HEALTHY COMPUTING EMAIL TIP 529: TAPE YOUR WRISTS
Do your wrists begin to hurt when you type at the keyboard or use the
mouse because you bend them? Do you rest the palm of your mousing hand on
the table when you mouse or read email? Although we know that it is best
to maintain a neutral wrist (the top of the hand is in the same plane as
the top of the forearm) when working at the keyboard we often get caught
up in our work and bend our wrists. When we do this, our wrists take most
of the workload of typing and mousing. Avoid this un-neutral position when
you TAPE YOUR WRISTS.
HOW TO TAPE YOUR WRISTS:
Cut a piece of scotch tape about 6 inches long. Starting in the middle of the back side of your left hand, place the tape so that it runs across your wrist and onto your forearm. Keep your left wrist neutral as you do this.
Place a similar strip of tape on your right hand, wrist and forearm while maintaining a neutral wrist position.
Begin typing. When you dip your palms or bend your wrists, the tape will pull on your skin to remind you to return the wrist to the neutral position.
Each time you feel the pull take a micro-break.
