As I think back to my journey from first pain to my current, pain-free, ergonomic desk setup, I remember my computer input devices at a previous job. Almost 15 years ago, I started noticing pain in my upper arms, near my shoulders. I was confused, because I wasn't injured. But I spent most of my weekdays at my desk, using a full-size, standard, flat keyboard and my old faithful Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical. Little did I know at the time, hours and hours a day of forcing my hands from a vertical, handshake position to an inward, bending, flat position, was no good for me.
Over the years, I've taken my desk ergonomics more seriously, and have tried and tested many input devices. Watch this video with my co-worker, Dan Nelson, as we talk about my new, expensive, ergonomic split keyboard—the just released Dygma Defy, and my inexpensive vertical trackball mouse, the Nulea M506. Reviews of both products, plus mentions of other devices I've tried along the way, are in episode 9 of Show Me Your Setup.
The inexpensive Nulea Wired Trackball Mouse has provided me with a pain-free right hand, wrist, arm, and shoulder experience. This is after trying many different trackball devices and vertical, ergonomic mouse designs of varying costs.
The Dygma Defy split keyboard is a whole new ballgame of ergonomic customization, especially as it pertains to re-learning to type, with its split design and unique, minimalist layout, and settling on a software layout using its special, programmable keys. My early review is in this episode. Dan asks a lot of good questions and adds insight from his own ergonomic journey.
Are you thinking about ergonomics in your setup? We'd love to hear from you. Simply email us with your thoughts, ideas, plans, and photos. You may even want to be a guest on our show to talk to us about your setup!
