In our day to day practice in Ergonomics at OPC Inc we have been seeing a trend in particular with female employees with shoulder dimensions of the 50th percentile or less. The trend includes shoulder discomfort which can eventually lead to symptoms down the arm and into the wrist/hand.
When you look at these photographs taken of one of our typical scenarios for one of our clients focus on the reach to the mouse on the right side; you will notive the reach to the right when using the regular keyboard is much greater (we call this outside of the 15″ reach envelope). When a shorter keyboard is used with the numeric keypad on the left side of the keyboard this technology allows the shoulder and arm to be held within the 15″ reach distance as per Ergonomic Standards. This also allows the employee to adjust the armrest to the correct hieght and width such that the shoulder is held in a non-static fashion.
Products which we have recommended for many clients includes a combination of the Evoluent Mouse Friendly Keyboard along with the Kensington large Trackball.
Remember at OPC we do not have any affiliation with products, equipment or tools. We do however come across great products in our day to day consulting. And this technological solution is one of them.
Give this a trial and see what your smaller female statured females think of this. JE Sleeth Carrie DeMaeyer and the Consulting Team at OPC Inc