For broader-framed people, however, a standard keyboard can be incredibly uncomfortable. The next option is to purchase a split or natural keyboard that either has a fixed angled of separation or allows you to vary the angle of separation. The split design allows you to keep your arm and wrist in a neutral position while typing. Although split keyboards encourage natural wrist and arm alignment, they can force you to place your shoulders in a non-neutral position. For this reason, it is important to find a keyboard that has enough flexibility to allow you to adjust the left and right sides so that each arm, wrist, and shoulder can be in a neutral position. One of the keyboards I purchased was a 2006 award recipient at the Natural Ergonomics Expo called the Kinesis FreeStyle. It allows you to separate the left and right side up to 20 inches and can be split at the center by varying degrees, as well as angled vertically using accessories. It helped me eliminate the pain I had in my chest muscles caused by using a Natural Keyboard. There is no one-size-fits-all keyboard. Just as a runner must find the right pair of sneakers, a computer athlete must find the right keyboard to meet his or her needs.
The width of your shoulders and the size of your frame will impact your search for a keyboard that allows you to keep your body in neutral positions.
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