Sunday, October 08, 2006

Have wrist pain from typing?

One of the downsides to all the time we spend typing and texting is the risk of RSI (repetitive strain injury) which may take the form of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendonitis, or other conditions. The usual advice applies here for treatment and prevention such as avoiding prolonged periods of the aggravating actions, keeping good posture and hand position, exercise (stretching), etc. One thing that I've found has helped is changing my keyboard. Of course, it's not a cure and won't reverse any existing damage, but I do find that my hands feel much more relaxed and comfortable when typing in this position. If you've never tried one of these odd-looking keyboards, I'd suggest that you give it a go. I've switched to this one at home and work and am happy with it. It takes a little getting used to, but if you're able to type without looking down at the keyboard, you'll adapt quickly. If you have a more advanced condition, here's another site that has an array of more advanced keyboards.

There are good tips available on a number of sites if you Google RSI. A number of things that can help are paying attention to how you use your hands when not typing. Is your hand bent backwards when you hold your phone or brush your teeth? Straighten it. How about at the gym? Can you modify your workout to do load-bearing exercise with a straight wrist? Does it hurt when you use a knife? A sharper one would let you use less pressure. Do you carry a loaded backpack when you commute on your bike? Consider a rack or panier to ease the weight on your wrists.

If you have any more tips to share, please add them in the comments. It's something which probably affects a lot of us, but we just don't discuss it.

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