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How I cured my RSI (repetitive strain injury) with one simple fix!

8:50 video

I’d been struggling with a repetitive strain injury (RSI) in my right elbow for almost four years. It started in early 2019 and progressively got worse over eight months, and more beyond that. My elbow hurt with almost everything I did with my hand and arm; it got so bad I couldn’t pick up a Yeti cup, pull bedsheets over me at night, or lift the pillow from behind my head. There was almost no strength left in my right hand. It was debilitating. The good news: I found a solution, and maybe it can help you too. (I’m not a doctor; this is what worked for me.)

Everything I tried

I assumed it was the mouse, so I tried a vertical mouse, different trackball mice, and Apple’s Magic Trackpad: none made a difference. I tried what people usually try for tennis elbow or tendonitis: a strap around the arm, a splint, over-the-counter pain medication, topical creams, and three cortisone injections over more than three years. I spent eight months in physical therapy with a hand specialist at least twice a week. At the beginning of 2021, I had two options left: exploratory surgery, or PRP (platelet-rich plasma), where they take your blood, spin it to separate the platelets, and inject them into your elbow. That hurt a lot. None of it helped.

What actually solved it

Something unexpected: it had to do with the mouse and keyboard being side by side. Having the mouse off to the side and spending 6–10 hours or more a day going back and forth was causing the pain.

Sometime around summer 2021, I stopped using my M1 iMac and went back to my 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro, and for some reason I put the laptop on the desk with a big display behind it, instead of an external keyboard and mouse. With the keyboard and trackpad directly in front of you, you never move your arm out to the side for a mouse. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it started relieving my elbow. It also lets me use my left hand for scrolling and give my right hand a break, and you get macOS trackpad gestures.

The relief was short-lived at first, because I’m always switching computers and desk setups. After the 2021 MacBook Pro, I used a Mac laptop nearly full time between November 2021 and the Mac Studio’s release, and my elbow improved a lot. When the Mac Studio arrived, I went to a Studio Display with an external keyboard and mouse, and the pain came back. I finally pieced it together: no matter the mouse or keyboard, going back and forth with my arm would hurt. The only relief was a keyboard and trackpad right in front of me. So I sold the Mac Studio and have been on a laptop full time since.

It’s also a good setup with a bigger display behind the laptop, since you get two screens, including the beautiful display of a 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro (or even an M2 Air).

A desktop version

I wanted the power of a desktop like the Mac Studio, so I looked for something similar. On Etsy, I found two trays that hold an Apple Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad in a MacBook-style layout, with a full-size function row, Touch ID and a giant trackpad:

  • tré 2 by PurposeMadeProducts: white PVC plastic, very lightweight, with cork desk protectors on the bottom. Channels let you connect a cable to the Magic Trackpad or Keyboard to use them plugged in or charging. (Side note: you can use a Magic Trackpad and Magic Keyboard plugged in with USB, so if you have Bluetooth cutouts or a jerky mouse, try plugging in.) The devices slide into slots, though it’s a little hard to get them out unless you flip it over. It comes with a clear adhesive plastic palm guard for the trackpad.
  • The 2021 MacBook 16-size tray by XD Design Studio: clear, hard, CNC-milled acrylic with some heft. It’s called “MacBook 16 size” because its dimensions nearly match a 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the trackpad is essentially the same size. A finger hole lets you push the devices out, there’s a small lip around the trackpad, and an optional add-on of magnets under the keyboard and trackpad to hold them in (not really needed on a desk). It’s clear, so you see whatever’s under your desk, and I’ve seen lights under it bleed through the glass. It comes with a clear plastic palm rejection surround, to stop palms from moving the cursor while typing.

Both are good options for a laptop-like desk setup; it comes down to aesthetics, and both help my elbow.

Where it stands

This setup has essentially solved my RSI, not 100%, but at least 80–90% better most of the time. I still get flare-ups and sometimes need a break, but mostly I can live a regular life with my hand, which is kind of nice.

Have you had arm pain like this, or found another solution that works? Let me know. And if you’re looking for a new laptop to try this, you can probably get one from Apple’s refurbished store; see my video on buying refurbished.

In this video

  • 0:00 the problem
  • 2:03 the solution
  • 4:37 the desktop solution

Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission. See my ethics statement.

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