Typing posture: how to set up your desk to protect your wrists

6 minute read

If you type for hours a day, a few small changes to your desk can make it much more comfortable. This guide brings together advice from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Cornell University's ergonomics programme and the NHS.

The goal: a neutral posture

OSHA describes a "neutral" working position, where your joints are relaxed and in line rather than bent or twisted:

• Hands, wrists and forearms are straight, in line and roughly parallel to the floor.
• Elbows stay close to your body and are bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
• Shoulders are relaxed, with your upper arms hanging normally at your sides.
• Your head is level, facing forward and roughly in line with your body.
• Your back is fully supported, sitting upright or leaning back slightly.
• Thighs are roughly parallel to the floor, and feet are flat on the floor or on a footrest.

Keyboard position

• Directly in front of you. OSHA recommends placing the keyboard straight ahead so your elbows can stay close to your body.
• At elbow height. Your elbows should be about the same height as the keyboard and hang comfortably at your sides.
• Straight wrists. Your wrists should not bend up, down or to either side while you type.
• Careful with keyboard feet. The little legs at the back of many keyboards tilt it towards you. OSHA advises not using them if they make your wrists bend more.

Cornell's guidance goes further: its ideal setup has the keyboard base gently sloping away from you, sometimes called a negative tilt, so your hands can reach the keys with straight wrists. Interestingly, Cornell notes that studies have not shown conventional pull-out keyboard trays to substantially improve wrist posture on their own. Height and angle matter more than the tray itself.

Screen position

• Put the screen directly in front of you, so you do not twist your neck.
• Keep it at least 50 cm (20 inches) away. OSHA suggests 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 inches) from your eyes.
• The top line of text should be at or below eye level.

On a laptop, a stand plus a separate keyboard lets you get both the screen height and the keyboard height right at the same time.

Keep moving

Even a perfect posture is not good for you if you hold it all day. OSHA states that working in the same posture or sitting still for long periods is not healthy, and suggests:

• making small adjustments to your chair and position through the day,
• stretching your fingers, hands, arms and back,
• standing up and walking for a few minutes from time to time.

Cornell also points out that your arms and hands can relax during brief pauses, so you do not need to keep them hovering over the keys.

What is RSI?

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a general term for pain caused by repeated movement. The NHS lists typing among the repetitive tasks linked to it, along with poor posture at work. It most often affects the shoulders, elbows, forearms, wrists, hands and fingers, and usually starts gradually.

Symptoms can include burning, aching or throbbing pain, stiffness, weakness, tingling, numbness, cramp and swelling. RSI often improves on its own, but the NHS advises seeing a GP if your symptoms are not going away or are getting worse.

A quick desk checklist

1. Keyboard straight in front of you, at elbow height.
2. Wrists straight, not bent up, down or sideways.
3. Elbows close to your body, bent at 90 to 120 degrees.
4. Screen straight ahead, an arm's length or more away, top line at or below eye level.
5. Back supported, feet flat or on a footrest.
6. Change position often and get up regularly.

Type lighter, not harder

One more practical tip from us: modern keyboards register a press long before the key bottoms out. Pressing lightly and keeping your hands relaxed is more comfortable and, for most people, faster. If you are building speed, short regular sessions are kinder to your hands than long marathons. Try a few one-minute drills spread through the day.