According to Eecs.umich.edu, having good posture is important for one’s health. Good posture occurs when a person is in a position that minimizes strain on the body.

For people who often sit while working, tightening the hip flexors and engaging their core muscles, sitting in a simple chair with a flat seat may help to reduce the risk of stress injury. They may also wish to set up their workstation by positioning their keyboards above their thighs and setting the mouse on one side of the keyboard to prevent any leaning, hunching or stretching when working. Lastly, those who work on computers may wish to place the monitor directly in front of them with the screen 15-25 inches away.

Proper typing

Proper typing technique includes keeping the wrists be straight to reduce the strain on hand nerves and tendons. A split keyboard is an ergonomic design that assists some people in preventing strains while typing. Hands should float over the keys with wrists hovering while typing. When pressing special keys, move the whole hand and use the middle or index fingers to press these keys.

Posture and breaks

Bad posture is a common risk factor of RSI. Office workers should adjust their seats to prevent leaning forward over their keyboard. According to RSI Prevention, those who work at a computer should also take regular breaks. A good rule of thumb is to take a 5-minute break after typing continuously for 20 to 30 minutes. However, when suffering from a repetitive stress injury, longer and more frequent breaks may become necessary.

While doing these things may lower the risk of a repetitive stress injury, it is still a risk for many occupations. It is a good idea to understand which RSI you may be at risk of developing and to watch for early signs of injury before it gets worse.