Regardless of whether it’s your chair, the height of your desktop, the lighting in your office, or your keyboard, it’s important that the positions you spend a lot of time in are comfortable and put little strain on your body.
Even more so if you, like me, spend quite some time by the computer on a daily basis.
You may not think that adjusting your keyboard can make much of a difference but in the end, even the smallest changes will have a huge impact on the amount of stress that’s put on your wrists, fingers, hands, arms, back, and shoulders.
It’s better to let your keyboard lay flat on the desk than raise it. The keyboard should be placed so that both your wrists are in a neutral position with your elbows bent at a 90 degrees angle to prevent injuries. Both the height of the desk and the angle of the keyboard play a big role in the amount of stress placed on your wrists.
If the keyboard is raised, your wrists will most likely be in a forced position. This may lead to injury. Placing the keyboard in a negative tilt, however, can aid in achieving a neutral position for your wrists.
There are a lot of things to take into consideration though. The height of your chair and its armrests will, together with the height of the desk, make a huge difference when it comes to comfort.
You want the chair’s armrests to align with the desk so that your arms can rest on the chair’s armrests and still reach the keyboard without any effort.
Are Flat Keyboards More Ergonomic?
Flat keyboards are more ergonomic than raised keyboards. Using the keyboard’s kickstands to elevate it increases the stress on your wrists. Placing the keyboard on a flat surface is your best option.
Now, you may think to yourself “What’s the point of actually having kickstands, or feet, on a keyboard then?” Apparently, the kickstands weren’t installed to provide a comfortable position for your wrists while you’re typing, their purpose was something else entirely.
Raising the keyboard’s feet would provide the user with greater visibility over the keys, making it easier to hit the correct key, and find the keys you’re looking for.
Therefore, many keyboards come with the ability to raise the back of the keyboard, which gives the user a better angle to see the keys in.
It’s much better to use a flat backlit keyboard or one with distinct symbols than angling the keyboard.
Flat keyboards can make it a little bit more difficult to spot the letters, sure. They are, however, much more pleasant to work with and put very little strain on your wrists even after many hours of constant usage.
Should Your Wrists Be Resting While Typing?
Sometimes, keyboards come with wrist support pads. These pads should be used to let your wrist rests now and then. Having your wrists placed on the pads while you type isn’t something I recommend as the motion will be less natural and more forced.
Use the wrist pads as a reminder to keep your wrists straight, not angled, but don’t let your wrists rest on them throughout the entire session. Instead, keep your wrists hovering over the keyboard as this allows you to move freely from one side of the keyboard to the other with ease.
It’s much better to take short breaks on a regular basis. When I say a short break I’m talking about removing your hands from the keyboard and letting them hang from your side for a mere moment.
You don’t have to take long breaks, it’s more about simply changing your position for a little bit.
Should You Rest Your Elbows While Typing?
Yes, it’s beneficial to rest your elbows on the armrests while typing. Resting your arms on the chair’s armrest has proven to decrease the amount of muscle activity in the shoulders and neck.
Place the armrest at a height that allows your wrists to hover over the keyboard while still being in a neutral position. Armrests that provide support for your forearms are a good solution, and something you should be looking for.
Read: How Long Do Keyboards Last?
Should Your Keyboard Be Centered?
Both your mouse and keyboard should be placed in front of you to minimize the need for body twists while sitting at the computer. They should be placed so they’re reachable without force or effort, and the keyboard should be centered.
When your keyboard is centered, you should have the space bar and the B-key right in front of you. Having the keyboard centered allows you to work more efficiently and puts less stress on your wrists.
Read: Do Gaming Keyboards Make a Difference?
What Do You Look For In an Ergonomic Keyboard?
Whether or not a keyboard is ergonomic comes down to its placement in relation to your position. What kind of effort do you have to go through to use it?
Can you relax while using the keyboard? Is your position natural or forced? The overall design of the keyboard also comes into play, and there’s no one size that’s better than others.
Selecting the right keyboard is definitely an individual endeavor, as we’re all built differently.
Keyboards come in different shapes, heights, sizes, and angles. Depending on who you are, you may benefit from a standard, straight keyboard, a curvy keyboard, or a smaller keyboard. You may need an additional wrist rest, or no wrist rest at all.
Here’s what I was looking for when I was setting up my workstation at home.
- Keyboard distance – I wanted the keyboard in that sweet spot that doesn’t force me into awkward positions because the keyboard is too far away or too close. I placed the keyboard just far enough for me to be able to have my elbows at a 90-degree angle. Because my workstation at home is quite spacious, I didn’t have to take the size of the keyboard into consideration, but if you’ve got a small desk, purchasing a large keyboard with above-average wrist support can make it difficult to position yourself naturally.
- Keyboard height – I wanted to place my keyboard so that I didn’t have to compensate by either elevating my arms, which would put a lot of stress on my neck, or hunching my back to reach the keyboard. While my desk isn’t adjustable, the chair I’ve got is. If I wouldn’t be able to adjust either the desk or the chair to the perfect height, I would purchase and install a keyboard tray.
- Keyboard layout – What type of keyboard layout do you need? Using a separate numeric keypad can, for instance, provide a lot of comfort for those who use their keypads on a regular basis at work. There are a lot of different keyboards. Find the layout that works for you, in most cases, this will be the standard layout.
Aside from all of this, I made sure to make the adjustments needed to be able to achieve proper ergonomics.
During the ongoing situation that has forced many of us to work at home, I’ve found that my home office’s strategic design was worth it – as I haven’t felt fatigued or pain anywhere, even after long hours of work.