Ergonomic Keyboards

Ergonomic keyboards to help prevent hand, wrist stress

Too much typing can cause repetitive stress injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome, so manufacturers have developed a variety of keyboards that attempt to prevent those problems or ease the pain of people who suffer from them. Ergonomic keyboards are supposed to reduce hand and wrist stress, but no authority sets standards for ergonomic claims, so the term "ergonomic" can mean anything from a slight curve of the keys to a total reinvention of a standard QWERTY keyboard. Plus, what's comfortable for one person may be awkward for another. We found that manufacturers make ergonomic claims for relatively conventional keyboards with subtle variations, such as tilt angle, key angle and key shape. Most ergonomic keyboards have a split keyboard or raised area to reduce the holding of wrists at harsh angles and reduce the fingers' reach for the keys.

Most reviews of ergonomic keyboards are dated and come from sources with computer expertise, but no medical expertise. The most credible experts say that ergonomic keyboards require a period of adjustment, and that people who are most likely to need one are the least likely to adjust. If you are an administrative professional or just someone who types very fast, consider how quickly you built your current level of speed and accuracy. Expect a similar adjustment curve. Trying an ergonomic keyboard in a store is an inadequate test. Look for a retailer with a liberal return policy, and give the keyboard a fair test.

Microsoft is a forerunner in ergonomic keyboards. The natural keyboard introduced in the mid-1990s developed a significant enough niche following to stay on the market for years. The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 (*Est. $50) was released in 2005, and reviews date to that year. While no reviewer compares the 4000 with another ergonomic keyboard, it receives very favorable reviews from PC Magazine, EverythingUSB.com and MaximumPC.com. User reviews confirm that anything this radically unconventional is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. In more than a couple hundred reviews each at Amazon.com and Newegg.com, it retains a very high average rating. Although dissenters are a minority, some complain bitterly about their experiences with the keyboard, sometimes including physical pain and reduced typing ability.

The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 has keys placed in curves and arcs to reduce the distance typists have to stretch their fingers, with an increased lift from 8 to 14 degrees to bring the keys closer to the user. An optional palm and wrist rest provides additional adjustability and comfort. PC Magazine's Troy Dreier likes the rise in the center of the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, which he says angles your hands into a more comfortable position. He says it is the keyboard he has been waiting for "his entire life." PC World's Michael Lasky likes the shortcut keys for launching applications, multimedia, zoom and customizable buttons along the top of the unit. He says it took him a day to adjust to the layout.

We saw several reviews for the SafeType Ergonomic Keyboard (*Est. $295). The SafeType turns each half of a QWERTY keyboard vertically. If you think about breaking a flat keyboard into three pieces and standing two pieces on end, you'll have an idea of what the SafeType keyboard looks like. Instead of twisting your wrists, you align them on the keys in a vertical position. A number pad, media keys and arrow keys are placed in the center.

In a review for ExtremeTech.com, Robyn Peterson says the SafeType ergonomic keyboard looks bizarre, but feels great once you get used to it. As keys are aligned in more or less a regular QWERTY layout, it won't take touch typists long to get used to the SafeType. The number pad and arrow keys are awkward to access, but Peterson says the keyboard's comfort makes up for this. Jeremy Atkinson, of ExtremeTech.com, dubs the SafeType "Most Ergonomic" in his 2006 roundup review. Though the SafeType is expensive, reviews say the improvement in comfort is almost immediately noticeable.