Quick Tips on Healthy Typing

This article helps you get maximum safety and comfort from working on your computer keyboards. Have a quick look at tips on avoiding forearm and hand problems:

1. Minimize wrist deviation. Use a thin profile keyboard and/or a palm rest to support the heel of the hand. When your hands are resting on the keyboard they should be in a reasonably straight line with the forearm.

2. Position the keyboard so that it is resting on a surface 22 to 28 inches from the floor. The armrests of your chair should be adjusted low enough so you do not have your shoulders "shrugged" and high enough so you do not have to slump to rest your elbows on the armrests.

3. Performing wrist exercises such as those listed below can help reduce injuries to the arm, wrist and hand.

Relaxing Exercises

The Wrist Circle: Stretch both arms outward, fingers together and draw a circle with your hands, rotating them at the wrist. Five circles in one direction, then five in the opposite direction.

The Wrist Curl: Hold arm outward, with the palm facing down. Drop the hand downward at the wrist. Using the palm of the opposite hand, apply pressure to the back of the dropped hand. Hold pressure for five seconds, then relax. Repeat three times per hand.

The Wrist Extension: Hold arm outward with palm facing down. Raise the hand up as though you were telling someone to stop. Using the opposite hand, apply pressure to the palm of the raised hand. Hold pressure for five seconds, then relax. Repeat for a total of three times per hand.

Finger Stretch: Spread the fingers of both hands far apart. Hold for five seconds, then relax. Repeat for a total of three times.

Thumb Stretch: With the hand placed in a position similar to the wrist extension, gently apply pressure (using the other hand) to the extended thumb in a back and downward direction. Hold for five seconds, then relax. Repeat for a total of three times per hand.

If you want to get more information on avoiding strain injury, or get a video of good ergo-aerobics allowing you to minimize tiredness, follow one of these hyperlinks.