Thursday, July 26, 2012

A Shoplet #Review for 2 Palm Suppport Products

Shoplet is an online Office Supplies outlet!  I love it because they have great weekly giveaways.  This week they are giving away 12 backpacks full of Avery Products.  Awhile back, I received the Fellowes Memory Foam Keyboard Palm Support to review. When I saw what this was for, I was quite giddy.  I have been suffering some discomfort in my left wrist.  I knew it was from the hours spent on the computer.  I already have a wrist support for my mouse hand, which has helped to ward off the pain in my right wrist.  But the left wrist was starting to be problematic.  I saw the warnings of carpal tunnel syndrome looming ominously in the near future.  But this keyboard pad is doing the trick.  My wrists no longer dip down lower than my keyboard as I am typing.  They stay level with the rest of my hand so the strain is alleviated!. 
I loved how it didn't connect to my computer so I could adjust it the way I wanted to.  I feel like one runs into trouble when the palm support dictates how you should position your wrist because it is attached to your computer or mouse.  The material is velvety soft, but very firm and gives a lot of support.  The Keyboard Pad  has the Microban antimicrobial protection to keep it clean and free from germs.It also has V shaping for your wrists in "home row" position. The Vs have just the right amount of angle to be very comfortable with a full sized keyboard. It doesn't raise them much, just enough to keep them in a better position for typing and to provide some support. The fabric is an anti-microbial shiny black. The foam filling is a nice memory foam with just the right amount of give. The base of it is a nice, grippy silicone that doesn't move when it's on a smooth surface.



I also received the Fellowes Memory Foam Gliding Palm Support With Mouse Pad
This item was a bit problematic for me.  It started as I tried to get it out of the container.  I had to take to the scissors to get it out and then in the process I accidentally cut the mouse pad it came with.  I can still use it, but it isn't perfectly symmetrical anymore, it has a corner missing!  Moral of story:  Just because it's frustrating to get  out  of  package, don't start hacking away! 
 I've got some experience with this kind of device, since I already own a palm support for my mouse.  The one I own does not attach to the mouse.  I am responsible for positioning the piece according to how I feel comfortable.  I find that it works well for me.  The Fellowes model actually attaches to the mouse and is designed to "glide" along with your mouse.   To be bluntly honest, I don't like it.  I feel that my freedom of mouse movement is inhibited.  Plus, I don't feel that my hand and wrist is in the best position for the most optimum support.  I thought that my dislike of the product was because I was already used to the wrist support I have been using.  So I gave it to my husband.  He thanked me and attached it to his mouse according to the instructions.  An hour later, I found it down by his chair, unattached to the mouse.  Obviously, not a big hit at our house.  But I think that a wrist rest of some kind is essential if you spend more than a couple hours per day on the computer.  Perhaps you will have better luck with this apparatus than I did. 
We've got the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pretty much figured out with these two wrist supports.  Now I'm just waiting to review a Chair Support, for my aching butt due to hours of sitting at my computer.  Inventors would make a killing if something like that came out and actually worked!

Disclosure:  http://cmp.ly/2