If I type a lot, my wrists will eventually hurt. In the past I even had to wear two braces. Now I pay more attention to it and it goes away with peace of mind, but I would therefore like to purchase an ergonomic keyboard. There is just so much choice. What should I pay attention to when purchasing such a keyboard?
Joyce
Mark Chen, physical therapist:
Hi Joyce,
Obviously a good question in a time where we spend a lot of time digitally, with more time tied to our laptops, tablets and phones. There are many keyboards on the market and a lot of variants have been added in recent years. From my experience and from what I hear back from clients, there are two types that I particularly like:
1. A split keyboard
The ‘broken’ design of these keyboards gives your shoulders, elbows and wrists much more freedom of movement and variety. It takes some getting used to for some people, but you’ll be amazed at how easy the transition from a ‘fixed’ keyboard to a split is. To quote a recent client of mine, “as if I took off handcuffs”.
2. A wave keyboard
These type of keyboards have been on the market for a while and have a kind of wavy rise that feels very nice on the wrists. In addition, there is often a support that ensures that the pressure on the wrists is better distributed. Both types of keyboards are easy to find online.
Other Important Tips
I often notice that when clients suffer from complaints related to office work, they are often already ‘too late’. When the wrists start to whine, there may well be another cause. It is therefore important to look beyond just the position of the wrists. For example, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my chair at the right height so that my arms and shoulders are relaxed during work?
- Do I have a good distance from my screen, mouse and keyboard?
- Do I have an active posture in which my body is actively supported by my muscles?
- Do I regularly take short breaks to rest and possibly stretch and stretch?
- Do I have an exercise program or habits outside of work that strengthen my wrists/arms/neck?
As with many complaints, prevention is better than cure. I hope this helps and if you need more help, you can reach me through this Facebook page for online consultations for exercise programs or for our ‘Health at work’ programs that we offer for companies (including online).
Greeting,
Mark
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Mark Chen is a physiotherapist and NASM trained personal trainer. Since August 2014 he has been working in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His expertise lies in analyzing and optimizing movement patterns. Dry needling and medical taping are an important part of his vision and training predominates.
