Industry observers note that don’t ignore it. Those minor grumbles can be the early warning signs of serious repetitive stress injuries that can impact you for the rest of your life. Do your hands, wrists, or shoulders ache after you get up from your PC?
According to the latest update, i’m 41, and for nearly a decade I’ve tried all sorts of things to deal with the pain that creeps into my hands and wrists after just a few minutes at a keyboard. Along the way, I’ve learned what helps. I know because it happened to me after spending years working and playing on computers.
The report highlights that we talked a bit about cool ergonomic keyboards and other PC accessories on this week’s edition of The Full Nerd, so I thought I’d take a moment to dig deeper in the newsletter and offer advice from my own journey managing chronic pain from nerd-induced repetitive stress injuries.
Industry observers note that missed the surprising topics on our YouTube show or the most recent news from across the web? You’re in the right place. Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of devices talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld.
According to the latest update, sign up on our website! Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox?
The report highlights that i don’t know about you, but that’s tricky for me because when I’m really in the zone on a writing project (or a Marathon session), I completely lose track of my body and what it’s doing. First, take a moment to analyze how your body works when you’re at your PC.
The report highlights that how are you sitting? How do the different parts of your body feel? Tune in to your body the next time you’re in the zone at your PC.
The report highlights that are your shoulders tense? Are you sitting in a position that feels comfortable now, but could become painful after years of repetition? These small habits can add up. Are your wrists sharply turned outward to keep your hands in line with the keyboard?
In a fresh development, working with ergonomic consultants and investing a few hundred bucks in decent ergonomic equipment, I was able to make meaningful reductions in my daily pain without losing the ability to work at a PC, which at one point I felt sure was going to happen. Everybody’s body is different, but these are the mistakes I made over 25 years of hardcore PC use.
According to the latest update, a proper ergonomic keyboard, vertical mouse (or trackball), standing desk, and supportive chair might have saved me years of discomfort.
As part of the ongoing story, so if you want to be browsing, creating, and tech industry on your PC for the next couple of decades, it’s a really smart idea to start taking care of your body right now. That’s why I was glad when our special guest (and former correspondent) Hayden Dingman brought some of his favorite ergonomic PC equipment on The Full Nerd this week—it gave us a chance to remind younger viewers that even if it doesn’t hurt you to use a keyboard or gamepad now, there’s a non-zero chance it will hurt in the future.
The report highlights that if you have the time, money, and inclination, there are ergonomic consultants you can hire (like the Ergo Lady here in San Francisco) who can provide advice tailored to your unique workspace through remote assessments or in-person visits. Even if you can’t afford (or don’t want) to hire an expert, small changes to your PC setup can make it more ergonomic. That starts with being honest about how you care for your body when you’re sitting, standing, or lounging at your PC.
Industry observers note that you may instead prefer a vertical ergonomic mouse like the Razer Pro Click V2 that Hayden showed off on The Full Nerd this week, especially if you play a lot of PC platform releases. Personally, I found relief once I upgraded to a standing desk from Uplift, a more supportive ergonomic chair from Mavix, a good split ergonomic keyboard from ZSA, and a big comfy trackball mouse from Elecom.
As part of the ongoing story, if I’d wanted to make changes right away while saving up for a nice desk and chair, I’d have invested in a cheap $100 standing desk or desk conversion kit that lets me quickly switch from sitting to standing at my existing desk. That would have let me get used to working while standing while spending less time in an unsupportive chair. The desk and chair are more expensive than the PC accessories, so if money is tight, I’d start with the most affordable upgrades first.
The report highlights that but, more than anything, the number one ergonomic gadget I recommend is probably already on your phone: a timer. Even if you can’t afford to do much, every little ergonomic improvement you can make will pay huge dividends throughout your life.
According to the latest update, i know it can seem like a hassle—I definitely struggle to stick with my break schedule when I’m rolling on something. But after a few days it always feels worth it. When I forget to stretch for a week or two, I can start to feel my hands, wrists, and shoulders tightening up. By setting a timer and forcing yourself to take 15-minute stretch breaks at regular intervals (every 30 to 45 minutes) to get up, walk around, and stretch a bit, you’ll immediately start feeling better.
The report highlights that everything you do today to take better care of your body will make a difference even if you don’t notice it right away. The best outcome is that you’ll never notice the full extent of how much it helps. With the right care and support, you may never have to face the repetitive aches and pains that hound old PC dogs like me! Take my word for it, as someone who’s had to learn all this the hard, painful way.
Industry observers note that this week on The Full Nerd we welcomed back friend of the show and former correspondent Hayden Dingman to chat about the future of system update consoles, the death of physical media, and the global stage of ergonomic devices.
As part of the ongoing story, alaina also brought in her Gold Touch ergonomic keyboard and offered some clutch advice for getting used models for cheap. To that end, he kindly brought some cool gadgets for show and tell, including the aforementioned Razer vertical mouse, the fresh Steam Controller, and (my personal favorite) a slick Dygma Raise 2 split ergonomic keyboard.
Industry observers note that amid all the doom and gloom about the price of devices and the death of discs, you can still find some cool news in tech this week:.
As part of the ongoing story, that’s all from me this week, but make sure to bookmark PCWorld and check back regularly for more nerd news you can (hopefully) use!
As part of the ongoing story, this newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of devices at PCWorld.
In a fresh development, as part of PCWorld's video team, you can see him going hands-on with the most recent and greatest tech on YouTube, TikTok, and Reels, and his writing will appear on PCWorld.com. Alex has also written for Tom's Guide and Platform release Developer. Alex Wawro has more than 15 years experience as a tech journalist, and has covered everything from laptops and CPUs to PC tech industry and handhelds.