.
5 Things to Consider in a Vertical Mouse:
The vertical mouse trend is expanding as people take a holistic approach to their health and well-being. Experts are still studying the factors affecting the market growth. During their assessment, so far, they are discovering sales strategies that are directed towards the health and wellness trends.
As people put more thought into including ergonomics in their workstations, tech manufacturers are placing a greater emphasis on providing these products, including vertical mice.
Although, Kensington isn't new to providing ergonomic-based products. Their experts have a lot of experience in providing products that focus on your well-being. For that reason, they suggest you consider the following when switching to a vertical mouse.
1. What type is best, vertical mouse or trackball?
Some people really prefer to use trackballs instead of mice. If you already use a trackball, you may ask yourself whether you want a vertical mouse or a vertical trackball.
Trackball enthusiasts are loyal. So, if you don't want to give us your trackball but want to try vertical mousing, consider a vertical trackball.
Either way, they will offer different in-hand positioning than a traditional mouse. Therefore, getting one that feels comfortable to you is key.
2. How vertical should a vertical mouse be?
Again, comfort is the most essential factor when choosing a vertical mouse. You want to keep the pressure off the carpal tunnel area.
The slope is the most significant factor when selecting one of these mice. There are typically a few different slopes of a vertical mouse to look for:
- Semi-Vertical: These are great for a beginner at vertical mousing. They still have a right-click, left-click, and a scroll in the center. Yet, they move the hand into a vertical position.
- Vertical Mouse: These mice are more upright than the semi-vertical models. They have the most traditional vertical mouse slant there is on the market. Several models come in traditional type mousing (only vertical) or in a trackball format.
3. How long does it take to get used to a vertical mouse?
The average learning curve is approximately 2 weeks. Many will find they get used to it much quicker, considering the functionality of right-clicking, left-clicking, and scroll wheeling are still in a similar position.
If you have trouble adapting to a vertical mouse, try using two mice by plugging each one into your computer. Use the vertical mouse starting with an hour a day for simple tasks like checking e-mail or clicking on larger formats.
Once you've gotten used to the movement of the vertical mouse, increase your use time. Your precisions will get much better too.
4. Are there different sizes of mice?
Yes. Vertical mice are not a one-size-fits-all product. When choosing a vertical mouse (or trackball), you'll want to consider the size of the mouse and how it will fit into your hand.
5. How do I know if it the vertical mouse is a good fit for me?
Again, comfort is what's most important. Kensington makes a variety of vertical-type mice that will fit a wide variety of hand sizes. Although vertical mice are not labeled with Kensington's patented SmartFit technology, they certainly can be pinpointed to an approximate hand size from small to large.
Choosing the Best Vertical Mouse
Here are the best vertical mice options available at Kensington based on your hand size:
Best Vertical Mouse for Small to Average Size Hands
The extended lip of Kensington's Pro Fit® Ergo Wireless Mouse is an organic-shaped semi-vertical mouse that fits many petite to average-sized hands well.
Best Vertical Mouse for Average Size Hands
The best mouse to fit the widest variety of hands, from the smaller size of average to the larger hand sizes, is the Pro Fit® Ergo Vertical Wireless Mouse. The sleek curves of the mouse help make it comfortable with the upright positioning of this mouse.
Best Left-Handed Vertical Mouse
Whether you’re left or right-handed, if you want to try out mousing with your left hand to distribute some of your work to the left side, the Pro Fit® Left-Handed Ergo Wireless Mouse is a great mouse to try out.
Best Vertical Mouse for Larger Hands
The Pro Fit® Ergo Vertical Wireless Trackball is an excellent solution for average to larger size hands. This trackball has a wide grip making it comfortable for the larger hand size and control with the thumb.
How to Find the Right Vertical Mouse for Relieving Wrist Pain
Ergonomics are nothing new to Kensington products. The company's focus has been on providing you the tech gear that considers your health and well-being at home or in the office for a long time.
That said, at Kensington, our ergonomic specialists want to remind you that using a vertical mouse does NOT cure wrist pain.
Using a vertical mouse is considered a prevention tool to mitigate wrist discomfort. If a person has consistent wrist pain, they should consult with a medical professional.
For more information on our vertical mice and trackballs, contact us to speak to one of our ergo specialists.