Ask HN: What ergonomic keyboard/mouse do you recommend?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5647404

by songzme • 13 years ago

12 17 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

After a few years of typing and coding on my macbook, I've recently discovered a slight discomfort in my wrist. Now I'm starting to realize the importance of ergonomic keyboard/mouse.

So, what makes a good ergonomic keyboard or mouse? What should one be looking for? Also, are there any ergonomic keyboards for mac? Most of them seem to be made by microsoft.

drothlis• 13 years ago

The microsoft keyboards work well enough on Macs: http://david.rothlis.net/keyboards/microsoft_natural_osx/

rpwilcox• 13 years ago

The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 is just an awesome keyboard.

I bought my first copy of this keyboard when my wrists started hurting about 5 years ago. It was the only keyboard in the store where my wrists didn't hurt just looking at the thing.

(I solved my wrist problem by going to the physical therapist - they recommended stretches for my particular injury. I also took the arms off my office chair, as my particular injury was caused by resting my elbows too long on the armrest. AND I switched to the MS 4000 AND I switched to Dvorak.)

I _thought_ the trick to many ergo keyboards was the split keyboard, so you can keep your wrists parallel to your forearms instead of having to bend your wrists out to get your fingers parallel to each other. But not sure how much of that is fact and how much of it is folklore.

songzme5• 13 years ago

Nice! I'm going to go with this keyboard based on your recommendation, because I also just switched to Dvorak and it's great to know that this keyboard worked for someone typing on Dvorak layout. Thank you!

slidetrip• 13 years ago

I have been a programmer for 22 years. I started having that problem. Don't rest your wrist on anything for very long. Stretch your wrist by bending your hand in a few directions. And for sure, get up often. I didn't get up enough, and it ruined my legs and hips. Had to get both hips replaced. A little DMSO might bring down the swelling in your wrists. Google, "DMSO" and see how to use it. Wash before putting it on your skin.

songzme5• 13 years ago

wow! Thanks for sharing your experience. I will make sure I get up often.

abraham_s2• 13 years ago

http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/contoured.htm

I personally know 2 people who had their wrist pains go away after they started using this keyboard.

songzme5• 13 years ago

I did some research, and I think at this point I'm going to go with this: Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. :D

abraham_s2• 13 years ago

I would recommend switching to Dvorak layout,if you have the time and energy to do that. I switched to Dvorak a year ago and the amount of wrist/finger movement is much less than that with Qwerty(I did it to increase my typing speed, not because of RSI).

uvtc• 13 years ago

My hands feel so much better using the Contoured. Especially when you include:

  * a trackpad you can mount in the middle of it, and
  * a footstool so you can place the keyboard on your lap.

eli• 13 years ago

Both wrists or just the dominant one?

I gave up on a mouse entirely and switched to a Wacom tablet full time. There's a learning curve for sure, but it basically cured my wrist discomfort. Plus you can have lots of fun in Photoshop. It did end my first person shooter hobby though.

songzme5• 13 years ago

haha first person shooter on a Wacom? Must be a sight to see, can you make a vine? :D

PonyGumbo• 13 years ago

Funny - I switched to an Apple keyboard a few years ago because I found it much more comfortable to have a keyboard with shorter key travel.

songzme5• 13 years ago

But I did hear that Apple keyboard is horrible for your wrists. I've been using the apple keyboard with my iMac for a few years and then recently I started noticing wrist pains. Correlation is not causation, but just to be on the safe side I'm going to get a more ergonomic keyboard.

codemonkeymike• 13 years ago

Das keyboard, nothing beats that 80's IBM style and mechanical push distance, so light on the fingers you barley even have to push down.

meerita• 13 years ago

I would recommend you a mechanical keyboard or a capacitative one. They cost a lot, but they endure for years and typing in a mechanical keyboard just kick ass all other ergonomic keyboards imho.

ScottWhigham• 13 years ago

I have the wired Microsoft keyboard and it is fabulous. I switched to the wireless Logitech keyboard and it is terrible for productivity. It's like those Dell/HP keyboards where the keys are smaller and crammed closer together. It also doesn't have much of a curve to it. I would not buy it again nor would I recommend it, but the Microsoft keyboard is a definite winner.

Ask HN: What ergonomic keyboard/mouse do you recommend?

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