Are your shoulders sore after at a day at your computer? Do your hands or wrists ache when you spend too much time at your keyboard? Here are a few tips to help you stay healthier and pain free while typing.

10 Keyboarding Tips

Since you spend a large part of your day in front of a keyboard, it's essential to use your keyboard well.  The more ergonomic principles you practice, the better your hands and wrists will feel and the more productive you'll be.

1. Sit up straight! Mom was right.  Good, straight posture while typing is one of the most important changes you can make to relieve pain and discomfort.  You may also need to dock your laptop and sit in a good ergonomic chair for back support.
2. Keep your wrists neutral. Ergonomics are based on neutral positioning- for your wrists that means straight, not bent or cocked awkwardly.  Your arms and hand should form a straight line you’re your elbow through your wrist and down to your middle finger.
3. Float your hands. Rather than hanging your hands on the keyboard, your hands and wrists should hover over the keys. Never rest them on your desk or wrist rest while you are typing.  The wrist rest is great for breaks between typing and mousing.
4. Rest on your palms. Between keystrokes you can support the weight of your arms and hands on the ball of your hands. Do not put any pressure or weight directly on the wrists; any surface pressure on the wrists can agitate the sensitive carpal tunnel area.
5. Press the keys lightly. I've said it before, but easy does it, especially as many keyboards are more sensitive and less tactile.  You don't need to press hard on the keys. This can save you significant muscle wear in your hands and wrists throughout the day.
6. Never reach for a key. By stretching to reach keys farther up on the keyboard, you add wear on your muscles and tendons.  However, if your hands are floating over the keys, it should be pretty easy to move your entire hand and arm until you fingers hover over the needed key. 
7. Keep your hands and fingers curved. Instead of locking your fingers, your hands should naturally curve into a loose ball as they float over the keys.
8. Use two hands for two-key combos. Whenever you use your Shift key (or Ctrl or Alt) with an additional key, always press the Shift key with one hand and the second key with the opposite hand.  Trying to perform these actions with one hand will cause unnecessary wear and muscle strain.
9. Confirm proper keyboard placement. Your keyboard should sit flat on a surface, or even better, at a slightly negative slope away from your body. It should rest about two inches above your legs, about an inch below your elbow height. The space bar on your keyboard should be perfectly centered to your body.Your keyboard and mouse should be nextdoor neighbors. Make sure they are right next to each other.
10. Try an ergonomic keyboard.  As always, the right ergonomic product can help you achieve your goals.  Try a left-handed keyboard, a mini keyboard (great for maximizing space), or even a split keyboard.

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