How do I choose a keyboard and mouse that do not hurt to use?

Discomfort at a desk usually comes from the position the whole arm is held in for hours, not from the object under the hand. That is why people replace a mouse, feel better for a fortnight, and then feel worse again. It is worth fixing in the right order, because the first two changes are free and the third is the one people start with.

Step by step

1. Fix the height and position first.Elbows roughly at a right angle, forearms level with the desk, wrists straight rather than bent up or sideways, shoulders down. If the desk is too high, raise the chair and put something under your feet. This costs nothing and is the largest single factor.
2. Bring the mouse closer to your body.A full-size keyboard with a number pad pushes the mouse a hand's width further out, so the shoulder works all day to hold the arm there. A keyboard without a number pad, or one with the pad on the left, is one of the most effective changes available.
3. Match the mouse to your hand size.Too small and the hand claws; too large and the fingers stretch. Your palm should rest on the body with the fingers relaxed over the buttons. This is a fitting exercise, and hand size matters far more than any feature list.
4. Consider what a vertical mouse actually changes.It holds the forearm in a neutral position, like a handshake, instead of rotated flat. For people with forearm pain this can help a great deal. It takes about a week to adjust to, and it is not a universal answer.
5. Try a trackball or a large trackpad if the wrist is the problem.Both move the pointer without moving the arm, which suits a small desk or someone whose discomfort comes from repeated reaching. They need a period of adjustment and are a genuine alternative rather than a gimmick.
6. Decide what you want from the keys.Low-travel laptop-style keys are quiet and compact. Mechanical keys give clearer feedback, last longer and can be chosen for a lighter or heavier press. Lighter switches take less force, which is worth considering for anyone typing all day.
7. Be sceptical about wrist rests.They are for resting between bursts of typing, not for leaning on while you type — resting the wrist while the fingers work is exactly the position that compresses the wrist. A rest that encourages the wrist to sit on it can make things worse.
8. Check the practical details before buying.UK layout with the correct enter key and pound sign, wired or wireless, battery type and life, whether it can pair with more than one machine, and whether it is the right height without a stand.
9. Change one thing at a time.New keyboard and new mouse together, with a new desk height, means learning nothing about which change helped. Give each a fortnight; the adjustment period is real and initial discomfort is not a verdict.

Tips

• If a wrist or forearm problem is persistent, painful or includes numbness or tingling, see a doctor rather than buying equipment. Some of these symptoms need assessing rather than accessorising.
• Split keyboards genuinely help some people and are disliked by others; typing on one before committing matters more than reading about it.
• Turn the pointer speed up so less physical movement covers the screen. It is free and it reduces the total distance the arm travels in a day.

Common mistakes

• Buying an ergonomic mouse before fixing the desk height — A neutral hand on a badly positioned arm is still a badly positioned arm. The free change is the larger one.
• Assuming the word ergonomic means anything specific — It is unregulated and applied to almost everything. Judge the object by whether it lets your particular hand and arm sit in a neutral position.

If it doesn't work

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