I used to suffer a lot of wrist pain from typing. This is commonly known as carpal tunnel syndrome. I couldn’t figure out why, or what I was doing wrong. I just thought wrist pain was something that came along with the computer posture territory.
Luckily, I finally figured it out (by accident). One day, I decided to get away from my home office. I still wanted to work, but I needed a new environment to work in. Maybe it would improve my posture. Or, at least change it from the normal poor posture routine I was in. But mainly I was looking for a more ergonomic workstation. I wanted to see if my creativity would improve by working in a different environment. So, for about a week, I started working in the lobby of my apartment building. They had public computers there. They were brand new Apple Mac desktop computers.
Quick side note, I’m working at my standing computer workstation today. But the wrist pain relief tips in this article will always work, regardless if you’re working at a standing workstation or in a sitting posture.
How to Avoid Wrist Pain from Typing
This article is not professional medical advice. It’s based off my personal experience and opinions. My poor posture at a computer caused painful wrist injuries from keyboard and mouse use. All the ergonomic tips I write about are directly related to improving your posture at a computer. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.
Okay, back to my story where I accidentally learned how to avoid wrist pain from typing. I got away from my everyday desk, then worked on a brand new Apple computer for a week. There are some ergonomic desk tips I’ll talk about later, but this workstation had one variable that made a massive difference. The Apple keyboard and mouse were very flat and the keys were low to the desk.
Full disclosure: I’m not compensated by Apple in any way. I paid my own money for the wrist-friendly keyboard and mouse I mention in this article. I enjoy sharing stories about products that have improved my computer posture.
Why does typing cause wrist pain?
Previously, I had been using a tall, bulky keyboard and mouse (similar to the picture below). This caused me to extend my wrist muscles in order to rest my hands high on the keyboard and mouse. Holding this wrist extension for long periods of time caused wrist pain and dysfunction. I suffered from lack of blood flow to the hands and fingers. The overuse of my wrist muscles caused muscle tension in my wrists.
Take a look at the user’s wrists in the above picture. Notice how he has to slightly activate his wrist muscles to lift them onto his tall keyboard and mouse. Even though this is a very slight movement, holding this activated position for long periods of time is what caused my wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel Prevention Tips
Do not hold wrists extended for long periods of time.
This is what caused my carpal tunnel syndrome. Plus, the fact that I used a high, bulky keyboard and mouse. Using those devices pretty much predetermined that I would have wrist pain.
Do not hold wrists flexed for long periods of time.
This is the opposite of holding wrists extended. But it can still cause wrist pain. It’s usually caused by having elbow height below desk level. Which brings us to my final carpal tunnel prevention tip….
Never work at a computer with your elbows below the keyboard and mouse.
This causes multiple different issues of muscle tension, pain, and dysfunction. In addition to shoulder pain and elbow tendonitis, it can cause wrist pain. Working with elbow height below desk level makes it impossible to keep your forearms parallel to the ground. This causes wrist flexion. Holding this vulnerable position for long periods of time can cause wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Proper Typing Posture to Avoid Wrist Pain
Enough about what not to do. Let’s talk about a good desk setup for wrist health.
Keep elbow height slightly above desk level.
Some ergonomics experts say to keep the elbow at a 90 degree angle (right at desk level). I don’t disagree with it. But I don’t prefer it either. I still feel like it puts too much strain and tension on the elbow. The biceps still need to activate in order to hold the elbow at a 90 degree angle. I’d rather have my elbow height slightly above the desk level. This takes a lot less activation from the bicep, which reduces overuse and repetitive strain injuries.
Use a wrist-friendly keyboard and mouse.
In my opinion, the flatter the keyboard and mouse, the better. This allows us to work with our wrists straight. But more importantly, it allows us to keep our wrists relaxed.
Keep wrists straight and wrists relaxed.
Once we have a wrist-friendly keyboard and mouse, maintaining good wrist posture when typing will be much easier. We just need to remember to keep our wrists straight and relaxed.
Thanks for your interest in good computer posture. If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to reduce pain and improve your computer posture. That’s something to be very proud of!
If you liked this article on how to avoid wrist pain from typing, check out my free ebook titled 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!
>>> Click here to download your free copy
This ebook is a great supplement to the article you just read. In this ebook, you’ll learn 3 of the most painful, poor computer posture mistakes. Then, you’ll learn how to fix those mistakes immediately with 3 simple changes to your ergonomic computer desk setup.
Go to SittingPosture.com/ebook to learn more.
Take care,
Todd Bowen