geekhack
geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: aref on Mon, 26 May 2014, 22:17:13
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I have been using all my keyboards with about 3/4" of elevation. I find that after many hours of typing, the finger strain I felt brought about diminished typing accuracy.
After about 10 hours of typing today, I removed the 1/2" from the rear elevation to a near perfectly flat keyboard. I have a 1/4" elevation in under the F-key row for the slightest pitch. When I did this, there was less finger strain. I'm no longer reaching upward for keys, I'm moving my fingers straight out from the home row. (I understand how this should reduce finger strain.) My end-of-day typing improved. Now I'm wondering if other keyboards I've sold or given away would have fared better for me had I changed the elevation in the same manner. I'm approaching 12 hours of typing and my accuracy is far better than it was four hours ago.
1. To elevate or not to elevate? What do you find is the better/best keyboard pitch, if any, for comfortable and accurate (lengthy) typing sessions?
2. Have you found that pitch changed the feel, or your perception of feel, of your keyboards' switches?
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I used to elevate the rear of my keyboards by extending the little legs.
Then I joined GH and someone suggested retracting the legs (there was a thread about it a while back).
Since then I have always had the keyboards lying flat on the desk.
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I heard that elevating the part closest to you is the best. But I haven't figured out a propper way to do that, so I keep it as flat as possible
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I heard that elevating the part closest to you is the best. But I haven't figured out a propper way to do that, so I keep it as flat as possible
That would place strain on a lot of cables.
My QFS cable comes out the lower middle rear of the keyboard. Raising the front of the keyboard would place the cable and/or mini USB plug under additional strain.
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I used to elevate the rear of my keyboards by extending the little legs.
Then I joined GH and someone suggested retracting the legs (there was a thread about it a while back).
Since then I have always had the keyboards lying flat on the desk.
I've become a believer in flat keyboards. Pretty much zero elevation has made a difference for the better.
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I heard that elevating the part closest to you is the best. But I haven't figured out a propper way to do that, so I keep it as flat as possible
I tried this with 1/4" self-stick felt pads--one on either side of the edge closest to me. I didn't care for the feel. I still
had an angled reach, down rather than up, for keys, which continued to cause finger strain. Thus far, flat is working.
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I heard that putting board on lap is also good
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Pacifist: I have to correct my post in response to you. I tried two 1/4" felt pads stacked, making the front elevation 1/2" higher.
I tired the keyboard on my lap, but I found it awkward. I've also adjusted my chair height and taken the arms off my chair to see if it made a difference. But nothing feels as good as making the KB flat. However, the only way to know is to try.
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Any way, for accurate typing the overall keyboard height (desk height), chair height, chair position, seating posture and distance from keyboard/screen would probably have a greater impact.
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elevate? like below the board? or your wrists.
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Having the keyboard be as flat as possible makes it so you're less likely to be bending your wrists back.
Some of the microsoft ergonomic keyboards come with risers to make the keyboard have a negative angle. Also, keyboard trays often have a way to tilt the trays to give you a negative angle.
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Having the keyboard be as flat as possible makes it so you're less likely to be bending your wrists back.
Some of the microsoft ergonomic keyboards come with risers to make the keyboard have a negative angle. Also, keyboard trays often have a way to tilt the trays to give you a negative angle.
Years ago I tried Microsoft and Logitech's ergonomic keyboards. I found negative angle can be a bit tricky for me. Had Microsoft gotten it right for everyone, the keyboard would have been a unanimous success. I know it continues to have dedicated users; but it didn't work for me. It may have been a matter of the the keyboard's configuration rather than the negative angle that I didn't like. Logitech's also didn't make the grade for me.
I've reset my desk height, tried different chair heights and with and without chair arms, keyboard positioning (closer to me, farther from me), but the most profound result I've gotten is from removing the elevation from the far edge of the keyboard. Each of us has different preferences, attributable to different body size, arm length, hand size, and finger length; and I'm sure these account for one's preferences in how a KB and the user are positioned. Less wrist bending, as mentioned above, and less stressful reaching upward for keys above the home row, I've found, to make a difference for me. My curiosity is to see if others have found the same to be true for them.
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The “ideal” case is holding your arms out with your elbows bent 90°, the keyboard split in 2 parts such that your arms don’t angle in too much, and your wrists stay as close to a neutral position as possible. The ideal tilt is a bit up at the near end of the keyboard / down at the far end, and also “tenting” with the inner edge of each half elevated quite a bit above the outside edge.
To get the keyboard to that height involves, if you’re sitting and have typical body proportions, putting it on a tray just barely above the level of your lap.
If you put the keyboard on a desk any higher than that, then your forearms will likely be slightly upward tilted, at which point a negative tilt on the keyboard is going to cause you to bend your wrists downward, which is not ergonomic; so in that case, probably leave a bit of positive tilt. (But note that this is not the ideal angle for your elbows.)
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Raise your chair, drop your arms, flatten your board.