True ergonomic pointing device?

[typo]

I know many of you feel track balls reduce fatigue.Tthe problem is any I know do not rest the hand in the proper position anyways. Mice certainly don't. Is there anything currently available that puts the hand in the optimum position? I do not care what method it employees to get the job done so long as it rests the hand and wrist in a natural position. Currently nothing I know of really does. True, track balls are the least of the evils but most are not nearly perfect from an ergonomic standpoint. Is there any option whatsoever at this point? I guess even vintage would be okay.

On a side note I found my favorite DSA profile keyboard actually reduces fatigue exceptionally over sculpted keys. So at least I feel i have that covered even if I am wrong about it. I am hitting way higher WPM on this than anything else and I have like 30 boards including 4 Topre's,Model F.M bunch of cherries ETc. I feel no pain on this. However I do get pain with track bals like Expert,L-track,Slim blade,MX-570, plus almost any mouse. Only benefit for me of a gaming mouse for coding is that they offer a ton of macros. They hurt plenty after 10-14 hours every day though. I hope you guys have a suggestion for a pointing device. I also found wrist rests for pointing devices only put pressure on the tendons. For a keyboard a nice wod one simply serves to raise the wrists to the height of the board so that works but none of that mushy stuff for me.

I am hoping I get some replies because I would like to go to Micro Center in a few hours. Unless it is just futile.

Thanks

[Tactile]

Is there anything currently available that puts the hand in the optimum position?

Could you show us a photo of this "optimum position". You might get more replies if we could see it.

[typo]

Actually I have no idea what is correct. Unless you are saying it varies by person. I have just always read here that all the trackballs and especially mice do not place the hand/wrist in "the optimum position". Basically I just want to get the most ergonomic device there is. I do not have any pain or rsi or anything like that. Would rather avoid it in fact. That is why I am looking for the most "natural" device.

[Tactile]

Actually I have no idea what is correct. Unless you are saying it varies by person.

I'm saying that a lot of people have different ideas of what is "correct". Some people would say that this is "correct"...



And for others "correct" would look like this...

[Findecanor]

One theory of ergonomics is that it is repetitive motions that cause the most problems and the cure for that would be to vary yourself as much as possible.
Therefore, if you are going to get a trackball, get one that allow you to use it more positions than one.

I prefer mice. I use a Wowpen Joy that is slanted 45°. I prefer the Wowpen much over the vertical Evoluent (that Tactile posted above) because it feels like a mouse. I could rest my wrist and move it with my fingertips. I never got a real grip on the Evoluent - it felt like I was using it with oven mitts. Plus, the Evoluent is impossible to use for games because it "corrects" your motions to the X and Y axes...
I have seen recommendations for the Anker mouse also, which should be similar to the Wowpen Joy but slightly different - I have yet not tried that one.
The mouse in the MS Sculpt Desktop also has a slanted grip but the mouse is heavy and large, but wireless.

[typo]

Thanks guys. I guess there is no "right" way. Just need to limit repetitive movements. I can use the G502 without moving my arm or wrist. I just push it around with my fingers. Not gaming. So it might already be good enough. I do like al the features tracks are lacking. I will check out the Wowpen.

[tp4tissue]

You need to Build my Ergopwn 9000..

Link in my Sig below

[typo]

TP, I cannot see what exactly hat is. All I see is the PC boards. Unless I am missing something. I imagine knowing you from here you must have came up with a great solution. I will have to read that thread beter. I suppose I will go build it since I know you have great ideas. You are an attorney or that is a joke? Just wondering for no reason. I just noticed your sig I never look at.

Otherwise the way I use a rodent is probably fine. I keep my wrist and arm stationary and simply move it around with my fingers in a very lose claw grip. Of course I doubt anyone could game that way but I don't. I also found wrist rests are very painful with mice for me. For keyboards a hard one just elevates the wrists to the height of the board. So I guess with either device I prefer the table and no wrist rests. I figure this and a lot of other ergonomic issues are personal. I am not sure if there is any "correct posture" one size fits all. Also for instance I much prefer the big miller leather chair to the embody. Just happened to pick the miller because of the quality. A $250 Lazy boy would probably suffice in that instance but would also probably not last. Got mine used as with everything I buy. Anyways, the way I use the mouse is probably why I never got RSI, Carpel Etc. Been doing it for years. I thought there exists a better solution but in my case maybe does not matter. Trackballs just don't have enough buttons for my liking.

Thanks for ideas guys.

[Marizen]

I'm not a fan of Apple, but damn I never get tired of using their trackpads.

If I had an iMac I'd use a Magic Trackpad 2.

[AMongoose]

I'm not a fan of Apple, but damn I never get tired of using their trackpads.

If I had an iMac I'd use a Magic Trackpad 2.

They don't work well with other OS's?

[bastones]

This is the ergonomic mouse I use. Whether it's a "true" ergonomic mouse is down to the indiviudal user. It's the best I've used to date. It's the ZeleSouris Vertical Mouse, but it's not exclusive to ZeleSouris - it's an OEM mouse and the same design is available under different brands, including Maplin (UK). You can find it on Amazon and probably other retailers.

[MJL]

For 10+ years I used the 3M ergonomic mouse but arthritis forced me to a different solution. Tried the above shown "ergonomic mice" and they disappeared: too much stress on the finger joints. In the end (after trying all kinds of setups both cheap and expensive and must have had about every trackball I could put my hands on) I have settled down (over the past six years) with the "Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring K72337". Switches last only so long and the ABS gets shiny pretty quickly, not perfect but workable. I think I am now on my fourth (lost count), a fifth spare is lying in the cupboard but am keeping my eyes peeled for something better. (tried the non scroll ring one with a trackpad but did not like that too much - am also trying to use shortcuts as much as possible). I rotate the ball using the middle phalanxes and use pinky/ring finger and thumb for rotating the scroll ring. It is not as accurate as a mouse but the index knuckle on my right hand has at least settled down. 

[menuhin]

I wonder if the Trackpoint like those in the IBM keyboards is "ergonomic" and keeps the users in "optimal" position.
I just know it keeps me on the home row and lets me return to typing in the quickest way, spoiling me to a degree that I find reaching for the mouse troublesome.

However, I sometimes do have pain on my fingertips of the index and middle fingers of my right hand if I had an extensive session with its usage. For longer use, I need a mouse and I need an ergo bean mouse rest.

[MJL]

I wonder if the Trackpoint like those in the IBM keyboards is "ergonomic" and keeps the users in "optimal" position.
I just know it keeps me on the home row and lets me return to typing in the quickest way, spoiling me to a degree that I find reaching for the mouse troublesome.

However, I sometimes do have pain on my fingertips of the index and middle fingers of my right hand if I had an extensive session with its usage. For longer use, I need a mouse and I need an ergo bean mouse rest.

I had a Toshiba laptop around 1996 that had a trackpoint. Later I changed to IBM Thinkpads (T-series) and looked forward to having a trackpoint again but did not find them as comfortable as the Toshiba ones.