Computer Keyboards and Mouses: What Really Works Best for the Body?

Go wireless. A wireless keyboard and wireless mouse allow you to move these tools more easily and increases desktop efficiency.

Keyboard design; Unfinished business. Manufacturers are playing it safe and staying with the same basic keyboard design used in the past 25 years. While many companies are working hard to improve this design, no one has really come up with a much better design idea.

You might try one of the ergonomic keyboards, but look at them carefully. Split keyboards designed to encourage a neutral wrist position when typing did not prove practical and contribute stress in the shoulders.

More interesting are keyboards that have flatter, larger keys placed in rows, or boards which are more compact, taking up less space. Ergonomic keyboards need to be discarded if they're not working, no matter how much you paid for them.

If it feels right, it probably is. When purchasing a new computer try out the keyboard and see how it feels. If the computer you want to purchase has a keyboard that doesn't feel right, consider purchasing your own as a replacement. But be sure to try out the possible replacement just as carefully. Don't be swayed by descriptions of keyboards as ergonomically advanced. Concentrate on how they work for you.

Float those wrists. When we do computer typing our wrists should float comfortably above the keys, which we should strike lightly. Wrist supports, intended as a rest area for the wrists, are sometimes incorrectly used when people type. Some mousepads are still sold with an attached pad. My advice is to simplify your space and eliminate such supports. When you take a brief typing break, which should be often, use it to move your fingers and wrists, and while you're at it, you might give the whole body a good stretch.

And follow the 'Rule of Wrists'. When you type, your wrists should be level. Your hands shouldn't be bent down at the wrists or bent up. Feel the stress on your wrists when you position your hands in a way up or way down position.

The problem with keyboard trays. Most articles on good computer ergonomics emphasize the use of keyboard trays. These trays place the keyboard below the desk to guard against the hands bending up on the wrists and contributing to joint stress and repetitive strain.

In reality, computer users push their trays in when they're just looking at the computer or if they're doing other work. The monitor is usually placed at a comfortable arm's length away when the tray is pushed in and the chair is brought close to the table. When ready to type, the tray is pulled out. Not only does the chair have to be pushed away from the table (repetitively), but now the monitor is placed incorrectly too far away. If the monitor is now at a correct placement, it is too close when the tray is pushed in. You just can't win this one. If the computer monitor is placed at the correct height and the work surface is sufficiently large, the keyboard placed on the table is more effective than keyboard trays.

Tilt your board up, or tilt it down? Because the ergonomic 'rule of wrists' tells us that wrists need to straight, it's probably better not to have the keyboard raised. Some ergonomic experts argue for a front or backward tilt to the board hoping that wrists are kept straighter this way. See what feels comfortable for you and follow the rule of the wrist. In most cases a flat position works best.

And how about those mouses? Wireless mice are great, allowing more flexibility of use. Make certain it fits your hand and feels comfortable to use. Don't look at the ergonomic labels. Instead concentrate on the product and how it works and feels. Mouses shaped to fit your fingers and made in other interesting shapes might look ergonomic, but they're not. The original shape of the mouse still works best.

Computer Keyboard and Mouse Ergonomics Checklist
( ) Keyboard is lower than your hands, which are held in a typing position.
( ) Keyboard feels comfortable to use.
( ) When typing your wrists float comfortably above the keyboard.
( ) When you type your wrists are in a neutral position, not bent up or down.
( ) Keys are hit lightly.
( ) Your mouse feels comfortable for the size of your hand. A wireless mouse is best.
( ) There is ample space for your mouse to move around freely.
( ) Frequent breaks from keyboard entry prevent injuries.