The Keyboard is the First Line of Defence against RSI
Ergonomic keyboards are specially designed to reduce stress on your wrists and forearms while typing. If you use a computer frequently, and especially if you do a lot of text work and data inputting that requires most of your time using the keyboard, you need to make sure you are comfortable with it.Investing in an ergonomic computer keyboard will save your hands, forearms and wrists from undue stress, making you more productive and allowing you to work for longer periods at a time.
Investing in a good quality ergonomic keyboard reduces muscle strain and the risk of RSI.However, medical opinion is split on the question of whether an ergonomic keyboard is beneficial in the case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Some medics maintain that you should not confuse Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (which causes numbness) with activity-related arm pains. Typing has long been cited as the villain here, but recent evidence suggests that typing may actually be protective! There is no doubt though that switching to a much more ergonomic keyboard layout helps avoid the risk of RSI and may provide relief to sufferers.
Some ergonomic keyboard designs split the board in half, with each positioned to match the shape of your wrists when typing.Some have the keyboard split into several different pieces, so the angle between them can be individually changed. They are undoubtedly effective in reducing strain and stress on wrists and arms, but they can put undue stress on your pocket! Good though these keyboards are, they are not cheap, costing on average about four times as much as “conventional” keyboards.
Many regular keyboards available on the market today will be “ergonomic” to some extent. They usually always feature adjustable height and rake, and many come complete with padded wrist rests so you lay you wrists flay while typing. Many wireless keyboards can also be placed and angled so that you can better see the screen and still be conformable typing, unrestricted by the length and positioning of the cable.
Whatever computer work you do, even if you don’t use the keyboard constantly, it’s still a wise investment to consider buying the best ergonomic keyboard your budget will support. After all, in the long run it’s cheaper than the medical bills and time taken to address Cubital tunnel syndrome, Ulnar nerve entrapment, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, DeQuervain’s syndrome, Stenosing tenosynovitis, or Intersection syndrome – all of which can afflict the heavy keyboard user.