Voice typing for RSI and carpal tunnel - reduce keyboard strain Skip to main content Voice Type Pricing Learn Enterprise Trust Blog Use cases Give your hands a break Voice typing lets you keep working when typing hurts. No cloud, no timeouts, no subscription - just talk and text appears. Back to Learn | Pricing Last updated: 2025-12-27 RSI, carpal tunnel, tendonitis - whatever's making typing painful, the solution isn't always a new keyboard or better posture. Sometimes you just need to type less. Voice dictation handles the bulk of your writing while your hands rest. Why this works Most of what we type is prose. Emails, docs, Slack messages, notes. These translate naturally to speech. You're not eliminating the keyboard - you're reducing how much you use it to the tasks that actually require it. A few hours of dictation per day can cut your keystrokes by half or more. That's real relief for inflamed tendons. What research suggests (and what it doesn’t) The best evidence isn’t “dictation cures RSI.” It’s narrower: dictation can reduce hand/arm load during common computer tasks, and it can change posture — but you still need breaks, and you should treat your voice as another system that can be overused. Workload shift: In a lab study of computer tasks, speech recognition reduced static activity in forearm/neck muscles compared to keyboard/mouse, while increasing activity in a voice-related muscle — the authors recommend speech recognition as a supplementary tool. (Juul‑Kristensen et al., 2004) . Posture vs speed: Another study found improved upper-limb/neck posture with speech recognition, but productivity decreased for most people after training — implying task selection matters (dictate prose; type precision edits). (de Korte & van Lingen, 2006) . Microbreaks help (without killing throughput): In a randomized study of computer terminal work, microbreaks reduced discomfort and showed no evidence of a detrimental effect on productivity. (McLean et al., 2001) . Breaks still help: In symptomatic computer workers, scheduled 3‑minute breaks during a 60‑minute typing task showed favorable effects on muscle activity and productivity, and a positive effect on discomfort. (Nakphet et al., 2014) . Voice strain is real: A small case series described muscle tension dysphonia after people with upper‑extremity RSI began using computerized speech recognition; the authors emphasized voice therapy and avoiding long periods of continuous use. If you dictate a lot, alternate tasks and hydrate. (Olson et al., 2004) . If you want a practical overview of carpal tunnel symptoms and treatment options, this Mayo Clinic explainer is a good primer: Mayo Clinic Minute: What is carpal tunnel syndrome? . What Voice Type does differently No timeouts - dictate as long as you need Works offline - no internet required, audio never leaves your Mac Hold-to-talk - natural pause between thoughts, no awkward start/stop commands One-time purchase - $19.99, no subscription draining your account monthly Apple's built-in dictation works for quick notes, but many built-in workflows are optimized for short bursts. When you're managing pain and trying to stay productive, interruptions add friction you don't need. Common questions from RSI users Will my voice get tired instead? Fair concern. Most people find they can dictate for a few hours without strain, especially if you're not projecting. Speak normally. Take water breaks. If you're doing all-day dictation, alternate with some keyboard work - the goal is balance, not switching one repetitive strain for another. Is it accurate enough for professional work? Yes. Modern speech recognition handles most vocabulary well. You'll occasionally need to correct a word, but less often than you'd think. Writers, lawyers, and doctors use voice dictation daily. The technology has caught up. Can I use it in an open office? Depends on your office. Voice Type works with quiet speech - you don't need to project. Some people use it in shared spaces with good noise cancellation, others prefer it for remote work or private offices. Worth trying during the 7-day trial to see if it fits your environment. What about code? Voice typing is best for prose. For code, dictating syntax is awkward. What works: use voice for comments, documentation, commit messages, and PR descriptions. Keep the keyboard for actual code. You'll still significantly reduce your keystroke count. A hybrid approach You don't need to go all-in on voice. Here's what works for most people managing RSI: Use voice for first drafts - emails, docs, notes, messages Use keyboard for edits - fixing specific words is faster by hand Use voice for long-form - anything over a paragraph Use keyboard for navigation and commands The goal is reducing volume, not eliminating the keyboard entirely. Even cutting keystrokes by 40% can make a meaningful difference in how your hands feel at the end of the day. What else helps Voice typing is one piece of managing RSI. Other things that help: Take breaks - the Pomodoro technique or similar Stretch your hands and wrists regularly Consider a split keyboard for when you do type Ergonomic split keyboard: benefits, downsides, and what the evidence says Split keyboard vs voice typing (practical setup) Ergonomic keyboard for RSI: what helps (and when voice typing wins) Typing pain in fingers: what helps (and when to use voice typing) Check your desk ergonomics - monitor height, chair position See a doctor if pain persists - RSI can get worse without proper treatment Voice typing isn't a cure. It's a tool for managing workload while your hands recover. Combine it with proper ergonomics and rest. Try it risk-free Voice Type has a 7-day free trial. Install it, use it for real work, see if it helps. If your hands feel better after a week of reduced typing, keep it. If not, you've lost nothing. Sources and further reading Physical workload during speech recognition vs keyboard/mouse (Ergonomics, 2004) Speech recognition effects on posture and productivity (Applied Ergonomics, 2006) Microbreaks during computer terminal work (Applied Ergonomics, 2001) Microbreaks for typing: an evidence-based schedule (guide) Rest-break interventions for symptomatic computer workers (RCT, 2014) Muscle tension dysphonia with computerized speech recognition (case series, 2004) Mayo Clinic Minute: What is carpal tunnel syndrome? (YouTube) Start the free 7-day trial Voice Type Learn All guides Speech to text on Mac Answers (quick fixes) Voice Type vs Apple Dictation Dragon alternatives For writers For developers For remote work For productivity For RSI Notion on Mac Latency demo Press kit Company Enterprise Trust Center Pricing Blog Company Terms of service Privacy policy Contact us © 2025 Careless Whisper Inc.