Keyboard: Ergonomics is your ideal Solutions for hand, finger and wrist pain

The standard QWERTY keyboard design has been around since the invention of the typewriter and has been consistent for all typewriters, electric typewriters and all the way through to computers. The keyboards design really hasn’t changed much over the last 130 years until recently and with good reason. So many people use keyboards in their everyday lives including at home and at their jobs. Because of this keyboard manufacturers have had to start putting warning labels on them to warn of the side effects of prolonged use.

This is where ergonomics really comes in handy, it is basically using science and design to fit a device to its user more comfortably. Using keyboard ergonomics in the workplace will produce a boost in productivity, less risk of injury, and a generally better working environment. Below we will go over everything you should know about the standard keyboard and what ergonomically designed keyboards you should be using.

So the first thing we should go over are the flaws in the standard keyboard and how they affect you. The original design was designed so it could intentionally slow your typing down. This is simply because typing too fast would jam the arms in a typewriter and the arms could swing up and hit the page. Ever so slowly injuries started to develop from keyboards that needed to be named, which is what opened the doors for manufacturers to start producing ergonomic keyboards. One of the main problems with the standard keyboard is that it forces the user’s wrist to sit in an unnatural position. This is a problem that can cause injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and much more.

As a solution to this problem, manufacturers have come up with two popular designs. The first design is known as a split key ergonomic keyboard. Its main goal was to change the angle you type at. The way manufacturers did this was by splitting the keyboard into two different sections giving one section to one hand. You don’t have to learn an entirely new layout with this keyboard however it does require some getting used to. The main difference is that you have to learn to type the letter “Y” with your right hand instead of the left because it’s difficult to reach while typing. It might be difficult to navigate at first as the keys are not where you would usually find them but this is all a matter of getting used to a new keyboard.

The next keyboard is the wave style ergonomic keyboard and has been called the half way between the standard keyboard and the split key keyboard. Some people prefer this one to the split key because it is quite similar to the standard keyboard but still offers some protection and ergonomics. This is a great choice because you still have the option to type however you want and not have to worry about which hand can reach what letter.

Keyboard ergonomics is important to make typing and working less dangerous. These keyboards allow you to use you wrist naturally and allow you to place your hands comfortably without running the risk of injury. Split keyboards are dramatically different by splitting and rotating the keys so that your hands and fingers meet naturally in the middle. The wave keyboard only slightly alters your positioning but is still more comfortable and less risky than the traditional keyboard. If you are someone who works in an office or spends a lot of time on the computer, then you should seriously invest in an ergonomic keyboard.