what keyboard would best help with arthritis in my long fingers and wrists
Posted By: hurting_but_still_going on 2007-02-27
In Reply to:
Doc says I do not have carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome, I have osteoarthritis. Most painful in the long fingers and the wrists of both hands. I have tried the ergonomic keyboard and just can't seem to adjust. I do use the A-style keyboard layout and love it. Anyone have one they use that is not as abusive to the arthritis. Thanks in advance.
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I have arthritis in my wrists and thumbs, and find - sm
it works just as well to make my own. I buy cheap, thin, snug-fitting gloves, then cut out the fingers so that about 2/3 of each finger sticks out. That way all knuckle joints, base of thumbs, and wrists are warm, and when they're warm, they rarely hurt & I can type faster.
Rings on 5 fingers, bracelets on both wrists. nm
.
Keep your fingers on the keyboard and not the mouse. sm
I average anywhere from 500 to 600 lines an hour on recognized files; however, it took a little while to get there.
There are eScription provides tips and shortcut keys so you do not have to use the mouse (a lot of control + keys).
Do you have those tips? If not, I could try to e-mail them to you.
So what part of your fingers or nails hit the keyboard? sm
the nails or do you flatten out your hand so your fingertips hit the keys? This is very strange to me and I just can't get the hang of it. My production is going downnnnnn
How long does your keyboard last?
I bought a Microsoft Natural Multimedia keyboard almost exactly a year ago and the space bar flew off today.   I managed to get it reattached but now it sticks and doesn't work correctly... slowing me WAY down. So, now I have to switch back to my regular flat keyboard until I get a new one ordered and rush shipped. I'm having a hard time with a normal keyboard after using the nice split one for so long.
I need recommendations on a good keyboard that isn't going to cost me an arm and leg. Something that will last a little longer or is 1 year about the life of one when used so much? (Full time MT working 40+ hours a week, doing household paperwork, and also working as DH's secretary for his new business about 10-15 hours a week typing letters, doing bookwork, etcetera. On top of that also some private usage/emailing) I'm on the computer a LOT.
Should be felt like saying that. It has been a very long day at the keyboard.
:
This keyboard good if you have long nails....sm
I'm a former typing teacher. I used to use an ergonomic keyboard because I had the fake fingernails. It is actually easier to type on this kind of keyboard with longer nails. Now that I am back to biting them down to bits of nothing, I use a regular keyboard again. You can get used to it pretty quickly if you keep at it, though.
Not arthritis. ..sm
arthritis is not in all joints, bilateral hands, but more isolated to a few joints. Also rheumatoid arthritis has swollen knuckles.
hip arthritis
Anyone tried anything OTC for arthritis pain? Been to doc but that didn't help either. Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
Could be arthritis, but you may want to see
as you may already know a rotator cuff tear can become irreparable. With that being said, you may want to act now instead of later.
arthritis
Hi, I have RA.It's in my hands, elbows, shoulders and back. Those are the worst spots. Believe it or not, Aspercream used like hand lotion, i.e. a lot, works the best for me. When it is cold outside, sometimes I have to hold my hands under warm water. And sometimes I do that to get them loose in the morning. My rheumatologist has told me that my job is saving my hands and wrists. Typing is one of the best things to do for any type of arthritis. Hope this helps.
arthritis
Sorry I put my first post under RA. I neglected to mention that I put lotion on the affected part first as it sometimes causes a little skin peel, but nothing serious.
arthritis
I can't find the first one, maybe I just can't see it, but I will repeat in case it will help you. I use DMSO purchased at health food store. I add 5 aspirin to 2 ounces of DMSO and let it dissolve. Use a couple of drops on the affected part four or five times a day. I put lotion on first to decrease any peeling. I REALLY helps me. Vets use it and used to sell it, but law changed and they can't sell it anymore. I put mine in a sample size spray bottle purchased at Wal-Mart and it works fine for me. I sure hope this helps you and anyone else who has arthritis. Forgive the repeat but do not know what happened to the first one.
Arthritis
I too have extreme pain and stiffness in my hands and fingers. I have been using a topical, Active Composition, an Aveda product. It is the best I have found. I use it at night and if necessary during the day. The relief is awesome. It comes in a small bottle and a little goes a long way, costs about $20.00 and well worth it.
I had bad wrists from the get-go
I have had two ganglion cysts removed from my left wrist and one removed from my right wrist. Also, in August 2005 I had sugery for DeQuervain's in my left wrist. It was after this that I finished my schooling and became an MT. Maybe I'm asking for more trouble, I don't know. But this was what I really wanted to do, so I'm willing to take the risk. I have been having trouble with my wrists since I was in the 6th grade...so I guess I'm used to it. So far, things have been OK for me. I haven't had any trouble, even from the most recent surgery. I try to take at least 5-10 minutes every hour and stretch my fingers and wrists, and just give them a "breather". I know I will end up with trouble in the future, however. So, I feel your pain.
I know someone with rheumatoid arthritis
And she is completely miserable from it, is always in pain and doesn't even leave the house anymore because it is so bad. How do you manage yours? Diet, meds, exercise?
hand arthritis and QA
I have been transcribing for about 25 years and now have arthritis in the joints in my fingers. Has anyone who had this problem switched to QA and found benefit? Also, I am naive about QA and I do not know how QA'ers are paid. Is it by the line or by the hour? What is the range of pay per line and/or hour. I would like to be somewhat informed should I decide to apply for a QA position and know what is reasonable to expect with my experience. Any help would be appreciated.
Arthritis Pain
Does anyone have any suggestions for treating arthritis pain? I am having a lot of pain in my hands, especially my right hand. It is getting very difficult for me to write. I have tried Motrin and Excedrin but these aren't very helpful. I have also tried some pain cream like Ben-Gay. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
And sore wrists. Have you tried any of these?
Smart Gloves. Google them. They're wonderful. About $20 bucks apiece but well worth the money.
Carpal tunnel type straps. Wal Mart. $10 bucks apiece.
I have both and I alternate.
I ended up with numbness in my right index finger, but after buying these, it just went away after a few weeks. My fingers and wrists have some discomfort on occasion, but nothing like they were before.
One more thing, and I know people that do this, if you do "pound" the keyboard with your fingertips, relax those hands, elbows and shoulders and just tap. If that doesn't work, you may want to get a better keyboard.
Good luck! 
sore wrists
I use Oregano Oil on my wrists and the tops of my hands. Sometimes it hurts to lift fingers and I run the Oregano Oil along those bones.
I take 2 Aleve for Arthritis Pain...sm
Its the same as 1 Naprosyn...works great for me....
I disagree. To each his own. I have rheumatoid arthritis and....sm
the keyboard in my lap idea has been a life saver for me. I might also add that I am have been using this method for about 7 years and am very productive.
Invest in some wrists splints soon. ;) nm
good for a while, until your wrists give out.
nm
Have you been worked up for fibro and/or is the arthritis in your spine, too? Sorry...:( nm
s
Therapy for hands and wrists that keep me typing. sm
With a medium-weight rubber band around your fingers and thumb, stretch your fingers and thumb out as wide as you can against the rubber band. Bring fingers back in then stretch them out again, repeat 10 times 2 to 3 times a day.
If you maintain a daily schedule with this you will definitely feel a difference. Hope this helps!
Also wear Handeze. They keep wrists and hands
warm with some tension, not too much though, but helps with carpal tunnel also, being that they are elasticized. I bought mine through craft catalogs, such as Herrschner's and Mary Maxim. Can buy them through the catalog or online.
Sorry! Wrists at 180 degrees in same flat plane as
s
personally, I cannot type unless my wrists rest on
something, and my right hand is more "pegeon-toed" inward than my left.
Isn't decorating cakes hard on the wrists and
I wouldn't be able to handle not making more money when I need to.
This board is not know it all and neither are the people who post here. MT is not going away. There are too many physicians and/or clinics that still use tapes. Come on, let's be realistic. There are changes and cut in pay, but do you not think the physicians are feeling the crunch as well? They only get paid a certain amount from insurance companies. They've been told not to prescribe certain meds. It's not just MT, everyone is feeling the pressure of higher prices.
It's a shame you've never found a company that truly appreciates your work! Good luck with the cake stuff! I hope people don't quit buying cakes because of the price of food rising! The economy is tough, very tough!
My best advice for arthritis. Take sugar out of your diet. You will not believe the difference it
My dog died while on Deramaxx, a COX-II arthritis drug for dogs. nm
nm
Oh, that is funny. What a visual...an MT with Frankenstein scars at wrists from
lol
Tip on Aching Wrists/Target Laundry Detergent!
Okay, I have hesitated sharing this one for a long time now, cause I know, absolutely know, I will get flamed somehow, cause its sort of silly, but its not silly to those of us whose wrists and/or arms are shot from this "career". I have really bad wrists now AND elbows - actually if your wrists hurt, chances are your tendons are aggravated right up to your elbow, too, though the pain might not localize there. At any rate, I also found my wrist would hurt with some "ADLs", mostly laundry. No matter what size of detergent I bought, they were always heavy, and the motion of pouring deturg into the cups really hurt my right wrist. Sometimes I could even hear an audible "pop" on that motion of holding this heavy bottle and pouring. My physical medicine guy said it was the motion of that with the weight on top of typing that wreaked havoc on my wrists, and that even lots of women who don't type have popped their tendons out using laundry detergent! Well, this is SO stupid, but...a few months ago I went to Target and saw their brand "Method" laundry detergent. Its super concentrated and fits 32 loads in a tiny bottle. Plus, its like those mouthwash dispensers where you just hold the bottle upright and squeeze and a tiny bit of the detergent fills in a tiny cup at the top. You fill to the line, which takes all of 1 second, and that's all the detergent you need! Plus, this stuff is awesome with the laundry. Prior to that, only Tide could get my kids clothes clean. This stuff is the BEST, and it smells great! Its about $6 for this bottle, which I would have thought expensive, but the savings on my wrists are priceless! My carpal tunnel and elbow tendonitis have nearly completely healed. It was just this stupid combo of motions that did my wrists in! For those older MTs like me, who've been at this for over 20 years, try it! It might help!! Again, I see a sports med guy, and get injections occasionally. I used to have to wear wrist braces, etc. I was scheduled for surgery until I started using this silly Target laundry detergent! Now, no more pain! Isn't that so weird? But neat?
Any suggestions for painful hands/wrists from typing?
My hands are always freezing cold. I wear fleece "wristies" to keep warmer. I have pain in both hands all day from typing. One wrist has a ganglion, and both wrists have some arthritis showing on x-ray. I rub capsaisin on hands/wrists. Still the pain persists. Pain relievers (Advil, etc.) do not help much. Prescriptions from doctors did nothing.
I was wondering if other heavy typers out there might have found some helpful things to alleviate hand/wrist pain. I even purchased "warming cream" which is supposed to help increase circulation to the hands, but it did nothing. I have several keyboards that I have tried also.
THanks!
What do you do when your wrists ache and your hands weigh a ton but you have to keep typing?
I know I have read posts on here before regarding this topic but I can never find them in the archives. Besides a different keyboard, is there something you can take like a vitamin or different foods that will help? I have noticed that if I eat potatoe chips, my hands are stiff the next morning. Is there a certain brace or splint you can buy that you can wear when not working or do you even wear these when working? I thought I saw some magnetic splint somewhere. I am not like this every day, just some of the time but when I am, it is very frustrating.
Also work on eScription. Make more. Easier on wrists. sm
It's editing work, and the reason I personally make more is that I'm a slow typist but a fast reader and "punctuator." The eScription software is very easy to learn.
For arthritis/cold weather, I use cheap, thin, one-size-fits-all
grocery-store gloves, and just cut the fingertips out. Warm & comfy. And cheap.
Mine are on a beanbag wrist rest. Need wrists at 90-degree angle
s
I use a MSFT Natural keyboard at home and the laptop keyboard on the road. nm
favorite keyboard over the holidays is called "no keyboard"
nm
If you use a standard keyboard you can buy an old IBM model M keyboard on ebay or clickykeyboards.co
That key printing never wear down because the letters are part of the key itself. They just don't make them that way anymore because it is too expensive to make. Some of the mechanical keyboards like Cherry have what they double shot key imprinting and the letters are part of the key itself and don't wear off. That IBM keyboard is very noisy from the type of keyswitch it has so you may not like that. Logitech and Belkin make some membrane switch keyboards that are supposed to have longer lasting key imprints. I have a logitech that has the longer lasting key imprints and it is pretty good. You have to look on the specs to find out if has the longer lasting key printing.
I have experimented so much with keyboards and have done a lot of research. Way too much info.
I use a laptop with a full-size keyboard (no separate keyboard)
I'm using a lap desk but previously was using a pillow with a book on it under the laptop. No additional keyboard though, I bought one with a full-sized board with regular size keys (an HP) which I LOVE and it took no time at all to get used to it. I also love that when the weather improves, I can take my computer outside and get some fresh air! What a great job... :)
Keyboard and mouse. Is there such a thing as a keyboard that has a mouse on the actual keyboard?
nm
same here- my fingers just do not
.... with fingers.
x
Could it be something on your fingers?
And I ask that in all seriousness and no offense meant. I have had 3 MS Keyboards and have not worn the letters off any of them. Are you maybe putting some kind of lotion on your hands that would eat the letters off? Maybe if you get the sticky letters another poster was talking about you could stick the letters on the front of the keys instead of the top so they don't wear off, but you can still see them.
Nothing to do with your fingers sm
The "Million Dollar Question" was once, "What is the most used vowel in the English Languate?" I supposed "E" as this lasts least on my keyboard.Guess what - it was "e" - DON'T THINK IT WAS ANSWRED CORRECTLY but we who pound the keyboard would have known. Understand 1110 per cent!
Ya know what FINGERS
You speak ridiculous.... let's all tell our employers we are not working until..........
The idea was to organize and get all your ducks in a row. If you are going to do something, do it with a plan and organize. You can't just jump the gun and go into something blindly. You will look ridiculous and get nothing accomplished.
Cold fingers
Even though I keep my house comfortable, I find my fingers getting cold when I type. Is it just me. Does anyone have any suggestions.
frozen fingers
do you guys have troubles with her hands getting cold? and what do you do about it?
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