Ergo your office: preempt pain with ergonomically sound office equipment

It's bad enough that you spend the majority of your waking hours listening to a loud cubicle mate with persistent postnasal drip. But add a cheap chair, dim lights and poorly designed computer equipment, and you're assured of a hobbled retirement on the shores of Medicare. If you haven't experienced any pain yet, you still have time to stave off injury.

Fortunately, many new ergonomic products are available to help you reduce your chances of developing work-related injuries. Below are some of the more interesting alternatives, all of which can be dropped into any workspace--for a price.

CUBICLE EQUIPMENT

1 FITTERFIRST BALL CHAIR

Fitterfirst offers a unique and ergonomically sound replacement for your chair. The ball promotes good posture through active sitting. You're forced to make minute adjustments to stay balanced, and these movements burn calories. ($29.95; 800-348-8371; www.fitter1.com)

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2 THE STEELCASE CANOPY TASK LIGHT

The new Steelcase Canopy task light reduces eyestrain by evenly distributing a bright florescent light over a wide area. Clamp it onto the edge of a desk or the top of a cubicle wall or into an accessory wall track. ($475; 888-783-3522; www.steelcase.com)

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3 ARTEMIDE TOLOMEO WORK LIGHT

For more directed work lighting, Italian design group Artemide offers the Tolomeo. This cantilever lamp is fully adjustable and uses a standard incandescent bulb. (From $275; 631-694-9292; www.artemide.com)

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COMPUTERS AND ACCESSORIES

4 VIEWSONIC LCD MONITOR

If you work with a computer, the right monitor is important, as flicker and poor image quality can cause eyestrain and fatigue. The new 17-inch Viewsonic VP171B Flatscreen is superior to most CRT monitors and can also be viewed in portrait or landscape. ($715; www.viewsonic.com)

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5 KENSINGTON MONITOR ARM, GLARE FILTER AND FLEXCLIP COPYHOLDER

Kensington's LCD monitor arm offers complete adjustability, clamps anywhere, and provides 360 degrees of rotation as well as nine inches of extension in any direction. Add the FlexClip for a more direct sightline and the glare filter to improve image contrast. (Flat Panel Desk Monitor Arm, $144.99; LCD Glare Filter 17, $114.99; Insight Desktop Paper Manager, $9.99; 800-235-6708; www.kensington.com)

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KEYBOARDS

6 DATAHAND ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD PERSONAL EDITION

The Datahand is an innovative computer keyboard that minimizes hand motion by keeping everything you need under each fingertip. It's customizable and can improve typing speed over a standard Qwerty keyboard. If you type for a living and are experiencing pain, it's worth the investment. ($995; 800-875-7171; www.datahand.com)

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7 KINESIS ADVANTAGE KEYBOARD AND FOOT SWITCH

The Kinesis Advantage offers a more traditional but effective approach to reducing stress on your wrists, hands and fingers. It's a customizable keyboard with deep contours to minimize finger motion. It can be used with the Kinesis programmable foot switch, which allows you to manipulate common keystrokes with your foot. (Advantage Keyboard, $299; Savant Triple Action Foot Switch, $129; 800-454-6374; www.kinesis-ergo.com)

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MOUSES

8 MAUI INNOVATIVE MIRACLE MOUSE

Developed jointly with Microsoft, this hands-free mouse is worn on the head. It uses a proprietary Cymouse 3D infrared technology that allows you to turn your head and nod to move the cursor or click. ($299; 808-875-0555; www.maui-innovative.com)

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9 MICROSOFT WIRELESS INTELLIMOUSE EXPLORER

The Explorer was designed to maximize contact with the hand. Finger grooves, a thumb scoop, and support along the metacarpophalangeal ridge--the pad on the palm just under the knuckles, where discomfort often occurs--allow your hand to rest and move naturally. ($64.95; www.shopmicrosoft.com; 800-360-7561)

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101 BELKIN TELEPHONE STAND

This simple solution not only clears desk space, but also places your phone in an accessible position. The stand has a collapsible arm that can be pulled closer and a pan tilt that allows you to grab the handset and view the keypad without craning your neck. ($27.99-$29.99; 800-223-5546; www.belkin.com)

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A FEW TIPS FOR WORKPLACE SETUP

* Consider your chair first. All experts agree that what you sit on is the most important component of your office. Use something with good lower-back support and a lot of adjustability, or try the stability ball for a more "active" chair.

* Eyestrain is the leading manifestation of physical stress in the workplace. Make sure your work area is well lit. More than one light source may be necessary.

* The optimal sitting position is upright elbows and knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. If your knees are bent more than 90 degrees, you may have to raise your desk height. If your desk is too high, use a footrest to maintain the correct posture.