Painful Wrists or Fingers From Your Computer?

Working all day on a computer can get tiring, and not just to your eyes from looking at the screen. I should know, as I go to Georgia Tech, which some might label as one of the geekiest colleges. I will say that being an Institute of Technology, there is a lot of computer and other technology use in everyday school work. Whether in writing papers or lab reports, doing research, conducting Physics II lab experiments taking electronic measurement of data using a computer… you know what, I’ll just stop there to save the rest of you from boredom.

But seriously, I use a computer a lot. A lot, in fact, for non-curricular activities as well. From writing on a political blog, to writing on a personal blog, to writing on this blog (I only write for 3, I swear!), and scouring the Internet daily for news tidbits that interest me, as well as the latest in the perennial college humor that can be found online, I use my laptop more than I’d care to admit sometimes.

The point of all this is, being at a computer doesn’t have to be tiring if you don’t want it to be. As previously written about here, there are exercises you can do to maintain sanity. But beyond getting up and doing some of these, wouldn’t it be great if you could avoid those inevitable aching wrists?

That’s why more and more people, both at college and in the office, are turning to ergonomic keyboards as well as keyboard wrist pads. They may not sound like the most savvy tool to have, but believe me when I buy my first workstation computer (I’m in college, a laptop is essential right now!) I won’t be getting a keyboard without a gel pad. These pads can also help deter Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, which many office workers can get if they don’t work smart. Some people even buy a “natural” keyboard, with the keys curved in a manner that some find to be more natural to their hand motions.

And to be frank, when I do have the luxury of using a keyboard on a gel pad, it just feels good! Instead of my wrists resting on the edge of a plastic keyboard, or a wooden desk, they get to rest comfortably while I type. If you’re the type of person who sits at a computer and types a great deal, this is a solid investment in making your day at the office (or in the library writing a paper) a little more comfortable.