Ergonomics for Professional Typists

When practicing for longer than 5 minutes, you increase your risk for physical strain. Typing career professions are under the threat of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. While some people may think wearing a brace would provide ergonomic relief, it is a temporary solution. True ergonomic relief means a career extension. Making 50+ WPM is impossible with wrist pain.

The Shoulder-Wrist Connection

Most of the pain we feel when typing actually starts in the shoulders. When we type, we concentrate and as we concentrate, we tend to raise our shoulders to our ears. When this happens, a lot of tension builds up, this tension is transferred to our arms, and loads the wrists. Try to pay attention to your shoulders during the course of this short instruction. Keep them relaxed and down. You arms should feel as if they are heavy weights and are hanging loosely from your body. When you are this relaxed, you give the tendons in your wrists a chance to slide freely, this will reduce the the pain and inflammation caused by excessive friction.

Dynamic Posture Adjustments

Sitting completely still for even a few minutes can be far more detrimental to your body than making small movements. Even the ergonomics of professional touch typers include “Micro-Adjustments.” Every minute or so, try to shift your center of body weight, or wiggle your toes. This helps capture your blood flow, and prevents your muscles from from becoming tightly bound to a position. Just be careful to keep your arms, wrists, and hands in a neutral position and floating above the typing keys. A neutral wrist position is the “safe zone” for touch typing. Even minor deviations from a neutral wrist position…downward, upward, or sideways…increase the pressure on the median nerve and create the risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Importance of “After-Care”

Your actions after the five-minute test are just as important as what you did to complete the five-minute test. After you finish Lesson 43, you should do some simple stretches for your forearms. For example, place your opposite hand to your elbow to stretch the flexor muscles. This helps to “flush” the muscles with fresh blood, and helps with the healing process from the micro-tears that are formed from repetitive movements. By looking after your body’s “hardware” you are ensuring that your body continues to be an impressive, efficient “machine” for the physical challenges the government examinations are going to impose on you.