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0 pointsahelwer5y ago0 comments

The three most impactful things you can do to avoid wrist injuries are:

(1) Ensuring your chair, desk, and keyboard are set up so your wrists are straight when typing

(2) Using a split/tilted keyboard so your wrists do not need to rotate as much when you type

(3) Using a vertical mouse so your wrist does not need to rotate as much when mousing

You can accomplish all of this for very cheap. A bit more than you're spending, but not an order of magnitude more (unless your desk or chair are very bad). Once you get into mechanical keyswitches or exotic keyboard layouts you're just messing around imo. Membrane keyboards are fine. They're fine! And very quiet.

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rickyc0915y ago

While I have an ergodox, I completely agree with this. I'm still suffering from some RSI, but following this has helped me tremendously. I also want to add, just as you're suppose to turn away from the monitor every once in a while, make sure you stretch out your hands/arms and return it into the neutral position.

For those looking for a cheap split keyboard, a used microsoft sculpt can be found around $40 on eBay.

madhadron5y ago

I second the Microsoft Sculpt as one of the most comfortable keyboards I have ever found. Unfortunately, I seem to destroy one in about two years.

Tarsul5y ago

I'd add (or even put on top): Work out. There's nothing better than working your muscles to prevent injuries. Even hand grippers help already.

ahelwerOP5y ago

Yes, this has also helped me (at one point my wrists were bad enough I had to start mousing with my non-dominant hand). It seems like pulling exercises such as deadlifts or pull-ups or just rock climbing in general help the most.

jchook5y ago

Which cheap split keyboard do you use?

ahelwerOP5y ago

Currently I use the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, an enormous dinosaur which can reliably be bought for $20 used. I had the Microsoft Sculpt keyboard for a few years before that, which I liked, but the build quality was very bad and I had two break on me.

I'm going to switch to either a goldtouch or kinesis freestyle soon, since I don't like the number pad. Those are $80-$120 but I hope the build quality will pay off in the long run.

jchook5y ago

Thanks! I'll check those out.

I have the Kenesis Freestyle2 and I find it unusable without retraining much of my muscle memory.

1. The extra 2 columns of keys on the left edge somehow reliably disorients me.

2. the lack of an extra (potentially redundant) row of keys on the inner edges throws me off b/c I tend to reach across the middle from either side, e.g. press B with my right hand.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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rickyc0915y ago

For those looking for a cheap split keyboard, a used microsoft sculpt can be found around $40 on eBay.

madhadron5y ago

I second the Microsoft Sculpt as one of the most comfortable keyboards I have ever found. Unfortunately, I seem to destroy one in about two years.

Tarsul5y ago

I'd add (or even put on top): Work out. There's nothing better than working your muscles to prevent injuries. Even hand grippers help already.

ahelwerOP5y ago

jchook5y ago

Which cheap split keyboard do you use?

ahelwerOP5y ago

I'm going to switch to either a goldtouch or kinesis freestyle soon, since I don't like the number pad. Those are $80-$120 but I hope the build quality will pay off in the long run.

jchook5y ago

Thanks! I'll check those out.

I have the Kenesis Freestyle2 and I find it unusable without retraining much of my muscle memory.

1. The extra 2 columns of keys on the left edge somehow reliably disorients me.

2. the lack of an extra (potentially redundant) row of keys on the inner edges throws me off b/c I tend to reach across the middle from either side, e.g. press B with my right hand.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse