Ergodox users - Where do you rest your arms while *not typing*?

[atnentec]

Recently started trying to use an ergodox ez as my daily driver instead of just doing typing practice, and on the very first day I started getting shoulder pain that I did not have when using a regular keyboard.

I tried to look closely at what I was doing with a normal keyboard that I wasn't doing with the ergodox, and I have a fairly strong suspicion.

Most of my day is spent either not typing, or using the keyboard for navigation (I use vim). Typing is just done in short bursts. I dont use palm/wrist rests, and I float my hands above they keyboard while typing, which seems to be the general ergonomics recommendation. I also took off the armrests off my chair, as they were bumping into the desk, generally didn't fit me, and weren't adjustable.

However, I have noticed that in both of the above non-typing situations my palms rest on the desk. Even for navigating with a keyboard, most of the keys I need are reachable without having to float my hands. So most of the time, my arms are somehow supported.

I don't have the palm rests for the ergodox ez as many people claimed them to be useless. When tented, the keyboard is fairly elevated so you can't rest your palms anywhere while not typing, and quickly return back to typing. You can move them away from the keyboard, but if you want to type, it's a somewhat large movement to bring them back, which I don't think is great.

Because of this I ended up keeping my arms in the air, hovering above the keyboard for long periods of time, without any support. The suspicion is that this is what's causing the shoulder pain.

So what I want to know, is what do you do with your arms when \*not typing\* on the ergodox? Do you use the palm rest and keep your arms there? Do you use your chair's armrests? Do you move your arms away from the keyboard and back every time you switch between typing/not typing? Or do you just keep hovering them in the air and find that this causes no issues to you?

I love the keyboard in general, but this shoulder pain is really going to be a deal breaker if I can't fix it.

[nevin]

I had a terrible bout of shoulder pain one time when i was subbing in this office (short term contract). The issue for me was my mouse was too far off to the side & too far forward, reaching too far for long periods of time. it was also a funky, 2 part, L shaped cubicle desk. In all the years i've been dong this, that was the only time i noticed, noticeable shoulder discomfort.

Try putting the left half in front of you left hand with arm pretty straight (or bout 15deg.), mouse hand the same and the right half in a little closer to the center then the left half. (that is if you're on half your board and your mouse more than both halves of your keyboard). Your keyboard won't be "centered" but the two main pieces you spend the most time on should.

... and of course, reverse the setup if you mouse with left hand.

[parablol]

What works best for me is, I stick to chairs with height adjustable arm rests and rest my forearms there to suspended my hands above the keyboard.

Typical wrist rests over time aggrivate carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand, so I try to keep my palms from resting an anything too often.

[tp4tissue]

It's all about TENTING. 55* degrees

[desipalen]

I have to rest my arms on my armrest.

Honestly, in this situation, you need to go to your supervisor and request a different chair if this is for work. Most will not blink if you tell them about your arm pain resulting from not being able to use the non-adjustable arm rests on your current chair. If you're at home, it's completely worth it to buy a chair that works for you. I recently bought an extremely overpriced SecretLab chair and I've never been in less pain. Worth every penny.

[vvp]

I rest my hands on the table or the palm rests when not typing:
https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=357496#p357496

[desipalen]

I rest my hands on the table or the palm rests when not typing:
https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=357496#p357496

Oh! I hadn't seen that you had the stl files up!  Nice.

[atnentec]

It's all about TENTING. 55* degrees

If I may ask, how do you achieve 55 degrees tent? I assume some kind of modding, considering regular ergodox ez tenting legs only go up about 10 degrees.

[zergotech]

Zergotech here.

Have you considered the Zergotech Freedom? It is based on sliding palm rests which are designed to replicate the correct "hovering" typing while keeping your palms and forearms rested. It is also optimized for one-handed navigation.

Check it out at www.zergotech.com

 

[atnentec]

Zergotech here.

Have you considered the Zergotech Freedom? It is based on sliding palm rests which are designed to replicate the correct "hovering" typing while keeping your palms and forearms rested. It is also optimized for one-handed navigation.

Check it out at www.zergotech.com

Looks interesting! Two questions though:

1. I see it's "programmable" but is it QMK or something custom? I'm a big fan of the "send key on tap, send modifier/layer toggle on hold" functionality, and I don't know of firmwares other than QMK that support this.
2. Are the switches hotswappable?