NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/comp/humanfa/2933

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-22 | 1.7 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!sdd.hp.com!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!news.iastate.edu!iscsvax.uni.edu!sunfish!charlie.usd.edu!MGRANAAS
Newsgroups: comp.human-factors
Subject: CTS and Keyboards
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 21:58:41 GMT
Reply-To: [e-mail]
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Organization: The University of South Dakota Computer Science Dept.
Nntp-Posting-Host: charlie
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One reason that some people are more prone to CTS while typing has to
do simply with posture and hand position.  Many secretaries type for years
with few problems, while some computer users go only a few months before
developing CTS or some other problem.  Those with problems are frequently
not holding their hands above the keyboard like they should.  Rather they
rest their wrists on the desk, or type in other awkward positions.  This
is why there is now a market for wrist-rests as advertised in the back
of computer magazines.

I was suffering some pretty bad pain in my left hand from typing, so I
went out and bougth a $20 wrist-rest--hated it.  Then I bought a $4 towel
rolled it up and put it in front of my keyboard.  The pain in my hand
went away after a couple of weeks.  The towel forced me to hold my hands
in the proper typing position.  (If you've already developed a case of
CTS, I don't think this will work.  But if you're worried about it, and
you hold your wrists on or near the table, try it.)  If you've never
learned what proper typing posture is, FIND OUT.  If you know what a
proper typying posture is, USE IT.  You will save yourself some pain.

Michael Granaas
[e-mail]