Clicking the average computer mouse can lead to pain in the wrists, hands, arms, and anywhere in the upper body, a condition commonly known as Repetitive Strain Injury [1]. RSI affects nerves and soft tissue such as muscles and tendons. Ignore it at your peril—untreated, it can cause chronic pain, decreased range of motion, and permanent nerve damage.

I was once laid up for nearly three weeks with inflammation, pain, muscle spasms, and numbness in my arms, wrists, and elsewhere. After loads of rest, icepacks, hot baths, physical therapy, and a litany of mind-body experiments that happily ended with yoga [1], I eventually returned to my PC, newly de-stressed, aware of my seated posture, and evangelical about ergonomic computer design.

A handful of funny-looking mice and oddball input devices such as touchpads and tablets can help reduce painful computing. After trying several, each effective in their own way, I kept three attached all at once. With this apparent overkill solution, I can switch devices throughout the day and achieve the ultimate goal of avoiding repeated movements. After all, you don’t want a new mouse to simply injure a different set of muscles.

The five options below include the three I regularly use and two others I tested. Start with one and see how your body reacts; try alternating it with your old mouse. If you eventually go the multi-device route, as I did, be sure you have enough available ports (most plug into a USB, like a digital camera or a printer). Some can be pricey, so check with your employer about covering it. Most of all, remember that painful clicking calls for a doctor’s visit and lifestyle changes. Your mouse, new or old, will work better combined with other treatments.

Smart Cat PRO® Touchpad

With the Smart Cat Touchpad [2], you can get rid of the mouse altogether. The device plugs into either a PS/2 port (a standard round mouse jack) or a USB port, and works just like a laptop touchpad except that you can pick it up and use various fingers, including your thumb. You can even rest it in your palm, use a finger from the opposite hand, and then switch. Page-scrolling and zooming are controlled with a slide of the finger. Tap the pad twice to select, or click a button—your choice. The Smart Cat PRO has four bonus "hotlinks," which can be programmed to do whatever you like: launch programs, control the browser or perform other specific actions you choose.

Compatible with: PC (PS/2 or USB port) or Mac (USB only), right or left hand.

Who should use it: Heavy clickers with sore index fingers. (Those with sensitivity or numbness should probably avoid all touchpads.)

Cost: $69.95 for PS/2, $74.95 for USB port

available in black or white

Where to Buy: Amazon [3] PS/2 [4] USB [5]

Aiptek HyperPen 8000U/8000U Pro tablet and stylus

With the Aiptek HyperPen 8000U [6] or 8000U Pro [7], you guide a wireless pressure-sensitive stylus over an 8" x 6" flat surface, holding it as naturally as you would a pen. The cursor moves on the screen in the same direction as your arm; tapping lightly equals a click. If you’ve ever used a ballpoint pen, you’re already proficient. Because Aitpek’s tablets were created for designers and visual artists, they’re highly accurate for pain-free pointing and navigation (as well as drawing free-hand, if that’s your thing). The comfortable motion uses the whole arm instead of isolating a single muscle, and switching hands requires no reprogramming of buttons. Users can "punch" a row of virtual F1-F12 "keys" by touching them with the stylus. Decent handwriting recognition isn’t ideal for heavy use, but will convert your long-hand to text for a quick email or note. A wireless traditional mouse may make certain tasks easier, and can help keep your movements varied. The Pro edition mouse also has a scroll wheel.

Compatible with: Mac OS 9.x or PC, right or left hand

Who should use it: People whose fingertips are too sensitive for either a touchpad or a traditional mouse.

Cost: $89.99-$99.99

Where to Buy: Amazon [8]

Evoluent™ VerticalMouse™ 2

Conventional mouse design encourages your forearm to twist unnaturally as your palm faces down. Vertical arm movements, such as handshakes, are more natural, and the EVOLUENT VerticalMouse 2 [9] encourages this type of grip. Except for being flipped sideways, the VerticalMouse 2 works just like a regular mouse—you use the same fingers for the same buttons. An optical sensor controls the cursor and seems jumpy at first—the pointer flies across the whole screen with just a half-inch of movement, but this hyper-sensitivity is intentional. The faster the cursor moves, Evoluent says, the fewer hand movements you make. After using it for a while, I adapted. The five buttons can be programmed, and Windows users can also take advantage of a "rest break reminder" feature, which tells you when it’s time to stretch your legs and fingers. You have to choose either a right-hand or left-hand model (no sharing mouse duty unless you buy one of each)—and lefties pay more.

Compatible with: Mac (USB only) or PC (PS/2 or USB), either right or left hand

Who should use it: People whose symptoms are few and whose mouse-ing muscles are still strong enough to click.

Cost: $59.97 for right hand; $79.99 for left hand

Where to Buy: Amazon carries both right hand models [10] and left hand models [11]

Zero Tension Mouse™

People have different dimensions, so this lightweight vertical mouse [12] comes in three sizes. It has molded finger grooves and a cradle where you can rest your hand, and a thumb-operable scroll wheel up top. To avoid painful arm extension, you must sit close to your desk while using it, with your elbow right at your side. Although this can feel restrictive at first, it’s deceptively beneficial, since that’s the healthiest posture while sitting at your computer anyway. Like the tablet and stylus, you use the larger muscles in your arm instead of your small ones in your hand and wrist. The large size I tested comes in translucent aqua blue plastic reminiscent of the original iMac. (Small and medium sizes are simply black.) Lefties and hand-switchers are out of luck, although you can probably work longer on this mouse without pain in the first place.

Compatible with: Mac or PC, USB only, right hand only.

Who should use it: Right-handed clickers who need encouragement to improve their posture.

Cost: $79.95

Where to Buy: ZeroTensionMouse.com [13]

Logitech Marble Mouse™ trackball

The symmetrical design of the Marble Mouse [14] makes it equally functional for left-handed or right-handed users, or for power-clickers who should switch hands more often to relieve tension on the dominant side. The six-and-a-half inch stationary base is large enough to rest your hand on it in a relaxed position, while the fingers roll the ball. Precision control takes some time to master, but quickly becomes easier. Given the Marble Mouse’s size, it’s excellent for people with bigger hands or longer fingers, which are often unnaturally arched over average mice.

Compatible with: Mac or PC (P/S2 or USB port); right or left hand

Who should use it: mouse users uninterested in learning a newfangled input device; anyone with large hands, long fingers, or a limited budget.

Cost: $16.99

Where to Buy: Amazon [15]