Monday, October 8, 2012

Posture & Basic Keyboard Techniques

Follow these basic typing techniques to avoid injury.


For those who are stuck at a computer all day, carpal tunnel syndrome is a common injury due to the repetitive movements associated with constant typing. In order to prevent muscle and tendon damage to your arms and back, it is important to maintain a proper posture and technique when sitting at a keyboard.








General Posture


Sit with your spine straight. To ensure that it is straight, make sure your ears are in a direct line with your shoulders, and then make sure your shoulders are in line with your hips. Meanwhile, your arms should hang from your shoulders, not resting on armrests.


Wrists


Your wrists should be completely straight out from your arms , so it forms a right angle at your elbow. In most cases, you will need to re-arrange your workstation (either by lowering where the keyboard sits or raising your chair) so that this is your natural typing position.


Fingers


Make sure to keep your fingers relaxed while typing, instead of pounding down hard on each key. In the same way, hold the mouse gently instead of grasping it hard. Take frequent breaks while typing in order to reset your position and to make sure your posture is still correct. When not typing, relax your fingers by placing them in front of the keyboard and loosening your wrists.

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