Problem:

When learning to type, we’re often instructed to leave our fingers on the keys and only lift and move one at a time to press a key.

Symptoms

One or more of the following:

• Tension and pain in the top of the hand and forearm
• Trigger finger
• Tendonitis

Solution:

Problem:

Right from the first time we learn to type, we’re usually told to keep all our fingers on the home row of the keyboard (asdf-jkl;) and return our fingers to that position after pressing each key. Unfortunately, when we force our fingers into this position, the three middle fingers (index, middle, and pinky) bunch up and curl to line up with our much shorter thumb and pinky fingers.

Symptoms

One or more of the following:

• Tension or pain in the fingers, hand, and forearm
• Difficulty moving the fingers
• Trigger finger (especially if you are both curling and isolating your fingers)

Solution:

Problem:

(Finger Stretching to Move From ‘N’ to ‘O’— Screenshot from Healthy Typing Video)

Stretching occurs when fingers are forced to pull away from each other to reach other keys.

Symptoms

One or more of the following:

• Tension or pain in the fingers, hand, or forearm
• Trigger Finger
• Tendinitis

Solution:

(The Correct Way to Move from ‘N’ to ‘O’)

(Unfortunately, it’s tough to learn how to make this movement just by looking at a picture. Watch the Healthy Typing Video to learn this movement and find out more.)

Problem:

Thumb: When pressing the space bar, it’s fairly common to stretch, isolate, curl, or push out the thumb.

Symptom:

• Thumb tension or pain, which can extend from the thumb to the wrist and forearm

(Incorrect Way to Press the Space Bar — Screenshot from Healthy Typing Video)

Solution:

(Correct Way to Press the Space Bar — Screenshot from Healthy Typing Video

Problem:

Pinky: Many people stretch their pinky finger to reach the outer keys. Some of the worst movements are made when using function keys such as shift, control, and alt.

Symptom:

• Pain in the pinky side of the hand, often extending to the elbow.

(Incorrect: Many people put their pinky down into the far edge of the shift key, resulting in stretching. Pinky on the Exterior of ‘Shift’ While Index Finger on ‘U’ — Screenshot from Healthy Typing Video

Solution:

(Correct: Put your pinky down into the near edge of the shift key instead of the far edge. — Screenshot from Healthy Typing Video. )

The second way to use the ‘shift’ key correctly and avoid stretching your pinky is to use both hands; use one hand for the ‘shift’ key and the other hand for the second key. This is often the easiest option, particularly for people with smaller hands.

(Correct: Using Both Hands — Screenshot from Healthy Typing Video)

Problem:

Twisting or Lateral Hand Isolation occurs when your hand moves by itself to the right or left at the wrist, without forearm participation. In an effort to solve this problem, manufacturers have created splints, and ergonomic keyboards in various shapes and configurations. Unfortunately, while they sometimes provide temporary relief, they prevent natural motion and can hurt you in other ways.

Symptoms

One or more of the following:

• Pain on the left or right side of the wrist, which may extend to the elbow
• Ganglion, a cyst on the wrist that is often treated with surgery. However, this surgery is unnecessary. To treat it, you simply need to stop twisting your hand!

Problem:

When your wrist is too low, even if it appears to only be a little bit low, the weight of the forearm falls into it. Many people use wrist rests to compensate, but they can actually worsen the problem because by resting your wrist on the wrist rest even a little, you’re still breaking the alignment of the hand and forearm. This will cause the weight of your arm to fall into the wrist, leaving your fingers unsupported and making it difficult for them to move. In other words, you’re still at risk for hurting yourself!

Symptoms

One or more of the following:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Wrist pain
• Back Pain

(Broken Wrist — Wrist Too Low – Excerpt from Healthy Typing Video)

** It’s important not to overcompensate by holding your wrist too high. This causes an upwards break which can cause tension on the top of your forearms and make it difficult for your fingers to move.

(Wrist Too High — Excerpt from Healthy Typing Video)

Solution:

The correct way is for your wrist to be at a level that allows the hand and forearm to move together in all directions.

(The Correct Wrist Position — Excerpt from Healthy Typing Video)

You can even try this for yourself:

• Hold your wrist higher than your hand or forearm. Try lifting your fingers and moving your hand.
• Hold your wrist lower than your hand or forearm. Now try lifting your fingers and moving your hand.
• Now hold your wrist in a natural, level position, in line with the hand and forearm. Now try lifting your fingers and moving your hand.

Which way felt the most natural and was the easiest?

(Sitting Too Low — Excerpt from Healthy Typing Video

Problem:

When you sit too low, your forearm’s weight falls into your elbow instead of supporting your fingers.

Symptoms

One or more of the following:

• Fingers tense to prevent your hand and arm from falling off the keyboard.
• The wrist is held too high to support your fingers and hands (Broken Wrist), which lowers your elbows, and makes it difficult to move your fingers while typing.
• The shoulder will pull up in an effort to support your arm causing neck, shoulder, back, and upper arm pain.

(Sitting Too High — Excerpt from Healthy Typing Video)

When you sit too high, your elbow and forearm are too far above the keyboard, which makes it impossible to support your hand and forearm. This causes you to either:

• Drop your shoulder to support the arm, which breaks the shoulder fulcrum causing tension and pain in your neck and shoulders (pictured above on the left).

or

• Drop your hand to support your fingers, causing a ‘broken wrist’. The weight of your arm is often transferred to your wrist as well, resulting in pain and injuries such as Carpal tunnel syndrome (pictured above on the right)

Solution:

(Correct Seat Height — Excerpt from Healthy Typing Video)

The correct seat height will allow you to keep your fingers, hand, wrist, and forearm together in perfect alignment, which will allow you to move them in unison. Your forearm will support your fingers and make it easy for you to move in all directions. There will be no pain, numbness, fatigue, or symptoms of any kind. You’ll be able to type quickly and you’ll feel terrific, even after long hours at the keyboard! (You might even type faster than before!)