A keyboard pad is a computer accessory meant to aid in the process of typing. Many times, due to the slick nature of desks and the composition of most computer keyboards, which are mainly plastic, there is the potential for the keyboard to slip. A keyboard pad helps prevent such slippage by holding firmly to the desk while the keyboard sits on top of it.
While the slippage of a keyboard may seem like a minor thing, it has the potential to become a major problem. It is not that the slippage results in an unusual number of typographical errors, but rather the problem is that the user may not even realize the keyboard is getting further away. As the keyboard moves, the arms, wrists and fingers naturally move and stretch to compensate, sometimes subconsciously. There, before long, the typist is struggling to type in an unnatural position.
Slippage of keyboards did not used to be such a major problem. Typewriters, even modern ones, were always bulky enough that applying enough force to make it slip was difficult. Even the first computer keyboards were heavier. However, as computer keyboards have gotten smaller and lighter, the problem has become more widespread.
This is where a keyboard pad can be so valuable. As that slippage continues over the course of months and years, serious medical problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can develop. A keyboard pad plays a significant role in helping to prevent such injuries.
The keyboard pad can also help in other ways. For those who choose to do so, other options are usually available for the pad, such as a rest for the wrists. While the value of a wrist rest may be debatable, some typists believe it helps them. This rest may be permanently attached to the keyboard pad, or may simply be an additional keyboard accessory that can be purchased to fit along with the keyboard pad.
Some keyboard pads not only help with these medical issues, but can also help from a comfortable typing standpoint. Many typists, hearkening back to older typewriters, prefer the top of the keyboard to be slightly elevated from the bottom. Some keyboard pad products seek to do this for the typist.
Most keyboard pads are very thin, designed to easily accommodate a pull-out keyboard drawer. Most are made of flexible materials, but some may have a firmer underside so that the keyboard can sit naturally on a softer or uneven surface, such as a person’s lap. A keyboard pad typically runs from $10 US Dollars (USD) to $25 USD, though there are more expensive models available.