I often experience numbness on my fingers when typing straight for about thirty minutes. How can I cure this?
Hi,
Just let your fingers and wrists relax. More parts of your body are involved in typing than you may initially realize – your brain and eyes, the muscles of your shoulder and back and even your legs.
Even your ears might be being used if you’re doing dictation or listening for cues from your computer or active program. But the parts that do the most work, and therefore suffer the most stress, are your finger and hands.
You can prevent numbness and general stiffness by taking regular breaks. This will help to keep the circulation of air and blood going strongly through your body. Also, don’t forget to rest your eyes as well as stretch out your other muscles. If your hands are starting to cramp or ache, you can try some quick hand massage techniques to help loosen muscles and tendons. Staying well-hydrated also helps to prevent muscle cramps.
Best Regards,
Lyka Remeticado
Community Associate at Typesy
Hello, @rosehoffman!
Pain and or numbness is definitely your body warning you, so make sure to listen! As with any physical movement, too much can cause strain. You should never be typing long enough to cause issues, but there are ways to reduce risk. Sit with your feet flat on the floor and your back straight. Shoulders should be relaxed and elbows bent no tighter than 90°. Always check that you are holding your wrists in a neutral position, with the thumb running parallel to the forearm, the wrist bending only slightly upwards. If your wrists are hitting the keyboard or desk, reposition. Wrist pads may come in handy when it’s time to rest, but their presence may entice you to develop bad posture when typing. Many detached keyboards have extendable legs, too, but it actually makes more ergonomic sense to keep keyboards flat against the surface of the desk. Having the keyboard tipped up or having a wrist pad may cause you to angle your wrists too harshly.
Repeated misuse of the keyboard with any typing method may lead to discomfort and should be avoided. Always practice healthy habits like taking typing breaks and stretching hands and fingers.
Regards,
Kerry