Author: Jennifer Horn Email the author
Consumer Reporter

Having arthritis means dealing with discomfort, but it's certainly not enough to keep people off their computers. If it was, CreakyJoints.com would be a paper newsletter. With arthritis, there may be some days when just a bit of typing leaves you cramped and aching. Take heart. You're not forgotten. There are companies who produce peripherals for people just like you.

Big Keys
One such peripheral is the Big Keys keyboard made by Greystone Digital. Although their site seems aimed towards product use by children and the elderly, company spokesperson Jerry Wagstrom says their keyboard is used by a diverse group of customers for many reasons. The keys are the basic letters, numbers, and functions. They measure an inch across- almost 4 times as large as the standard keyboard. This can prove helpful for those days when your fingers are swollen and just don't seem to want to fly over the keyboard as fast as your thoughts are coming. In May, Greystone Digital will release the Big Keys LX which has 60 keys. This new version has all the keys of a regular keyboard including special characters and functions. It will prove helpful to those who need complete functionability.

Generally targeted towards the disabilities market is another of Greystone's products, the Keyguard. Wagstrom explains that this is a plastic shell that fits over the Big Keys keyboard to help stabilize the fingers on the keys. It allows the user to rest their hands over the keys without pressing them. This is useful when your wrists ache and your fingers are sore. Since stopping for a break isn't always practical (your boss isn't always going to be understanding when the deadlines go by) this product might be worth a try.

Foot Mouse
Usually recommended for those with carpal tunnel syndrome, the foot mouse from Hunter Digital can also help all the CreakyJoints out there. It may aid overused joints and overstretched wrists. There are ways to convert a regular mouse into one with foot controls, but after reading the directions, it seems you need 8 hands and two brains to do it so I won't repeat them here. Also available are special foot controls that can replace a button you hit all the time, such as the mouse button, or "enter." By using your feet, you can reduce the amount of stretching and flexing that your hands and wrists have to do each time you use the computer.

Keep typing, mousing, and reading, hopefully in a little more comfort.

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