Tips for More Ergonomic Typing

Between work and personal use at home, most of us spend a lot of time on our computers.  As such, it’s important to practice good typing habits so you can stay healthy and pain-free.

1. Position your keyboard and mouse correctly.  For your keyboard, the best position is  just below your elbows and about one or two inches above your lap with the space bar centered directly in front of you.  The mouse should be tucked directly next to your keyboard.  All of this allows your arms and shoulders to remain relaxed while typing.  so you can lower the risk of repetitive stress injury.  An easy, fast way to keep your keyboard in optimal position is via a keyboard tray.
2. Practice good posture. Good posture is the key to fast, stress-free typing. And the key to good posture is adjusting your desk and chair to fit you.  It’s important to get back proper support, namely through adjustable lumbar support or via an ergonomic chair. Make sure you keep your arms and shoulder relaxed and keep your wrists straight; your arms and hands should form a straight line from your elbow through your wrist and down to your middle finger.
3. Keep your hands in a hover position. This is just what it sounds like- your hands should lightly hover over the keyboard while you are typing. next, even with a wrist rest, never rest directly on your wrists. Rather, use your wrist rest for breaks between typing and rest your arms on the ball of your hand instead of the sensitive carpal tunnel area of your wrist. Finally, keep your hands and fingers curved, like you are holding a golf ball, being especially careful not to lock your pinky finger or your thumb.
4. Press the keys lightly. Don’t take out your frustration on your keyboard.  If you find that you have to pound on the keys to type, consider upgrading to an ergonomic keyboard instead because typing lightly will save significant energy and muscle wear as it uses as little pressure as possible.
5. Never reach for a key. If your hands are properly floating over the keys, it is easy to move your entire hand and arm to reach the higher keys. Also, always use two hands for two-key combos. If you use your Shift key (or Ctrl or Alt) with an additional key, press the Shift key with one hand and the second key with the opposite hand. By stretching to press higher keys or straining to use one hand on two keys, you add incredible wear on your muscles and tendons.

These simple typing rules may seem restrictive and feel unnatural at first, but they are vital in protecting your from injury. Even little changes in your posture and habits can make a huge impact in your keyboarding health.