The Microsoft Sculpt Keyboard is my must-have to aid joint pain
A simple split keyboard design eases hand and wrist pain for hours of easy typing — and I finally found one that works with my joint condition.
Rebecca Isaacs
Rebecca Isaacs
Full disclosure: my wrist pain disappeared after I made this swap, though it wasn’t overnight. The Sculpt’s wrist rest slopes my wrists to a wholly natural angle so I can work without worry of both short-term and long-term damage to my wrists. My tendons aren’t putting in extra effort reaching for keys during my eight plus hours of daily computer use, most of that typing. The whole setup in general is a little bulky, accounting for the tenkey pad and the wrist rest, but its ergonomics allow me to sit in a more natural position during my work day and preserve my joints.
There are some limitations to this keyboard: Should I lose the dongle connecting my device to the laptop, for example, it’s impossible to replace — but the perks to using such a comfortable keyboard outweigh that minor risk for me, especially since it never leaves my desk.
It’s also not a catch-all for hypermobile folks like myself, but a tool to make typing easier for the long term. That being said and despite its design for an office setting, it’s so comfortable to use that I opt to use it for my gaming sessions — mechanical keyboards are geared toward gamers, unlike the Sculpt’s membrane switches.
With the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reporting that 33 percent of its cases are related to muscular-skeletal disorders, you may find it important to put your ergonomics health first in your typing workspace. If the Microsoft Sculpt doesn’t seem like the best option for you, the good news is that there are plenty of keyboards out there to choose from.
If a set angle isn’t what you had in mind, this Kinesis option offers a wired split so you can angle your keys to your personal preference. It offers a few different tenting options to angle your wrists should you prefer one for your typing experience. Unlike the Microsoft Sculpt Keyboard, it also offers mechanical switches. Best of all, Mac users can use this keyboard since it is compatible with Apple computers.
If you’re a gamer who uses your keyboard for work purposes, you can also opt for the gaming model that provides the RGB backlight and comes in blue and red switch options.
For those who need a more comfortable wrist rest, you may want to consider the Logitech Ergo Wireless Keyboard. The wrist rest provides an extra thick layer of support for those with wrist pain. Keep in mind that the wrist rest cannot be detached from this keyboard, but it’s a high-quality rest. It’s also a membrane switch keyboard that’s similar to Microsoft Sculpt’s membrane switches.
Since it’s wireless with a 2.4GHz Bluetooth connectivity, you can expect the battery life to work for up to two years with a pair of AAA batteries.
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