Contour Design RollerMouse Pro Review

I developed an RSI about eight months ago and, to be honest, I'm surprised it took so long to happen. I spend many, many hours a day at the keyboard, and many many hours mousing around. Luckily, through the wonders of chiropractic, I've got my injury under control. I have had to make some life changes, though.

The most recent change I've made, on the advice of a professional ergonomic assessment expert and physical therapist, is the switch from a traditional mouse to the Countour RollerMouse Pro.

 What, exactly, is it???

Ok, the RollerMouse Pro is basically a tray with a built-in wrist pad. My keyboard sits on top of it. The great thing about it, the really revolutionary thing, is that it makes a mouse or trackball obsolete.

There's a rod that runs the width of the wrist pad. The typist moves this rob back and forth and up and down - using thumb, or any finger, of either hand - to mouse. In effect, the entire tray is one, big mouse.

But, what's so great about that?

Repetative stress injuries happen when we do things over and over again (hence the name.) When we move the same way all the time, we lock up muscles and tendons and do damage to our bodies. The RollerMouse Pro enables the user to mouse in any number of ways. Instead of always using the thumb of your right hand to click, for instance, you can use any finger. Or even the heel of your hand. You can do two-handed mousing/clicking. Or use your pinky.  It's really remarkable.

What about the price?

Ok, this is a pricey item. The cheapest I've seen it for is about $170. A lot of money. But, when you consider how devestating it can be to suffer the effects of a repetative stress injury - not only in dollars, but in physical pain - I think it's a steal.

Isn't it just cheaper to switch mousing hands?

Not everyone is ambidextrous. I am, and I have switched mousing hands since developing RSI, but that's like putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. The fact is, it's only a matter of time before my left hand develops RSI. The same is true about trackballs: they're built to avoid repetative motions, but people wind up using them the same wya, every time, and getting RSI, anyhow. With the RollerMouse Pro, it's almost irresistable to change-up constantly.

I love this amazing gadget, and everyone I've shownit to has gone crazy over it. It only took me a few mnutes to get used to the wrist pad being my mouse. Now, I don't know what I'd do without it