
Ask HN: Good keyboard and mouse to mitigate RSI? - davedx
Hi all,<p>I&#x27;ve recently been working for two clients at once, meaning occasional 50-60 hour weeks, and noticed that I started having a twingy, aching pain in my fingers from all the typing. At the moment I exclusively use my Macbook Pro without any external keyboard or mouse. At my main job I work in an office with a pretty comfortable desk and chair; for the other client I work at home on a comfortable chair and table but probably not at the best height.<p>What are your recommendations for good external peripherals to try and ward off RSI? I&#x27;m thinking specifically a good keyboard and mouse combination for programming, which is most of what I do.<p>Very grateful for any suggestions!
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zenexer
This might not be the answer you're looking for, but I've found that posture--
particularly the angle of my elbows and wrists--makes a huge difference. I've
been told that my elbows and wrists shouldn't be wresting on anything, my
elbows should be at 90-degree angles, and my wrists should be flat. (This
means the keyboard has to be at the correct height, just barely lower than
your elbows.)

Squishy rests and such feel nice at first, but the feeling doesn't last,
especially if you're using a computer for more than an hour. You end up moving
your wrists too much.

I do like a good keyboard; my current favorite is a high-profile Topre
Realforce keyboard. However, I'm under no illusion that the keyboard makes a
difference in terms of RSI. It just like how it sounds and feels.

The hardest adjustment for me was keeping my wrists up when I type. To
encourage correct posture, I now keep my keyboard on the very edge of the desk
so there's nothing for my wrists to rest on. It's also a bit difficult to find
a desk that's the correct height--most are too high--but it's definitely
possible. If you get one with a keyboard tray, make sure the tray is large
enough to fit your mouse, too; personally, I need the same posture for my
mouse as for my keyboard. It's often easier to get a shorter desk and raise
your screen than it is to get a higher desk with a reasonably-sized keyboard
tray.

~~~
davedx
Thanks a lot for the advice, I appreciate it.

