RSI, tenosynovitis, or whatever you call it personally, it hurts. RSI stands for repetitive strain injury and this affliction is usually linked with typists. That’s not to say that other manual, as well as sporting, actions won’t give rise to this painful, and somewhat debilitating, condition but, in the case of keyboarditis (that’s my personal name for it), there are things out there to prevent the condition coming on.

In our modern world, there has been a huge increase in the number of people with RSI, the pain occurring in the hand, arm, neck and shoulder. There’s also been a huge increase in the number of people working hour upon hour at a computer, without looking at the ergonomics of their own personal situation.

Ergonomics – a modern world word. It means the study of the application of biology and engineering to the relationship between workers and their environment. In other words, making the working environment fit the individual’s needs. And we all need that, don’t we?

So, if your office chair and office desk are in alignment (you’ll know this is the case, if your lower arm glides smoothly towards, and onto, the desk and keyboard, without any major climb or descent needed in the wrist area), you’re already sitting pretty and so now we can concentrate on what’s happening with those wrists and fingers.

The last few years have seen a realisation that left-handed people benefit from a left-handed mouse. If you’re right-handed, the only way you may truly appreciate this is to find someone who is using a left-handed mouse and for you to try to keep your clicking speed up with your non-dominant hand.

But we now have an answer to this RSI- cum- left and right handed keyboard problem in the Contour Rollermouse Red. This new design mouse is placed centrally in front of your keyboard and means that you don’t have to regularly reach to the right (or to the left) for the mouse. The textured roller bar is built for two-handed use and has five buttons, which offer right click, left click, a double click, copy and paste. While you might be thinking that the movement of your neck, shoulder, elbow, arm, wrist and hand are minimal, don’t forget that that is how the condition starts in the first place. It’s the repetition of those minimal and, dare I say it, insignificant, movements which make a mountain out of a molehill.

While you’re on, you could also buy the support rest which fits round the Contour Rollermouse Red, as that will make that horizontal passage from wrist to keyboard is smooth and comfortable.

There, an ergonomic keyboard and mouse to complement your ergonomic office. What could be better?