Don’t Repeat My Ergo Mistakes

Avoid this handful of ergo pitfalls for a longer, healthier career

Avoiding long hours at the desk is the best way to prevent mouse-and-keyboard-related repetitive stress injury. If you’re like me, however, that’s just not realistic.

I code furiously for a living, I’m writing a book, I’ve been diagnosed with bilateral tendinopathy, and I’ve had to take unplanned time away from the keyboard to heal while I reconsidered my whole ergo setup. Don’t make the same mistakes I have: Buying stuff that seemed ergo, but wasn’t actually a perfect fit. Do it right the first time. Your wallet will thank you in the long run.

Image by Yamavu on Wikimedia Commons; avoid the footrest by getting the right desk.

Buying optimal ergonomic equipment the first time around will save you time—precious time wasted going to the doctor, attending occupational therapy, and reselling or returning gear. It will save you money: When you buy premium gear the first go around and never look back, you avoid wasting money buying a series of lesser tools that lose value as soon as you open the box. If your career at the keyboard is long and successful, you’ll end up needing and buying the premium stuff eventually anyway.

This is not a comprehensive guide to attaining an ergonomic desk setup. Here I just detail a few pitfalls I encountered on my path to an ergo workstation.