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A Lesson in Ergonomics


For everyone who thought that raising the feet on the back of your iBook or PowerBook will save you from Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) and carpal tunnel syndrome, think again. In fact, that is one of the most frequent causes of RSI. Help2Go provides a complete guide to avoiding computer-related injuries. PowerBook users should pay close attention to the keyboard section:

Most keyboards come with little pegs near the back. Pushing the pegs down lifts the back of your keyboard up, supposedly making it easier to type. THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST MISTAKES YOU CAN MAKE!

The natural position of your hand is that your fingers should be lower than your wrists. If you lift the back of your keyboard up, you are forcing your wrists to bend upwards, unnaturally, and your fingers end up higher than your wrists. Typing like this over extended periods of time can cause painful wrist injuries.

A better way is to lay your keyboard flat. Best of all is to lift the FRONT of your keyboard. I’ve placed two pads of sticky-notes under the front of my keyboard, so my wrists stay in a natural position, with my fingers closer to the surface of the desk.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.