Today, nearly everyone spends hours on their computer doing work, writing emails, and many other tasks. All these require using the keyboard, which we type away on for at least three hours per day on average. Usually, the amount of time we spend on our keyboards is not associated with developing long-term health problems down the line.

But that is assuming you are typing the right way. Improper posture when typing can lead to serious health problems, such as the musculoskeletal issue known as carpal tunnel syndrome. Read on to learn more about the other possible health risks of typing improperly and how you can achieve the best ergonomic typing position.

Improper typing and its health risks

According to the experts, employees and other individuals that spend more than 28 hours per week typing are at an increased risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Research findings also indicate that the syndrome may also come from one’s hand position relative to the computer mouse.

Apart from carpal tunnel, typing non-ergonomically may also result in swelling in the hands, wrist, and fingers. In addition, it could exert more pressure on the nerves, leading to tingling or progressive pain in the arms, hands, and fingers. Patients experiencing these issues also complain about weakness in the thumbs and reduced grip strength.

Lastly, typing incorrectly is almost always accompanied by poor sitting posture that inevitably leads to developing pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. Critical long-term health issues that could arise from bad sitting posture include spinal dysfunction, rounded shoulders, joint degeneration, and many other musculoskeletal health problems.

Adopting the proper typing posture 

To ensure proper typing posture, one must focus on three main areas: wrist placement, keyboard placement, and proper sitting posture.

Wrist placement

Ergonomic typing starts with placing your wrists at a neutral position, forming a straight line with your forearm and hand parallel to the ground. Ergonomically designed tools like mice, padded mousepads, keyboards, and ergonomic office chairs in Singapore can all help you achieve a neutrally-positioned wrist.

Keyboard placement

Besides adjusting your wrists, keyboard placement is another factor that enables a neutral wrist. The ideal keyboard position is below elbow level and gently sloped away from the user. Moreover, ensure that the chair height is at a proper level to allow the elbows to slightly flex at an open angle between 90° to 110°. Sitting in this position reduces stress on the arms and shoulders when typing.

Proper posture

Last is following the proper sitting technique, which entails sitting with the back upright and against the chair with feet flat on the floor. Achieving this sitting position ensures the two recommendations mentioned above.

Conclusion

Typing is a task that nearly all white-collar workers do daily. If done incorrectly, it could lead to a slew of health issues and musculoskeletal disorders that could affect their quality of life and work productivity. Thus, take care to follow the proper typing posture above, and consider upgrading your overall work ergonomics with one of our ergonomic mesh chairs in Singapore here at TakeAseat.sg.

We are a premier and trusted brand for all things ergonomic products, and our portfolio includes full-featured ergonomic table and chairs to adjustable study tables for kids. Check us out at our two leading furniture shops at Jurong East and Ubi and test out our products to feel the difference for yourself. We’re always available to help you create an ergonomic workstation setup for you and your business’s needs!