Ergonomics Made Easy Blog

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Considering A Left Handed Keyboard? It can be Your Smartest Choice Yet

Monday August 31, 2009

If you’re one of the many people considering making the switch to a left handed keyboard, it could be a very wise choice, especially if you spend hours each day using your keyboard.  Left handed keyboards have a different layout design than the traditional style keyboards.

These layout changes help to create an efficient ergonomic keyboard.  There’s one major change that contributes to the improvements.  Traditionally keyboarders spent a lot of time using the numeric keypad.  Thus, it was conveniently placed on the right side of the keyboard.  Today, most people using a keyboard don’t spend a lot of time with the numeric keypad.

Left handed keyboards have moved the numeric keypad to the left side of the layout.  This allows users to place their mouse closer to the alpha keypad. Closer positioning of your mouse helps to promote straight, inline positioning of your forearms, wrists, and hands.  This neutral position helps keep tendons, nerves and blood vessels in this area from being compressed.

Compression occurs with many keyboard users.  This compression causes what is known as Repetitive Stress Injuries.  The main symptoms of Repetitive Stress Injuries include numbness of the fingers, tingling, and pain in the wrists continuing up the forearm or down through the hand.  The pain can be chronic and often requires medical treatment.  Left handed keyboards can help to prevent this type of injury.

Another popular layout of the left handed keyboard is to remove the numeric keypad and replace it with a touchpad.  Since the touchpad performs every function of the mouse, you can get rid of your mouse.  Not using a mouse will eliminate the awkward positions occurring when you go from keyboard to mouse and back.  You also won’t have to worry about placing your mouse close to your keyboard as the touchpad is built right into your keyboard.  So it is not only ergonomic efficient, it is also a space saver.

If you are a constant keyboard user you may not even realize the stress you’re placing on your wrists and hands by using a traditional keyboard.   You also may not realize just how much time you spend on a keyboard.  At work and at home the computer has become a major part of everyday life. That tired achy feeling, or the tingling could be a big warning sign that you’re damaging the nerves and tendons in these areas.  Switching to a left handed keyboard is a wise choice to help prevent further damage.

                                                    

                                                              Shop Left Handed Products Now

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Benefits Abound with the Use of Ergonomic Mini Keyboard

Friday August 28, 2009

Learn about how you can benefit from using the newer mini keyboards.

For a jump in performance, a reduction in stress and more freedom with your computing consider a new ergonomic mini keyboard.  That’s right. If you haven’t investigated the new mini keyboard available today, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

If you’ve been looking for ways to improve the ergonomics of your keyboarding consider a mini keyboard.  With new enhanced layout designs and smaller sizes come many benefits.  Not only will you find benefits for ergonomic safety, you find many benefits to enhance your productivity.  Several combinations of layout designs are available to suit your computing needs and improve your ergonomics.

For example, with the smaller size, you don’t have to worry about where your keyboard is placed.  You can place it almost anywhere, thus allowing you to position it so your arms, wrists, and hands are in the perfect “neutral “position for optimal safety and reduction of repetitive stress conditions.  Achieving the neutral position of having your wrist in a straight alignment with the forearm requires different placement for different people.  Using a mini keyboard allows you to place it so it best suits your body type and size.  Add a wireless function to your mini keyboard and you can put it almost anywhere.

With a mini keyboard, you’ll also have the option of using a touch pad on the keyboard instead of the mouse. Touchpad features such as vertical scrolling, horizontal scrolling, zoom in/out, and even two touchpad buttons for right and left click functions, are all available for a big boost in computing performance.  Many models place the touchpad on the right side of the keyboard replacing the numeric keypad.  If your needs include a keypad you can find mini keyboards with the numeric keypad placed on the left-hand side.

If you’re a laptop user and just can’t get the machine placed correctly for both monitor viewing and keyboarding, try using a wireless mini keyboard instead of your laptop keyboard.  This gives you the ability to place the monitor so it is perfect for your eyes as well as the ability to place the keyboard in an ergonomic friendly position.  Plus, the small size of the mini keyboards makes them perfect for mobility.

With all the available options, you can see how the new mini keyboards are ergonomic friendly.  Plus they offer a host of innovative performance improving functions.  Try one today and it won’t take you long to see just how much you can benefit.

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Should You Use a Left Handed Keyboard?

Wednesday August 26, 2009

Learn why everyone may benefit from a left handed keyboard.

If you are constantly using your keyboard day in and day out for hours on end, you may want to consider using a left handed keyboard.   Originally designed for the left handed, all users are finding that left handed keyboards can benefit anyone. If you have moderate to heavy keyboarding tasks on a daily basis consider making the switch. .  The layout changes in these keyboards are good ergonomic designs for almost everyone who uses a keyboard.

The major change in the layout of a left handed keyboard is the placement of the numeric keypad.  Traditionally the numeric keypad’s right side placement was very effective for most users.  This is because originally keyboards were used mainly for entering numeric data. Decades later the numeric keypad is not as important for most users.

You’ll find left handed keyboards with the numeric keypad on the left side.  This allows the user whether left or right handed to place the mouse closer to the most used section of their keyboard.  This closer placement reduces the right hand movement of reaching and moving in awkward positions while using the mouse.

Some left handed keyboards have the numeric keypad omitted.  Instead a touchpad is placed on the right side.  The touchpad eliminates the need for a mouse.  Replacing your mouse with a touchpad provides you with all mouse functions right on your keyboard. This placement eliminates constant movement between keyboard and mouse, thus reducing stress.

As you consider making the switch to a left handed keyboard, think about the functions of your keyboard that you use most often.  For example, if you do use the numeric keypad a considerable amount, choose the left side placement.  If you’re comfortable without the numeric keypad, choose a touch pad instead.

As with any ergonomic keyboard the goal is to reduce the amount of non-neutral positioning of your forearms, your wrists and your hands.  Maintaining a the neutral position of having your wrists straight and in-line with your forearms as you use your keyboard prevents internal contact stress on blood vessels, tendons, and nerves.   

Repeated internal contact stress can cause numbness or tingling in the fingers, pain in the wrists and more.  Even though the movements of using your keyboard may seem simple, these repetitive motions can cause chronic conditions over time.  Replacing your current keyboard with a left handed keyboard is a simple solution that can help prevent long-term issues.  

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Reduce Stress, Improve Productivity with a Left Handed Keyboard

Monday August 24, 2009

Are your hands and wrists in pain after a day at work?  Do your fingers and hands ache? Are you constantly moving back and forth between the keyboard and your mouse?  A new keyboard may be just what you need.

Regardless of whether you are left or right handed a new left handed keyboard could greatly reduce stress and pain in your hands and wrists.  This type of stress and pain  is usually caused by compressing the tendons, nerves, and blood vessels in the area as you use the keyboard and mouse.  Maintaining your wrists, hands, and forearms in an improper position for extended periods can cause chronic injuries.  These injuries commonly called Repetitive Stress Injuries often require medical attention.

Using a left handed keyboard could help prevent these injuries.  A left handed keyboard has a change in the layout that promotes better ergonomic positioning of the wrists and hands.  Rather than having the numeric keypad on the right side of the keyboard the left handed version places it on the left side.  How does this help?

Most people don’t often use the numeric keypad.  They are constantly switching between keyboard and mouse.  Moving the keypad to the left side, allows you to place your mouse closer to the alpha keypad .  Having the mouse closer requires less awkward positioning and movement between the keyboard and your mouse.

The more you reduce this type of movement the less chance of stress and pain.

If you don’t use the numeric keypad, you can even purchase a left handed keyboard that replaces the right side numeric keypad with a touchpad.  The touchpad  replaces the mouse for an even better ergonomic effect.  You are able to maintain a straight line of forearms, wrists, and hands as you  use your keyboard. Maintaining this type of neutral position reduces the compression that can cause injury to your wrists and hands.  

Along with reducing problems with your wrists and hands, you’ll also find an improvement in productivity.  Once you become adjusted to the new layout you’ll find it is much easier to control and perform your tasks with the touchpad. Just a touch and the task is complete rather than moving back and forth using a mouse.  Combine that with no issues of stress, numbness or pain  and you’re always ready to work without concern over what it’s doing to your wrists and hands.  Try a left handed keyboard today.

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Reduce Repetitive Stress Injury With a Left Handed Keyboard

Friday August 21, 2009

Find out why a left handed keyboard may be the best choice for both the right- and left-handed!

Some would say that sitting at a keyboard all day is not a difficult task.  While it may not be like digging ditches, the job of all day keyboarding still poses the threat of injury.

Repetitive Stress Injuries occur when a blood vessel, nerve or tendon has constant pressure for long periods.   Commonly called contact stress, this pressure can cause pain, tingling, and numbness.  Once of the most common injuries of this type is carpal tunnel syndrome.  Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the “carpal tunnel” in your wrist becomes narrowed and places pressure on the median nerve inside.  Switching keyboards could greatly reduce your stress and pain, and even eliminate the chance of getting a repetitive stress injury.

For both the right handed and left handed, using a left handed keyboard can help keep your forearms, wrists, and hands in best ergonomic neutral positions.  This neutral position virtually eliminates contact stress and thus prevents chances of injury.  Left handed keyboard have a major change in their layout.

Instead of having the numeric keypad placed on the right side of your keyboard, it is placed on the left side.  This major layout change allows the user, whether left or right handed, to bring the mouse closer to the alpha keys on the keyboard.  With a left handed keyboard you no longer have to place your hands in awkward positions to access your mouse.

You can also choose a left handed keyboard with a touchpad on the right side.  The touchpad eliminate the need for a mouse.  It is within easy reach and less stress is placed on the wrists and hands as you use the touchpad.  Another benefit of using the touchpad is its functionality.  Once you begin using your touchpad, you find the functions quickly improve your productivity.  Scrolling, zooming, and browsing are all improved using a touchpad.

The movement of your forearms, wrists, and hands while using your keyboard may seem like a simple non-threatening movement.  Still repeating the movements constantly on a daily basis causes more stress and harm than you realize.  Over time this stress can cause chronic conditions requiring medical attention.

If your forearms, wrists, or hands feel the stress of constant keyboarding try a left-handed keyboard.  You can reduce tiredness, aches, stiffness, tingling, and pain by making this simple change. The left handed keyboard could be your solution to preventing chronic repetitive stress injuries.

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