Ergonomics is not something you think about until your wrist, neck, or shoulder starts hurting. By then, you have already done damage. Getting your setup right at the beginning is significantly easier than fixing injury later.
The Foundation: Chair and Desk Height
The relationship between your chair height and desk height determines everything else. Feet flat on the floor (or footrest). Knees at approximately 90 degrees. Thighs roughly parallel to the floor. If these three conditions are met, your spine is in its natural position.
Your keyboard should sit where your forearms are parallel to the floor when your upper arms hang naturally from your shoulders. Most standard desks are slightly too high for this, which is why adjustable desks or monitor-only setups with a keyboard tray are worth considering for heavy users.
Wrist Position
This is where most typing pain originates. Your wrists should be neutral — not flexed up, not bent down, not twisted sideways. Many people type with wrists resting on a hard desk edge, which compresses the carpal tunnel over time.
If you use a wrist rest, use it between typing bursts, not during active typing. During typing, your wrists should float slightly above the keyboard surface.
Monitor Distance and Height
Distance: approximately arm-length from your face (50–70 cm). Too close causes eye strain and forward head lean. Too far causes squinting and shoulder tension.
Height: the top of the monitor at or slightly below eye level. This keeps your neck in neutral — not bent up or down. Laptop users typically have to use a laptop stand and external keyboard to achieve this.
Micro-Breaks Are Not Optional
Every 25–30 minutes: stand up, walk a few steps, stretch your fingers and wrists, look at something far away for 20 seconds. This is not a productivity interruption — it is what makes sustained productive work possible.
See our full typing posture guide for a complete setup checklist.