Keyboards

Keyboards are key in the treatment and prevention of typing injuries like Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). And it is not just the type of keyboard you use, but how you place it. So, while there are multiple alternative keyboards out there – like chorded, contoured, Dvorak, split, and other keyboards – you may never need one, as long as you use your standard keyboard correctly.

Types of Keyboards and other Keyboard Information

Abstracts

Accessories & Interfaces

Adjustable Split Keyboards

Chording Keyboards

Contoured Keyboards

Dvorak Keyboards

Fixed Split Keyboards

Historical Keyboards

Other Keyboards

Keyboards Under Development

Vertical Split Keyboards

Here are some tips:

• Adjustable placement – be sure that you can adjust your keyboard placement, as well as your desk height, chair height, and monitor placement.
• General placement – the best place for your keyboard is right in front of you and at seated elbow height.
• Tilt – keep your keyboard tilted slightly away from you (backward tilt), allowing you to keep your hands and fingers gently curved.
• Elbows – your elbows should be at about a 90 degree bend.
• Forearms – they should be parallel to the ground.
• Wrists – they should be straight, not bending up or out or down.
• Straight line – your hands should remain in a straight line with your arms: you do not want your wrists to be bent out.
• Keep a neutral posture
• Soft touch – do not hit the keys hard. A soft touch is all that is needed.
• Finger pads – use your finger pads to hit the keys, not your tips.
• Relaxed – keep your arms relaxed as you type; shoulders back, upper arms resting at the sides of your body.
• Wrist rest – only use your wrist rest to rest your arms between bouts of typing, not during.
• Take breaks – better yet, take stretching breaks!

If you follow the above tips and are still experiencing typing injuries (or if you find it difficult to follow the abovementioned tips), then it might be worth checking out some alternative keyboards. We have some basic information on alternative keyboards available to you, right here at Typing Injuries Frequently Asked Questions.