The Unimouse: Is This the Cure for Mouse Arm Disease?

A review of the ergonomically adjustable Contour Unimouse.

The Contour Unimouse. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

The Contour Unimouse. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

The Contour Unimouse is a classic left-click/right-click/scroll wheel mouse, but with an ergonomic twist: by tilting the hinge and repositioning the thumb support, the Unimouse lets you dramatically change the way you rest your hand as you use your computer during the day.

The Importance of Ergonomics

The Unimouse can rest at any angleranging from 35 to 70 degrees. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

The Unimouse can rest at any angle ranging from 35 to 70 degrees. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

I typically shy away from using mice. It’s not because I hate them, but because they tend to trigger repetitive strain injury (RSI) issues in my wrist. This is not an uncommon problem, and Wikipedia lists several hilarious names for RSI variants: iPod finger, mouse arm disease, raver’s wrist and Emacs pinky, to name a few.

The Unimouse offers two main ways to guard against mouse arm disease: the device’s adjustable base and articulating thumb support. You simply push on the part of the mouse you want to reposition, and it will smoothly readjust through friction. The hand rest ranges from 35 to 70 degrees, allowing users to achieve a horizontal or vertical mouse position. The thumb rest is on a ball-and-socket joint that pivots forward and backward, meaning you can position it in almost any way you like.

The articulating thumb support can be easily repositioned to suit a user’s preference. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

The articulating thumb support can be easily repositioned to suit a user’s preference. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

Because of the Unimouse, I’ve used a mouse more in the last few weeks than I have in the past 10 years. The adjustability of the base and thumb support contribute to a much more comfortable resting position for your hand, and the ability to make tiny adjustments throughout the day helps combat repetitive strain.

Functions of the Unimouse. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

Functions of the Unimouse. (Image courtesy of Contour.)

I would recommend the Unimouse for the ergonomic benefits alone, but it does have some other selling points. For one, it’s got six customizable buttons (left, middle, right, scroll, and two above the thumb rest), as well as other adjustable settings like cursor speed. I did have some technical trouble mapping the buttons to the appropriate function, but Contour support was quick and responsive in addressing the issue. The Unimouse is also available wired or wireless (it’s not Bluetooth, however, so you’ll have to take up a USB port with its wireless dongle). Both versions sell for $79.99.

People are particular about how they like to work, so it’s impossible to say whether or not the Unimouse will offer any value to your workflow. However, I can personally attest to its ability to relieve wrist strain and provide a comfortable hand rest. If you’ve suffered from RSI issues yourself—or just want to prevent them from occurring—the Contour Unimouse is an option well worth considering.

To learn more about the Unimouse, visit the Unimouse website.

Written by

Michael Alba

Michael is a senior editor at engineering.com. He covers computer hardware, design software, electronics, and more. Michael holds a degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Alberta.