Maximize your comfort with the Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000
People love the comfort of the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. In fact, it has become the best-selling wired keyboard in the United States. Because of its popularity, we’re now offering it as part of the most comfortable Microsoft desktop set ever: The Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000. This new desktop set offers 2.4 GHz wireless technology with up to 30-foot range, and includes the new Natural mouse—the first Microsoft mouse to be awarded the well-known ”Natural” name.

Did you know that the mouse is used three times as much as the keyboard*? This fact makes it clear that your mouse is an extremely important component of your overall PC experience. This article offers helpful tips for maximizing your comfort while using this extraordinary new mouse.

As you will immediately notice, the Natural mouse features a unique shape. This peculiar design—both taller and more spherical than a traditional mouse—was created to more precisely fit the relaxed posture of your hand. The result? Now you can navigate in unprecedented comfort.

Because the Natural mouse is shaped differently than a traditional mouse, it should be held differently, as well. Rather than approaching the mouse at a horizontal angle (as you would a traditional mouse), approach the Natural mouse with your hand postured vertically. As you get started, try resting your hand vertically to the right side of the mouse, then wrapping your hand over it to get the feel of this more natural position.

A vertical approach helps you maintain a more neutral wrist posture while rotating the area of the hand that contacts the desk off the sensitive carpal tunnel area, and onto the heartier side of your hand. If you find that your hand is too short to reach the buttons while using the mouse in this manner, try using a padded wrist rest with your mouse, which will both lift your hand and enhance your overall comfort.

Another difference between the Natural mouse and a traditional mouse is that the Natural mouse enables you can to angle your mouse to help straighten your wrist. Usually, a mouse lies parallel with the edge of your keyboard. But the Natural mouse can provide a more neutral posture when it’s angled to the left.

To see why this works, lay your forearm and hand on a desktop, pinky side down, and straighten your wrist so that it aligns with your arm. You’ll notice that your fingers angle subtly to the left when your wrist is held straight. Now, holding the same posture, slip the mouse into your hand; this will give you a good idea of how holding the mouse at an angle can provide a more neutral, comfortable wrist posture.

The Natural mouse also enables you to control the weight of your mouse. Using both batteries, of course, provides maximum battery life. However, the mouse functions just fine with a single battery, which decreases its overall weight. The charge will last roughly half as long, but removing one of the batteries is a great option for people who prefer to work with a lighter mouse. (Note that this trick works with most Microsoft wireless mice.)

Some people prefer to move the Natural mouse using their entire arm, rather than their wrist and fingers only. This option can provide a soothing variation for those long work days when your body gets fatigued (remember to stand and stretch, now and then!).

Finally, if you'd like to reduce the distance you must reach to use your mouse, you can try a slightly different desktop layout—slide your keyboard toward the back of your desk, and position your mouse in front of the keyboard. This configuration allows you to reach your mouse more easily (reducing shoulder rotation), and you can support your arms on the tabletop if you choose. Be careful not to rest your arms on sharp edges, however, and avoid applying pressure to the sensitive areas at your wrist and elbow.

We hope you enjoy experimenting with some of these different options for using your Natural mouse—available as a standalone mouse, or in the Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000. Everyone’s body and workstation is different, so take the time to try out a few options to maximize your comfort. Happy, healthy computing!

*Chang, C., Menendez, C., Amick, B., Johnson, P., Katz, J., Robertson, M., Dennerlein, J., 2006: Increased computer usage is associated with the reporting of MSD symptoms in 27 university students,. International Ergonomics Association Conference.