Many computer users feel tired and sore after a work day. Some of this exhaustion is a result of working your muscles too hard all day while typing and sitting. Ergonomics is about minimizing the wear on your muscles (i.e. the amount of work your muscles have to do) and maximizing your comfort and productivity. Try these tips for ergonomic posture and typing to improve your comfort and help you feel better at the end of the day.

• Optimize your keyboard placement. Your keyboard should sit flat on a surface, or even better, at a slightly negative slope away from your body. It should sit about an inch or two above your lap, slightly below the height of your elbow. The space bar should be perfectly centered to your body. A keyboard tray can make this placement easy and can be adjusted to fit any user.
• Sit up straight! Good posture while typing is one of the most significant changes you can make to relieve (or prevent) pain and discomfort. Make sure your feet are resting firmly on the ground and your back rest is adjusted to fit the curve of your spine. Try a rolled up towel or portable lumbar support if you need more support for your lower back. If your chair is not comfortable for all-day use, try an ergonomic chair, designed to help you sit comfortably for longer.
• Keep your wrists straight. Your arms and hand should form a straight line from your elbow to your middle finger. Never bend your wrists to the side when reaching for higher keys. Your wrists should not be extended or compressed; your arms and wrists should be level with one another, forming a parallel line with your legs.
• Float your hands. Your hands and wrists should hover over the keys, with your hands gently curved as if loosely holding a golf ball. Do not place them on your desk or wrist rest while you are typing. Between keystrokes you can rest on the ball of your hands, but never put any weight directly on the wrists. Any surface pressure on the wrist itself can agitate the sensitive carpal tunnel area.
• Press the keys gently. Most keyboards require very little pressure to register a keystroke. You never need to pound on a key. Typing lightly can lower muscle use in your hands and wrists.
• Never stretch your hand to reach a key. When you stretch your wrists or fingers to reach the higher keys, you strain to the muscles and tendons. Instead, move your entire hand and arm to press the needed key. And always use two hands for two-key combos, such as Shift (or Ctrl or Alt) in combination with another key.
• Upgrade to an ergonomic keyboard.  Ergonomic keyboards are specifically designed to encourage these good typing habits. Try out different shapes and designs to find one that meets your needs and fits your hands.  The standard split keyboard design is specially curved to reinforce good hand and arm position, alleviating both fatigue and stress. The mini keyboard’s compact design decreases the amount of muscle movement required for each keystroke.

Even little changes in your sitting posture and typing habits can make a significant impact in your keyboarding health. Start using a good, ergonomic keyboard that fits your hands and reinforces good hand posture.  And upgrade to an ergonomic chair that helps you maintain good posture all day long. Try typing the ergonomic way and you will begin to experience the comfort and productivity of ergonomics.

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