Edna’a straightforward and scientific approach, as well as her ability to view each person and situation as unique, have been enormously helpful in my work at the computer. My work as a Diagnostic Radiologist now involves being at the computer, working with a mouse, keyboard, and automated dictation system for the majority of the workday. I used to experience forearm pain and with Edna’s help I have figured out how to do this with a minimum of impact on my body, having fully gotten rid of the pain.

I am a physician with a strong scientific background in research and it makes perfect sense to me that any repetitive and demanding motions which can be effected with putting the least if any stress into those motions and still get the job done with even greater efficiency, is something of great value and importance. My wife Paula, a classically trained pianist, had received cortisone shots about three years ago and eventually surgery on both hands for three fingers from very painful and incapacitating injuries (trigger fingers) which apparently resulted from her playing. After the surgery, yet another finger was threatening. At that time she met a teacher who suggested she be evaluated by Edna Golandsky [Healthy Typing Inc. Founder] herself. Luckily, Paula chose to give Edna Golandsky a try. During this time, that finger that had been threatening has long since been silent and she even tells me excitedly that she can master, even more quickly, very difficult piano passages. There is no longer any discomfort in either hand or fingers.

I don’t know of any other approach that addresses the problem of pain and injuries like Healthy Typing does. This is an approach that goes to the root of the matter: the problem movements that cause the injury. This work is a kind of physical therapy, because the focus is on correct alignment and healthy, coordinate movements that will not hurt you.

I developed burning and tingling sensations in my right hand shortly after beginning a new position that required me to type for several hours a day. The pain lasted for a few months and my family doctor recommended anti-inflammatory medications and suspected that I had developed possible nerve damage. She recommended that I see a specialist immediately. I did in fact seek a specialist-but not the person she recommended. Instead, I worked with Edna Golandsky, who keenly observed my typing technique and recommended specific solutions. The problem was eliminated quickly, and one year later I remain pain free at the computer, even after hours of typing!

After watching her [Edna Golandsky, Healthy Typing Inc. Founder] lectures and demonstrations I realized I had found something phenomenal and after a few lessons my realization was confirmed. Edna’s analytical ability surpasses anything I have encountered and her insight into piano technique and musical artistry liberates the performer. Her work helps to overcome limitations and insecurities. Anyone requiring manual dexterity for their work would greatly benefit from Edna’s expertise.

Database Administrator, NYC Dept. of Transportation

I first studied with Edna [Edna Golandsky, Healthy Typing Inc. Founder] a little over twenty years ago. The lessons were then, as now, revelations, both technically and musically. Unfortunately, at the time other interests drew me away from the piano, but I’ve been working with Edna now since Nov. 2005, and my progress is intoxicating. She’s just a delight to work with. Edna is unsurpassed in her ability to communicate the proper coordinate movements involved in piano playing.

The principles of movement I’ve learned from Edna are applicable to other areas, as well. As a Database Administrator, I spend about five hours per day in front of a computer. A number of my colleagues suffer from computer keyboard and mouse related repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and despite using wrist rests and Aspirin, their problems persist. I, on the other hand, have avoided these RSIs by ensuring that my forearms are properly angled to the keyboard, and by eliminating potentially dangerous movements such as dropping the wrist when typing, and twisting my wrist to reach the ‘enter’ key.

I had been experiencing pain in my hands, wrists, and forearms that was diagnosed by a specialist as tendinitis. Though the pain had started as a minor annoyance, it quickly escalated to the point where I could no longer do my work, which involves many hours each day at a computer and considerable amounts of data entry. At one point, I had taken 5 straight days away from work. As a classically-trained percussionist as well, it was vital that I find a way to stop the pain and fix the problem so that I could continue working and that my playing remain unaffected. The 3 sessions I had with you [Edna Golandsky, Healthy Typing Inc. Founder] changed all of that. You determined that the problems consisted of positioning and movement, exacerbated by the presence of wrist supports. After adjusting my keyboard position and working at applying the principles of proper finger, hand, wrist, and arm movement that you showed me, the pain has decreased steadily and dramatically and I have been able to resume working full-time. I can’t thank you enough!

It is apparent that avoiding injury at the computer, or with any repetitive stress, can be maximized by applying the [Healthy Typing] principles. As a physician, it is clear that this approach emphasizes the soundest of principles related to movement.

She really understood everything so quickly, and was able to even anticipate some of the pains and symptoms I hadn’t told her about. I went from being afraid that I’d need surgery to feeling that I had an intelligent, understanding and patient teacher who could work with me.

Hi Edna,

I have been meaning to touch base with you about my progress on the steno machine. I have always been a rule-follower. So, if a teacher tells me to do something a certain way, I do it (thinking that they have more experience, so they should know better). Thanks to you, that is no longer the case. Just meeting with you that one time has opened up so many possibilities on how to comfortably finger the words on the machine…which lead to spelling the words differently, so I can write them comfortably. Since I am no longer considered a steno “theory student,” I now can finger and spell the way I want. The only catch is that I have to be able to read and translate my notes (even if my teachers cannot understand my notes). One of the reasons I am ahead of my classmates in speed is because I am typing pain-free and with ease.

Taking advantage of the digital steno machine’s capabilities is another area the teachers have not explored enough. Many of the teachers learned to type on the “paper machines”; where each stroke had to be typed simultaneously regardless of how awkward or uncomfortable the hand position was. They took that technique of typing and transferred it to the digital machine. But, as we discovered at our lesson, the digital machines will eliminate the awkward hand positions by holding a key down in one hand while separating the awkward stroke in the other. This allows those awkward hand positions to be eliminated.

Finding the correct seat height was a little trickier. I am sitting lower than I thought I would be as per your suggestion. This has helped a great deal. I was associating the seat height at the machine with the same height as when I sit at the piano. It is not the same at all.

I can’t thank you enough for meeting with me. I am not ready to discuss this information with my teachers as I have not learned everything I need to know yet (I am about one-third of the way through the program). But, I wanted to let you know how valuable the information was that you gave me. There is a real need for injury prevention in this field. In the end, I hope to help others in this field.

Thanks again,
Kris Rebar