Because of the size of the carpal tunnel in women, they're 3 times more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome than men. Several other factors like diabetes, metabolic disorders, or nerve issues can contribute to its development. As the majority of the workforce ends up interfacing with a computer, having an ergonomic keyboard and mouse is a must.
If you're constantly typing at work, you can be at risk for permanent nerve damage. Having an ergonomic workstation with a standing desk or an ergonomic chair can lower the bodily stress that sitting puts on the body. Sitting at a desk is linked to enough health risks without adding the added factors of damage to your hands and wrists.
If you're thinking about using an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, you're on the path to better health and safety at work. Here are 5 reasons you should consider this combo.
1. They Keep Your Wrist Straight
Using the average computer mouse causes a constant amount of pressure on your wrist. Standard keyboards force your hands to sit in an unnatural position that makes you prone to developing issues.
Using an ergonomic keyboard and mouse helps you to avoid stress on your tendons. If you continually put stress on your tendons and force wrist pronation, you can end up with persistent and repetitive stress injuries. Untreated or unavoided, you could end up suffering long-term damage.
Wrists weren't meant to be used in the ways that a mouse and keyboard require them to be used. Being as most jobs require you to be at your desk for eight hours a day holding that position, the prolonged stress could cause lifelong damage to your wrist
Rather than twisting your wrist, an ergonomic mouse allows your hand to sit in a natural handshake-like position. This can alleviate stress injuries and pain, as the mouse more or less cradles your hand. An ergonomic keyboard keeps your wrist from making too many unnatural movements.
While you're at it, don't forget about your mousepad.
2. Lower Intensity
When you're using an ergonomic mouse, you're using less grip strength than you would be using with a standard mouse. If you can lessen the tension on your hands when using the mouse, you won't be fatigued when you're completing long tasks on a computer.
Over time, that slight soreness can turn into a serious issue and severe nerve damage. An ergonomic keyboard and mouse requires loose grips and gives the ability to rest your hands and wrists.
While it might seem slight, the amount of pressure that your hands are forced into when you're positioned over a keyboard can cause pain. Rather than keeping your hands in a tense "resting" position, an ergonomic keyboard can keep your hands in a truly restful position.
If your hands get to take a break while you're typing, you'll also see less fatigue and a transferred strain from the wrist to the upper arm. This is a much stronger part of your body than your wrist or your hands. Use strength where it makes sense and go ergonomic.
3. Lower Existing Issues
When you first learn to use a mouse or a computer, you likely don't learn on an ergonomic setup. Your hands and wrists become used to this unnatural state and it becomes harder to transition. If you already feel like you have some wrist pain, it's almost more critical to get an ergonomic keyboard and mouse ASAP.
Wrist pain can be debilitating and excruciating, especially if you make your living by typing or moving a mouse around. Since most modern offices require workers to be at a desk for most of the day, pain and inflammation are common. If you've already started to feel pain, it's time to find a solution now.
An ergonomic mouse helps to relieve any existing wrist or tendon pain by correcting your positioning. Bad mouse technique is really the reason that these issues develop so often. An ergonomic set up prepares your hand for relief by making its default position more natural.
It's the same case with an ergonomic keyboard. While you might already be dealing with issues, it's never too late to start making efforts to relieve that pain.
4. Take Preventative Measures
One of the hottest terms in the medical industry for the last decade or so is "preventative care". This allows people who might be at a high risk for developing issues to avoid severity by mitigating it now. Office workers are one such group at a high risk for developing issues.
While these issues might seem minor to anyone not dealing with them, talk to someone with a carpal tunnel or nerve issue from computer usage. You'll find they don't consider it a minor issue at all.
The best bet you can make is to get an ergonomic mouse as soon as possible. Starting to develop a neutral position with a mouse and relaxing your grip can take years if you're doing "mouse-heavy" work. It may seem unnatural at first but you'll quickly notice how much it improves your experience.
5. Designs Only Get Better
Over time, new innovations in design allow for more comfort and ease of use. Just because one way of doing things was the ruling paradigm for years doesn't mean it's the best way to do things.
Every year, ergonomic keyboard and mouse designs get slightly better. Take advantage of the latest designs and prevent any injury at the same time.
Ergonomic Keyboard and Mouse Setups Work
If you're looking for new ways to improve your health and safety at work, this is one of the best changes you can make. If you're standing at your desk for part of the day or going for walks around the building with a buddy during lunch, this is just as important. Your wrist and hand health is connected to your productivity and your ability to feed your family.
If you're interested in what new designs are out there, contact us for tips on how to find the perfect design that works for you.