Rick,

I'm glad to hear you're liking the keyboard. I started using an ergonomic keyboard over 12 years ago. I started a new job and started getting some shoulder pain about the same time. I thought it might be because of how my computer was arranged on the desk, so I got an ergonomic keyboard. After about a week, the shoulder pain went away. I've used an ergonomic keyboard ever since. The Microsoft 4000 is the best keyboard I've had in all those years.

One of the great things about working for 3M is the attention the company gives to ergonomics. Everyone at my sight has an ergonomic chair. I priced out the once I got and found it was close to $1000. We even have a Health Occupation Nurse on site here who regularly does classes on ergonomics. I learned in one session that the monitor should be placed so the top is slightly below eye level.

There are lots of little things you can do to improve the ergonomics of your work area. If you Goggle, you'll find lots of links.

>Craig,
>
>It's been considerably more than a week, but after about five months now I thought I'd share my long term experience with the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. Executive summary: I think it's great.
>
>Initially I found it difficult to adapt to the location of the keys, which of course are not where one's muscle memory thinks they should be after years of using a conventional keyboard. In fact, this became so frustrating that I gave up on it after two or three weeks and went back to my old keyboard for a brief period of time. But then, something almost unrelated happened that made it all fall into place.
>
>My son had a sports injury to his back for which we took him to the sports medicine clinic. While checking in with the clinic's receptionist, we noticed her computer monitor was raised up unusually high on her desk. Later, after dealing with the injury, the doc gave my son some general pointers for maintaining a healthy back, including some tips for maintaining good posture while using a computer. I mentioned we had noticed the receptionist's monitor being up so high, and the doc said yep, a monitor being positioned too low is one of the worst things you can do for your posture while using a computer.
>
>When I got back to my office, I raised my monitor up as high as it would go, and almost immediately noticed a significant positive difference. I sat up straighter with shoulders back in a more comfortable position, which draws the arms back and the hands slightly apart, and the ergonomic keyboard suddenly felt like a natural fit. And it's been that way ever since.
>
>Lesson learned: Position your monitor so it's at eye level when you're looking straight ahead while sitting up straight. Your back (and your keyboard) will thank you.
>
>-Rick