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Split keyboard vs voice typing: a practical RSI setup for Mac

A split keyboard can improve posture, but reducing keystrokes matters more. Here’s a pragmatic setup for macOS (and when dictation helps).

· 4 min read
Split keyboard vs voice typing: a practical RSI setup for Mac

If your hands hurt, the internet will tell you to buy a new keyboard.

Sometimes that helps. But the bigger lever is usually typing less.

This is a practical way to think about split keyboards, RSI, and voice typing on macOS.

Not medical advice: if you have persistent pain, numbness, or weakness, talk to a clinician. This post is about workflow and ergonomics, not diagnosis.

TL;DR

  • A split keyboard can reduce ulnar deviation and help shoulder posture.
  • Voice typing reduces your total keystrokes (often the real culprit in RSI flare-ups).
  • The best setup is usually hybrid: voice for prose + keyboard for precise edits.
  • Start with macOS Dictation, then upgrade workflow if you dictate daily.

What split keyboards help with (and what they don’t)

Split keyboards can help if:

  • Your wrists bend outward when you type.
  • Your shoulders creep inward over long sessions.
  • You want to open your chest and keep elbows closer to your sides.

But a split keyboard doesn’t help much if your problem is simply volume: 8 hours of typing is still 8 hours of typing.

That’s why many people end up combining split keyboards with dictation.

What the research says about split keyboards (quickly)

The strongest “split keyboard” argument is biomechanical: a more neutral wrist/forearm posture.

  • In a study of experienced office workers, typing on commercially available split keyboards (when set up correctly) reduced average wrist ulnar deviation compared to a conventional keyboard (Marklin et al., 1999).
  • A meta-analysis found different alternative keyboard designs affect different postures (ulnar deviation vs pronation vs extension); no single design fixed everything (Baker & Cidboy, 2006).
  • Adaptation is real: one study found experienced typists could perform similarly after a short orientation period, and some posture measures improved, but pain still increased over long sessions for both keyboards (Smith et al., 1998).

In other words: split keyboards can be a posture tool, not a “typing volume” tool.

What voice typing changes

Voice typing helps most with:

  • Emails
  • Docs/specs
  • Notes and journaling
  • Slack/Teams messages
  • Tickets and PR descriptions

These are high-volume and mostly prose — perfect for speech-to-text.

When you dictate, you still use the keyboard for:

  • Quick corrections
  • Navigation (selecting text, moving around)
  • Short code edits and shortcuts

So you keep precision without grinding your wrists all day.

What research says about dictation + workload

There’s evidence that speech recognition can reduce physical load in common computer tasks — but it’s not magic.

  • In a lab study comparing speech recognition vs keyboard/mouse for computer tasks, speech recognition reduced static muscle activity in forearm/neck (and some shoulder measures), while increasing activity in a voice-related muscle; the authors recommended speech recognition as a supplementary tool (Juul‑Kristensen et al., 2004).
  • Another study observed improved upper-limb and neck posture with speech recognition compared to keyboard/mouse — but most participants were slower after training, suggesting dictation is best for specific tasks (usually prose) and can be especially useful for people with WMSD complaints (de Korte & van Lingen, 2006).

If you’re expecting dictation to instantly be “faster than typing,” you may be disappointed. If you treat dictation as a way to reduce keystrokes (and keep writing), it’s often a win.

A hybrid setup that works on macOS

  1. Turn on Dictation (built-in):
  1. Use voice for drafts:
  • Dictate the paragraph.
  • Then edit what matters.
  1. Use a keyboard for the last mile:
  • Split keyboard (for comfort)
  • Trackpad/mouse/trackball (for navigation)

If you dictate frequently, a hold-to-dictate workflow can feel more natural than start/stop toggles.

Split keyboard benefits (quick checklist)

If you’re evaluating split keyboards, these are the “benefits” that typically matter:

  • Wider hand position → less wrist bend
  • Less shoulder hunching
  • Easier to keep elbows relaxed
  • Optional tenting (reduces forearm pronation)

But: expect an adaptation period. Your typing speed may dip for a week or two.

RSI workflow: reduce keystrokes first

If you’re dealing with RSI/carpal tunnel symptoms, treat typing like load management:

  • Reduce keystroke volume (voice for prose)
  • Keep ergonomics sane (split keyboard / posture)
  • Take breaks and rotate tasks

If you want a dictation-first approach: /solutions/rsi

Community notes (real world setups)

If you want to see what people actually do day-to-day (not just product pages), these threads are a useful reality check:

  • Reddit: “Low-profile ergonomic keyboard suggestions for RSI?” (r/ErgoMechKeyboards)
  • Reddit: “Struggling with RSI – Difficulties Typing, Mouse Navigation, and Seeking MacOS Solutions” (r/RSI)
  • Hacker News: “Typing, RSI, and what I do differently” (HN thread)

Keep going

Sources (research + primary references)

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