What is the ideal writer's chair and where might it be obtained?

I started out writing on an IBM Selectric II (okay, I'm old) and had a desk and shelves built at what I thought was a good height and size to work at. Over twenty years ago I switched to a Macintosh word processor, which was small and still fit at the desk pretty well. When I wanted to go online, I had to buy a computer and monitor, which are huge and take up most of the space between the shelves and the edge of the desk. There is barely room for the keyboard--about an inch between it and the edge of the desk--and no room for the mousepad, which hangs two inches over the edge of the desk--in other words, NO ROOM for arm support!

When I first switched from a typewriter to a computer, I developed this horrible clicking/crunching in my neck from looking at the monitor. In twenty years this hasn't gone away. My carpal tunnel syndrome became severe 14 years ago. Besides numbness in the first three fingers, I also experience pain in the wrist, especially the side of the wrist nearest the small finger, numbness in the other two fingers, pain in the arm between wrist and elbow, in the elbow, shoulder, and terrible "mouse clicker's" pains in the thumb and hand. My right hip and lower back are also at least bothersome if not outright painful.

My chair is a plain, 1950s-style thing with a wooden frame, vinyl upholstery, metal legs, not-terribly-well padded seat which is bum-numbing, no reclining, and no arm or head support. Due to the lack of arm support, I have to move the chair close to the edge of the desk, prop one leg against the edge of the desk, and rest one arm on that leg as I type. Do that till the leg goes numb or something else hurts, then switch to propping up the other leg till that hurts enough to move.

All of these conditions are enough to prove a real distraction to writing, but with this latest affliction I HAVE HAD IT. When I spend any meaningful amount of time in front of the computer, my neck hurts so severely I can't turn my head. I've tried pain pills, Sportscreme ointment, and stretching--IT'S STILL STIFF AND PAINFUL!

Something has to be done about all this! Where can I buy a chair with good neck, back, and arm support, adjustable seat height, that swivels and reclines, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?

http://www.sfwa.org/ergonomics/

Ergonomics, A Personal Tour

http://world.std.com/~swrs/library/ergonomc.htm

As for typing, that is a matter of personal taste as well. Some people like the strang keyboards that drive me nuts, and some of us still prefer the nice normal keyboards we have been using for a long time.

My recent purchase of an ergonomic keyboard, described in a thread elsewhere, has made quite a difference, both for my hands and (apparently) for my output as well.

My desk is an old plywood table, purchased years ago at Office Depot. I've thought of getting something else, but I'd first have to remove all the accumulated piles of stuff, and that seems more trouble than it's worth.

My chair is down as far as it will go, and I still have to hunch over it---I can feel the strain in my lower back as I type this---and I've had back problems on and off for the last eight or nine years now. It also has armrests.

Another thing I will do is get a longer keyboard cable. The one supplied with the--ahem--Mac--BARELY makes it around the computer stand and in front of the monitor, and allows for NO shifting. If I could just shift the monitor and the keyboard I'd have room for the dang mouse pad and it wouldn't be hanging off the edge of the desk and taking periodic dives for the floor.

As far as actual medical conditions, the only test I've had showed the only actual nerve damage was to the right carpal tunnel nerve. Just figured all this pain can't be a good thing and I'd better start doing something about it.