A mouse is said to be used three times as much as the keyboard, and prolonged use can lead to aches and disorders. The design of a typical mouse is not ergonomic at all and it forces your arms to be in an unnatural posture. For this reason, I decided to try a vertical mouse. I first read about vertical mouse probably more than twenty years ago, but hardly see them in use. They were probably priced out of reach for most people, but not anymore.
They cost as little as 27 Yuan (S$5.70) on Taobao. After looking around, I finally settled on this one costing 38 Yuan or $8 (unfortunately it’s sold out). This is actually an OEM product from Delux (多彩), a Chinese premium brand for computer peripherals (keyboard and mouse). Its material and construction feels premium, well worth the price. Anyway, you can buy an actual Delux branded vertical mouse (search 垂直鼠标) for 59 Yuan, still inexpensive.
I ended up not using the mouse in the way intended because it felt awkward. I think you’re supposed to rest your hand completely on the mouse, but moving the mouse felt jerky and strenuous. Instead, i rested my hand on the table (like I would with a normal mouse). To make this work you probably need a big hand (like I have) and also set the cursor speed to max.
It didn’t take long to get used to the vertical mouse, and it is truly good for keeping your arms in the right posture. Still not sure if my kids would be able to use it but I would recommend getting one for yourself. Word of caution: for this particular model there are two buttons at the position where you’re supposed to put your thumb. They invoke the browser forward and backward functions, and it’s too easy to accidentally press these buttons which can result in disaster, like when you’re trying to grab something from a website.
