Kinesis KB510USB USB Contoured Ergonomic Keyboards - Manual (Page 24)

Remember, even if you are symptom free after using the Kinesis keyboard for a period of
time, you are still susceptible to injury. Do not dramatically increase your keyboarding time or
stop treatments without consulting your health care professional.
If your thumbs are sensitive
The Kinesis contoured keyboard is designed for increased thumb usage compared to the
traditional keyboard. Some new Kinesis users initially experience fatigue or discomfort as
their thumbs adapt to the increased workload. If you have a previous thumb injury, be
especially careful to move your hands and arms when reaching for thumb keys and read the
paragraph below about thumb-free typing options.
Guidelines for using your thumbs
Avoid stretching your thumbs to reach the furthest keys in the thumb key arrays. Instead,
move your hands and arms slightly, being careful to stay relaxed and keep your wrists straight.
If your thumbs are sensitive, consider using your index fingers instead of your thumbs to
activate these keys. You may want to speak with your health care professional about these
options. If pain persists for more than several days, stop using the Kinesis keyboard and
contact your health care provider for advice.
Thumb-free typing option
If your thumbs are sensitive, your keyboard can be configured for minimal thumb use or even
thumb-free typing if necessary. This approach is most effective using one or more optional
Kinesis foot switches. In general, this is accomplished by remapping thumb actions to the
embedded layer where they can be typed by your fingers. Personal preference will dictate the
details. See C
HAPTER
F
IVE
: C
USTOMING
Y
OUR
K
EYBOARD
for details of remapping.
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