RollerMouse and keyboard combo

The mouse that sits in front of your keyboard

Does your shoulder or arm ache after a long day at your desk? Reaching for the mouse again and again can be part of the reason. RollerMouse puts the pointer in front of your keyboard, and our combo pairs it with a Balance Keyboard made to match it in height and width. The keys sit right behind the rollerbar, so your hands stay where you type. Here's why the reach matters, how RollerMouse works and why the keyboard matters too.

See the combo
RollerMouse and keyboard combo: Contour RollerMouse Red in front of a keyboard, hands in typing position

What is a RollerMouse and keyboard combo?

It's a combo where RollerMouse sits directly in front of a low keyboard, and the two are made to match each other in height and width. Instead of a mouse beside the keyboard, you control the pointer with a rollerbar just in front of the keys.

Why does reaching for the mouse matter?

With a regular mouse, your arm reaches out to the side about 600 times a day1. Your arm swings out from your shoulder and your wrist tenses. With RollerMouse in front of the keyboard, both arms work close to your body.

RollerMouse combo. Your hands stay on the keys.

Animation seen from above. Top: a person types on a Balance Keyboard with RollerMouse Red Plus, and both hands stay on the keys. Bottom: a person types on a regular keyboard, and one hand keeps leaving it to reach the mouse.

Regular mouse. Your hand leaves the keyboard to reach the mouse.

Arms close to your body, shoulders relaxed

When the mouse sits to the side, you reach out every time you use it, and your shoulder works all day. With RollerMouse in the centre, your arms stay close to your body, which can reduce strain on your shoulder and forearm.

Both hands do the work

With a regular mouse, your dominant hand does all the pointing. With RollerMouse, you can share the work between your left and right hands, so your dominant arm doesn't take all the strain. It works just as well for left-handed users.

A shorter path between typing and pointing

Your hands stay on the keyboard when you switch between typing and pointing. Programmable buttons give you shortcuts to the things you do most.

So how do you point without reaching out to the side? That's what the rollerbar is for.

How does RollerMouse work?

You type, roll, click and keep typing, without lifting your hands from the keyboard.

How to move the pointer with RollerMouse: roll the bar up and down with your finger to move the pointer up and down, and slide it left or right to move it sideways.

  1. Roll

    Move the pointer by rolling the rollerbar up and down and sliding it left and right with your fingers or thumbs.

  2. Click

    Press the rollerbar to click. On RollerMouse Red, buttons for copy, paste and more sit just below the bar, and several buttons can be programmed with your own shortcuts.

  3. Keep typing

    Your hands never leave the keyboard.

Research

What does the research show?

A study at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden compared a centred rollerbar with a regular mouse in laboratory tests. The tests measured muscle activity and perceived strain, not pain.

79% less activity in the muscle that lifts your arm forward2

What the study found

With the centred rollerbar, activity in selected shoulder and forearm muscles was lower than with a regular mouse, and participants felt less strain in the hand and arm.

2 Kumar R, Kumar S. A comparison of muscular activity involved in the use of two different types of computer mouse. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2008; 14(3): 305–311. Randomised crossover laboratory study, 15 participants, Luleå University of Technology and University of North Texas; mean normalised anterior-deltoid EMG 79% lower with a centred rollerbar than with a conventional mouse during short pointing and dragging tasks. Perceived hand and arm strain was also lower.

What do users say?

88% of the 108 customers we surveyed in Sweden and Norway said RollerMouse made work more comfortable or more enjoyable

88% of the 233 customers we surveyed in Denmark, Sweden and Norway have recommended RollerMouse to others

"Helps keep wrists and shoulders in a neutral position, preventing ulnar deviation in the wrist and rounding of the shoulders."

Zeena Dhalla

"The RollerMouse Pro is a very ergonomic and useful product, particularly for individuals who have any kind of limited or restricted hand movement."

Dave Cryer
Geekanoids

"It's a complete mouse replacement. It's just super comfortable to use, and your workflow becomes much quicker."

Adam Taylor
EposVox

Why does the keyboard matter?

RollerMouse is only as good as the keyboard behind it. If your keyboard is tall or wide, the keys end up too far from the rollerbar and you're back to stretching. That's why our combo pairs Contour RollerMouse Red with a Balance Keyboard with UK layout, a keyboard made to sit directly behind the rollerbar.

Matched height and width

Balance Keyboard is made to match RollerMouse Red. At only 13 mm high, it sits flush against the rollerbar, so you don't need risers. At 399 mm wide, it's no wider than RollerMouse Red, so your arms can stay close to your body.

Joined into one unit, with adjustable tilt

With SnapLinks, which come with the combo, you attach the keyboard to RollerMouse Red so they sit together as one unit on the desk. Balance Keyboard has fold-out legs for both positive and negative tilt, and SnapLinks also raise its front edge, so you can try different angles until you find the one that feels best when you type.

Same app for both

Both come from Contour and are set up in the same app, Contour Personalization, where you program shortcuts on both RollerMouse and the keyboard.

Made to work together

Contour RollerMouse Red + Balance Keyboard

RollerMouse Red Plus with a recycled-aluminium chassis and memory-foam wrist rest

6 buttons and 7 programmable shortcuts

Adjustable speed in 10 steps, 600–2800 DPI

Balance Keyboard with British layout, scissor-switch keys, adjustable tilt and 17 programmable shortcuts

SnapLinks that join the keyboard and the roller mouse

See the combo
Contour RollerMouse Red and Balance Keyboard, joined with SnapLinks

Free delivery in 1–5 working days within Europe and a 30-day money-back guarantee. UK: 7–14 working days, and import VAT and duties are paid by the customer. Looking for RollerMouse on its own or another size? See all RollerMouse models.

Can your employer pay for it?

It's worth asking. In the UK and across the EU, employers must check how a screen workstation is set up and fix what they find. You're making that easy for them.

You're not asking for an upgrade because you'd like one. You're naming a specific problem and the specific thing that helps. If your shoulder or arm aches when you reach for the mouse, talk to your manager. Many larger organisations also have someone who handles workstation assessments: ask HR who it is, or go to your health and safety representative or your union. Answer 6 questions and we'll draft the email to your manager for you.

How to ask your employer

Frequently asked questions

Will RollerMouse fit my current keyboard?

It can, if your keyboard is low and compact. If the keyboard is tall or wide, the keys end up too far from the rollerbar. Keyboard risers can help line things up, but the easiest option is a ready-made combo where the keyboard already has the right height and width.

How long does it take to get used to RollerMouse?

Expect a few days to a week. Give it a week of daily use before you decide. Either way, you have 30 days to try it.

Does it work with Mac?

Yes. RollerMouse Red works with both Mac and Windows, as a wireless model or with a USB cable. Balance Keyboard is set to Windows by default, but you can switch to Mac mode with a key combination. The instructions are in the manual.

Can left-handed people use RollerMouse?

Yes. The rollerbar sits in the middle, so it works just as well with your left hand, your right hand or both.

Wireless or wired: which should I choose?

Choose wireless if you want a desk without cables or work in more than one place. It connects via Bluetooth or a USB receiver, and the battery lasts about 3 months. Choose wired (USB) if you'd rather not charge it.

Can I use a regular mouse at the same time as RollerMouse?

Yes. You can keep your regular mouse plugged in and switch between them, for example during the first few days while you get used to it.

Can I program the buttons?

Yes. Contour RollerMouse Red has 6 buttons, including copy and paste, and 7 programmable shortcuts that you set up in the Contour Personalization app.

What does DPI mean on RollerMouse?

DPI is how far the pointer moves when you roll the bar. A lower setting, for example 600 DPI, gives a slower, more precise pointer, while a higher DPI suits people who work with several or large screens. On RollerMouse Red you adjust the speed in 10 steps, from 600 to 2800 DPI.

What is the best keyboard and mouse?

It depends on how you work. Choose a low keyboard with RollerMouse in front if you type a lot, often switch between keyboard and pointer, or want to share the work between both hands, because you don't need to move your hand to a mouse at the side. If you prefer an upright, handshake grip and don't type much, a vertical mouse may be enough. Want to compare more types? Read our comparison of ergonomic mice.

Is RollerMouse good for RSI?

RSI (repetitive strain injury) is an umbrella term for overuse problems in the hand, arm and shoulder. RollerMouse takes away two common sources of strain, reaching to the side and gripping the mouse, but it's an ergonomic accessory, not a treatment. If you already have symptoms, talk to your GP or occupational health. Read more about RSI: symptoms and what helps.

Can I try it and send it back?

Yes. You have a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try your combo at your own desk and send it back if it isn't right for you. You can pay with Klarna or other payment methods, and delivery usually takes 1–5 working days within Europe and 7–14 to the UK.

Ready to stop reaching for the mouse?

Get RollerMouse and a matching Balance Keyboard in one box, or find out how to raise it with your employer.

See the comboAsk your employer
Sources

1 Johnson PW, Hagberg M, Wigaeus Hjelm E, Rempel D. Measuring and characterizing force exposures during computer mouse use. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 2000; 26(5): 398–405. The mouse was used 78 times per hour on average during regular work at participants’ own workstations (n=16). “600 a day” assumes an 8-hour computer day.

2 Kumar R, Kumar S. A comparison of muscular activity involved in the use of two different types of computer mouse. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2008; 14(3): 305–311. Randomised crossover laboratory study, 15 participants, Luleå University of Technology and University of North Texas; mean normalised anterior-deltoid EMG 79% lower with a centred rollerbar than with a conventional mouse during short pointing and dragging tasks. Perceived hand and arm strain was also lower.

3 Online survey of 233 Contour customers in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, April 2024, commissioned by Contour. Self-reported; agreement = 5–7 on a 1–7 scale; any RollerMouse model. Swedish and Norwegian question: “…ökat komforten och/eller arbetsglädjen” / “…økt komfort og/eller arbeidsglede” (“…increased comfort and/or joy at work”): 95 of 108 agreed (88%).

4 Same survey. “Have you ever recommended RollerMouse to others?” (translated): 206 of 233 said yes (88%).

RollerMouse, UniMouse, SliderMouse and Balance are ergonomic computer accessories and are not medical devices.