What is a vertical mouse?
For the majority of people that use a mouse, you will typically use a standard horizontal mouse, but this is not the best mouse to use. It puts your hand and forearm in an uncomfortable position, which over time can cause wrist pain, rsi or even carpal tunnel syndrome.
A Vertical Mouse turns the mouse 90 degrees on it’s side which avoids your forearm twisting and putting your hand in a very natural position. In my opinion the best vertical mouse by far is made by Evoluent (shown below)
Unless you have tried a vertical ergonomic mouse you will never appreciate the feeling of having your hand in a neutral position enabling you to use the mouse for longer without any wrist pain.
I have been using the Evoluent Vertical Mouse 4 for over 6 years every since I started getting pain in my forearm after using a normal mouse, a work colleague suggested trying a vertical ergonomic mouse.
I had never even heard of the term but literally 5 minutes after starting to use the Evoluent 4 mouse my wrist pain started to fade away.
Now that I work from home 5 days a week I am using my mouse so much more and could not live without it!
Best vertical mouse for wrist pain: Evoluent Vertical Mouse 4
Take a look at this video from Evoluent as they can explain it much better than myself!
Now before I begin this review there are many many other vertical mice available to buy ranging from $12 to $150 and I will be listing some of the more popular one below, but first let me tell you about the Evoluent Vertical Mouse 4, which is the best computer mouse I have ever used.
- The mouse itself is very sturdy and is more of a large block rather than a small mouse
- It fits your hand perfectly and there is a little lip to rest your little finger on. It can also reduce finger pain as your fingers are always in a resting position.
- All the buttons are aligned to your hand
- It can be purchased in Left or Right hand models
- They come in Wired, Wireless (with a dongle) or Bluetooth versions
- There is even a small version
I have been using the Right Hand Vertical 4 wired version and have been using the same mouse for the last 3 years for at least 6 hours every day and I can honestly say in my opinion “This is the best mouse for wrist pain” I have ever used, it also has reduced all shoulder pain and I use to experience tingling in my fingers, which has now also gone.
A lot of careful designing went into creating the Evoluent VerticalMouse 4 to ensure the ultimate hand and forearm comfort when using a mouse.
This model has a specially sculpted shape to conform to your hand and it offers many features for its cost including programmable buttons, top mounted LEDs, and controls for adjusting the speed of the pointer.
One great feature of this mouse is the convenient adjustment of the pointer speed. You can keep your grip tightly on the mouse and still control the optical sensor to your liking. Thanks to the top mounted bright LEDs you can get a good indication of the current pointer speed and the markings are designed to be simple to understand ranging from low to high.
In my opinion this is definitely the best ergonomic mouse for wrist pain.
With the help of Evoluent Mouse Manager, a neat application with an intuitive interface, you are able to program the buttons and control all the relevant settings with ease. The driver is not required for the mouse to work but it’s highly recommended to download it so you can set-up the buttons according to your preferences.
While the price is a little on the expensive side, this is a true vertical mouse. The Evoluent VerticalMouse 4 will offer everything you can expect including superior comfort, user-friendliness, and reliable mouse performance. It’s a matter of personal preference but the design is not that attractive compared to other models but if you only care about maximum comfort, this is recommended.
For more information please visit https://evoluent.com/
Best Ergonomic Mouse for Carpal Tunnel or RSI
Ergonomic mice are the perfect investment if you’re starting to feel pain in your hand, wrist or shoulder or your hands hurt from mouse clicking.
RSI (repetitive strain injury) often develops in the wrist and tendons of the hand if you’re using a standard mouse too often, in extreme cases this can also turn into Carpal Tunnel syndrome and I have seen real results of people with wrist pain so bad they were considering giving up working with computers. When this happens, it’s time to give your mouse an upgrade and head into the world of vertical mice.
The Evoluent vertical mouse is in my opinion the best mouse for rsi and can certainly help reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel.
Is this the best ergonomic mouse for arthritis? I can’t say as I don’t have arthritis, but I do know it has eased my wrist pain a lot, as arthritis is in the bones I don’t think it’s going to change much?
Please understand this is not medical advice and I appreciate there are people with serious conditions that cannot be cured just by changing your mouse, but in my case I completely eliminated my wrist pain by switching to this mouse.
Evoluent vertical mouse 4 driver
If you are looking for the latest software for your Evoluent Vertical Mouse – you can find them all here
https://evoluent.com/support/download/
Good use Ergonomics Guide for wrist and hand pain from working with comoputers.
So Are Vertical Mouses Better?
Once you have tried a vertical mouse you will never go back to using a normal mouse again. If you suffer from any kind of wrist pain, rsi or carpal tunnel a vertical mouse is the only way to keep using a mouse and not get any wrist pain, in my opinion they are better, but there are some cons which I will list below
Vertical Mouse Pros and Cons
Pros
- A vertical mouse will reduce wrist pain
- A vertical mouse will give you more precise control
- A vertical mouse will reduce wrist movement
Cons
- A vertical mouse is more bulky than a standard mouse
- A vertical mouse is typically more expensive than a standard mouse
- You will get asked “What is that?” a lot!!
Anker Vertical Mouse
If you want to try out a vertical mouse and don’t want to shell out over $100 for an Evoluent there are many cheaper options and one of these is made by Anker coming in at $19.99.
I have not used this mouse so cannot comment on the build quality or performance, but for $19.99 why not give it a try?
https://www.anker.com/store/2-4g-wireless-vertical-ergonomic-mouse/
If you were to compare the anker to the evoluent the evoluent does come out on top in many areas
Anker vs Evoluent
- Evoluent comes in a left handed model
- Evoluent is available in wired and bluetooth whereas the Anker only has a wireless dongle which takes up a usb slot
- Build quality on the Evoluent is much better, you get what you pay for!
Cheapest Vertical Mouse
If you really want to get the cheapest vertical mouse you can buy I did find this one on Amazon from Lugulake for only £7.99
Conclusion
If you are happy with your normal standard mouse and are not experiencing any pain when using it then don’t worry, you are one of the lucky ones. But if like most people who use a mouse today you are experiencing pain with prolonged use, then I would highly recommend you try a vertical ergonomic mouse and you will notice a difference.
There are many alternatives to a mouse like joysticks and keyboards with rollers, but if you are experiencing wrist pain, start with a vertical mouse and see if your pain improves.
If you are looking for the best mouse for a macbook pro or best mouse for a laptop, I would just divert your attention to the best mouse for wrist pain.
Long term use of a mouse puts strain on your wrist and you only have one wrist, so invest in a good mouse.
The Evoluent 4 is not a gaming mouse, but if you do spend hours and hours playing Fortnite and are experiencing wrist pain, why not give it a go?
Other Ergonomic Options
Now you are using the perfect mouse there are other options to consider to get the perfect desk setup. I would also highly recommend using a Foldable Laptop Stand for when you are working in coffee shops and different client sites, it elevates your laptop screen off the desk to a height where it is not causing you neck pain.
Read my review of the Roost Laptop Stand – Roost Laptop Stand Review
If you really want to go to town then I would also suggest you get a Standing Desk – My Standing Desk
Evoluent Keyboard
If you are using an Evoluent mouse then the perfect addition to your desktop setup is an Evoluent Keyboard
When keyboards were first invented the primary function was number entry, hence the number pad was on the right hand side, over the years the primary input method to a computer has become the mouse but the number pad still remains on the right hand side taking up valuable desk space where your mouse should really go. This forces your mouse position out to the right which can cause you pain and an uncomfortable mouse position.
The Evoluent keyboard addresses this problem by moving the number pad to the left hand side of the keyboard allowing your mouse to sit closer to the keyboard and giving your arm a more straight position instead of being pushed out to the right.
Ergonomic Mouse Pad
A quick search for ergonomic mouse pad brings up a host of options for different kinds of mouse pads with various pads and cushions to support your wrist, whilst I do not use an ergonomic mouse pad I cannot recommend one, so I would suggest you just try a few to see which one suits your position.
For me the Evoluent Vertical Mouse is the perfect height and does not require the use of an ergonomic mouse pad.
I hope you have found this Evoluent vertical mouse review useful and I hope it helps someone with wrist pain to try out a vertical mouse and reduce or in my case eliminate pain whilst using my computer.
Best Ergonomic Mouse Pad 2020
This is only my personal opinion and I am not a doctor or qualified in any medical capacity, but after spending years looking for the best mouse mat I discovered this one after working on a client site.
For me it is the best ergonomic mouse pad I have ever used. Sold as a gaming mouse pad the Logitech G240 is a very very thin large mouse pad which you don’t even know is there.
It measures 340×280 mm and is only 1mm thick!
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Frequently asked questions
Is a vertical mouse better?
Using a vertical mouse places your forearm and shoulder in a more natural position. Like a handshake position this a neutral resting position which is the most comfortable position to hold a mouse. So a vertical mouse is much better!
What is the best vertical mouse?
There are many choices when purchasing a vertical mouse, but I have used the Evoluent Vertical Mouse for the last 10 years and whilst it is the most expensive in my opinion it is the best.
How can you avoid discomfort when using a mouse?
By using a vertical mouse instead of standard mouse your hand, forearm and shoulder are in a more natural resting position which reduces any discomfort when using a mouse. So to avoid discomfort, try a vertical mouse!