Case: Combatting Tennis Elbow with a Vertical Mouse
Jim Chapman is an engineer working for The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). After spending long hours at his PC performing work for the Ministry of Defence, he has developed Tennis Elbow, a condition which can be caused by poor arm posture and repetitive motion whilst using a computer mouse.
Jim Chapman
Engineer
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
"One thoughtful feature is the additional middle button that acts as a double-click. I now use it all the time, which gives my index figure a rest."
Get Yourself a Vertical Mouse
Following a work-place assessment, where I was recommended the use of a vertical mouse, I’ve spent some time looking at the various options online and tried a few out in our occupational health department. I finally got in touch with Contour Design who offer the Unimouse which is a fully adjustable mouse.
One Size Fits All?
It’s easy to find a vertical mouse on the market, but one of the greatest challenges is to find one that is suitable for your hand size. Many ergonomic mouse brands allow you to choose small, medium or large options, but with Unimouse, matching your hand size is less of an issue.
“Everything else on the market attempts to be one size fits all, but this means adapting my grip to the mouse, which I find uncomfortable. The Unimouse has an adjustable thumb support which allows the right fit for my hand, making it the best option for me.”
A Vertical Mouse for a Friendlier Handshake
A vertical mouse is designed to relax pressure on the wrist. The handshake posture it allows is more natural than the flat hand position forced by a traditional computer mouse. This is why they are regarded by many ergonomists as being a healthier way to work. In Jim’s case however, too much vertical was not a good thing.
“Some of the mice I tried out are very upright and feel unnatural to use. The angle is wrong and can’t be altered, but Unimouse’s hinge means that I can vary the angle, so it’s better for my tennis elbow but not so upright that I can’t use it easily.”
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Double Click
Better posture is the main benefit of Unimouse, but it’s also designed to make life easier in other ways, including variable cursor speeds and programmability with an optional software program that is free to download.
“One thoughtful feature is the additional middle button that acts as a double-click. I now use it all the time, which gives my index figure a rest. Speaking as an engineer, I’d very much recommend the Unimouse. It’s robust, well designed and my elbow pain is gone.”
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About DSTL
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) ensures that innovative science and technology contribute to the defence and security of the UK.
DSTL is an executive agency, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence.
