3M Wireless Ergonomic Optical Mouse, Patented Vertical Grip Design Keeps Your Hand and Wrist at a Neutral Angle for Comfort, USB Plug and Play Compatibility, Small Size, Black (EM550GPS)

I have been having steadily worsening pain in my right hand, which is the hand I use for my computer mouse. I had numbness, tingling, and aching. In the search for relief, I bought an ergonomic keyboard and a Logitech trackball. Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 My hand immediately felt better, but within a week or two it was as bad as ever. I still use the trackball but I took it home for use with my laptop. I set the trackball on the arm of my easy chair and use it instead of the trackpad. I realized part of the problem was a cramped keyboard tray so I replaced that with a 3M Under-Desk Keyboard Drawer, Gel Wrist Rest with Antimicrobial Product Protection (KD45). At the same time, I began looking for an even more ergonomic mouse.I discovered this "mouse" and the Evoluent vertical mouse. Evoluent VM4 Vertical Mouse Right Handed - The Patented Shape Supports Your Hand Because part of my problem seemed to be not only wrist angle, but also pressure along the length of my index finger I chose the 3M Wireless mouse with some trepidation.My trepidation was related to the reviews that described it as poorly made and that it caused thumb pain.Figuring that I could return it, I ordered the 3M. 3M Wireless Ergonomic Mouse, Small (EM550GPS)I have had it about a week. So far I have found it to be pretty solidly built. It has survived two falls from my keyboard tray. After one fall, the grip felt a little odd and I realized it had slightly sprung open. This was easily remedied by pressing it back together. Although it looks like a joystick, you actually grasp it and move the entire mouse. A toggle switch provides left click and right click. A button on the side of the grip that falls under my finger tips provides scrolling. The scroll is very sensitive and easily stopped by either left clicking with your thumb or clicking the scroll button again. It scrolls up and down and left and right.MY RIGHT HAND IS NOW COMPLETELY PAIN FREE!! That makes this mouse well worth money.As for some of the complaints that others have made, I think they must be talking about older versions or something. I have the following to say:1. As for the claim that is cheaply built and easily broken, it feels very solid to me and has survived two falls from my keyboard tray onto industrial carpeting with no padding.2. As for the claim that it has no software for adjustment, it is adjustable for scroll speed, sensitivity, etc. through Windows.3. As for the claim that the learning curve is too steep, it is true that it will feel very awkward at first. That is absolutely true. It will. So did the Logitech trackball when I first got that. I figure I'll have mastered it in a week or two. Slowing the speed of the mouse and scroll in Windows actually helped. Maybe I can speed it back up after I've mastered it.4. As for the claim that the mouse speed is too slow or not sensitive enough so you can't get from one part of a page to another without picking up the mouse and moving it around, I found this to be totally not the case. If anything I found the mouse to be too fast and too sensitive at first. This made it hard for me to precisely land on small boxes, "x"s and the like. Going into the Windows 7 mouse settings and slowing it down helped. Of course, I can always speed it back up too. See the above comment about the alleged lack of adjustments.5. As for the claims of thumb pain, this ergonomic mouse comes in two sizes. I suspect getting the right size is important. My hand was at the upper range of the recommended size for small and at the bottom of large. I chose the small and it is fine. My thumb falls right on the toggle switch without stretching. My thumb feels fine and used to have a lot of thumb pain.I highly recommend this mouse to anyone who is having hand and wrist pain. My hand feels 100% better.UPDATE 12/30/12: I have now had this mouse for more than 8 months. I'm still using it. It has survived more falls from the keyboard to the carpet without breaking. My right hand continues to be free of pain, numbness, and tingling. If you are having problems with your mouse hand related to poor ergonomics, I still highly recommend this mouse.

2022 Review:In answer to all the negative reviews on how basic this mouse is, if you're looking for (and reviewing here) a gaming mouse, this is NOT a gaming mouse. This is a mouse for anyone who gets hand, wrist, or forearm pain using a regular or "ergonomic" mouse. It's plug-in ready right out of the box and will be recognized as a normal mouse by your computer. I'm still using this wired mouse for work and buying another one for my personal computer, since I find myself using it more often. As for price, I don't care how much they want for it. For what it does, which is reduce discomfort, I'll pay anything. This purchase is prompted by using a nicely responsive, expensive,, programable, vertical mouse for a day and feeling like I went bowling for the first time in 10 years. Ouch! Haven't been sore like this since I wrote my old review.I highly recommend this mouse if you just need a basic mouse and get sore using one. Save your arm. Buy this mouse.Old Review:I've been using the small wireless 3M mouse for over a year now and I love it. Bought it brand new along with an off-the-desk mousepad that puts it at armrest level. I tried several other expensive mice and keep coming back to this one. I have a small hand and get wrist and forearm pain with a regular right-handed mouse. I had to buy my own mouse for work because my company needs a workers comp claim before they'll buy what you specifically request and I couldn't use the mice they provided without the pain I was experiencing in my right hand. I'm trying to prevent pain and damage so I'm a bit frustrated with my company over this policy. I'm proactive about damage to my body. You only get one and I'd like it to work, pain free, for as long as it can. I did get diagnosed with tendinitis in the right wrist, but that must have been turned down since I haven't heard anything on my last request since 4 months ago.My issue with this mouse is that I snapped the joystick off the base and the glue I applied didn't hold more than a couple months before it let go. So I've been using tape and a really careful grip to keep the joystick in place for about a month. The heat of my hand makes the tape move and let go, so I have to repeatedly re-apply it. Hm, wrist pain with a regular mouse or inconvenience of re-applying tape? I'll take the tape problem, thank you. As long as this mouse continues to work, I'll keep fixing it. It's the only one that I've found is comfortable. In fact, I'm so happy with it that I bought the corded version to take it's place and I'm taking the damaged wireless one home to use with my new laptop. I'm more likely to re-glue it regularly (rather than play with tape just to get things done) if I have it at home where my glue is. A redesign of the housing for this mouse that makes the body seamless where the joystick meets the base would solve this issue.I recommend this mouse.

My carpal tunnel got so bad it was difficult for me to turn a door nob. It was designed by the Norwegiansbut they did not do a good marketing job in the u.s. at the time I ordered it. It was bought and sold by a couple of companies before 3M purchased it.I have purchased other products that advertise as being ergonomic since then, but that was just "good" marketing but not well designed to be ergonomic at all.