Hand and Wrist Health – Typing Gloves for Authors Under Deadlines

Since our hands are our livelihood and we need to take care of them, I thought this would be a great topic. It should be noted that this post is not a replacement for seeing a doctor if you are having serious problems. Tingling and numbness often associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome should be addressed by a medical professional, as both symptoms can actually be caused by other things–such as back pain or nerve issues. So, there’s my disclaimer: I’m not a doctor. Just a working author on deadlines sharing what’s worked for her.

I don’t know if everyone else gets the sore hand problem (you will if you keep writing like mad for 10 years like I have, lol) Anyway, they’re really strange to get used to, but I like these typing gloves when I notice sore wrists and fingers from being at the computer for long hours at a time. I have three basic levels of typing gloves I recommend for authors.

Starter Gloves aka “They’re starting to get sore”

I’ve tried several brands of typing gloves. These IMAK Smart Glove for Carpal Tunnel are some of my favorite (pictured to the left). They are interchangeable, so you’ll just turn them inside out to use them on the other hand. They can be a little hard to get used to at first because of the bean bag pouch on the palm, but stick with them. For me they really do help with everyday type soreness.

Level 2 aka “Taking it up a notch”

If you’re on super deadline, typing for 15 hours a day, and getting very sore, there are the Mueller Fitted Wrist gloves. They stabilize the wrist a little be more and come with adjustable straps so you can make them tighter than the first set I showed you. This also makes for a more adjustable fit. As far as comfort, you know you’re wearing them, but they’re not too bad. Like all typing gloves, you’ll need a little bit of time to get used to them. But I found I adjusted quite quickly. This glove has rigid support and is designated to a hand. So make sure you know if you’re buying left or right.

Stabilizers aka “OMG I made the deadline but I can’t feel my fingers”

I’m a working professional author. Deadlines are going to happen. If I want to continue to be a professional working author, I need to make deadlines happen at all costs. This even means typing for 15 hours straight every day for a week if needs be. During these times, I use the Mueller Wrist Stabilizer gloves. These make it hard to type, so I don’t know that you’ll want to strap into them and hit the keyboard, but I wear them at night while I sleep. They strap on so it’s not easy to pull out of them while you’re sleeping and I wake up feeling better…well, until sleepy Michelle learned how to undo them without waking up. They include 6 1/2 inch side splints to keep rigid support and fit both hands.

Soft Stabilizer aka “Pillows for the hands”

Ok, laugh all you want, but these Futuro Night Wrist Sleep Supports are softer versions of the wrist stabilizer. They literally are like pillows for the hands. For that reason alone they deserve a mention. Hey, I like comfort.