Keyboard Positioning

• The keyboard should be positioned directly in front of the user at a height and distance that promotes the best posture. 
• The keyboard should lie flat or negatively inclined (i.e., tilted slightly away from the user) and not be propped up on the keyboard legs to promote neutral wrists.

Body Positioning

• The ideal position during keyboard use includes the following:
  • Shoulders are relaxed and close to the sides of the body
  • Elbows are bent to 90 degrees
  • Hands are aligned with the forearms
  • Wrists are relaxed and in a neutral position
  • Fingers maintain a comfortable, natural curve
  • Thumbs rest on the space bar

• Potential Hazards
  • Keyboards that are positioned too high or too low can put undue stress on the wrists, arms, and shoulders.
    • Examples:
      • Keyboards that are too low may cause the user to type with their wrists bent up.
      • Keyboards that are too high may cause the user to raise their shoulders in order to elevate their arms to the level of the keyboard.
  • Keyboards that are positioned too close or too far away may lead to poor postures.

• Keyboards that are too far away may cause excessive trunk leaning and/or an elbow angle that is too open.

• Keyboards that are too close may cause extreme bending at the elbows.

• Standard articulating keyboards can cause the wrists to bend sideways in order to reach all the keys.

• https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/components_keyboards.html#design
• https://www.rsipain.com/work-habits.php
• https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97-148/pdfs/97-148.pdf