Computer mouse and arthritis

I have arthritic hands and have used a track ball for years.

It depends very much on which digits are affected and how badly, for instance, those track balls where the thumb is used are useless for me. Also whether there are any wrist problems.

- Angela

An ergonomic vertical mouse is what one of my colleagues used who had the same problem. It's a bit weird to use to start off but surprisingly comfortable.
You don't need to use much pressure to use it at all.
You can get them from Amazon for various prices, just read peoples reviews to choose the right one for you

I am left handed and got to the stage I ould not use the mouse because of pain. I moved it to my right hand to allow my left to become pain free and that appears to work. A few weeks using each hand is fine for me but I am not at work but I am rarely off this apparatus.

You can get a touchpad thing to use instead of a mouse, like the ones on laptops but larger. I know they were available for Macs but I don't know if they work with PCs.

I find using a very small mouse helps. A standard size mouse is very uncomfortable for me. When I was still working I learnt to use the middle rather than the index finger for most things. I also used splints. I was given them by the Hand Therapist but you can buy them on Amazon. I also found a separate small keyboard much easier when typing than the standard PC keyboard. If you can't find something that suits you, you can ask Access to Work (run by the DWP) to do an assessment.