An ergonomic wrist rest helps:

• prevent extension of the wrist by keeping them straight during keyboard use.
• provide padding for the hands, making the desk more comfortable.
• keep hands from dropping off the edge of the keyboard.
• relieve tension and soreness in the shoulders by removing arm weight from the shoulders and neck.
• alleviate pressure and irritation of the tendons.

What is an Ergonomic Wrist Rest?

An ergonomic wrist rest is a rest specifically designed to prevent the wrist from bending back while keying, during keying pauses, or while mousing. It is also designed to take some weight off the shoulders and reduce shoulder muscle work and to soften the surface under the wrist.

Drawbacks of an Ergonomic Wrist Rest

Some of the possible drawbacks of an ergonomic wrist rest are:

•     A wrist rest which is too-thick or too-high can cause forward flexion of the wrist.
•     Wrist rests with sharp edges, even foam ones, may be uncomfortable.
•     Some wrist rest designs may cause pressure inside the carpal tunnel for some people.
•     Sensitive wrists. Some people's wrists are sensitive to pressure underneath the palm.

Features to look for when buying an Ergonomic Wrist Rest:

•     The thickness of the wrist rest should be about the same as the front of the keyboard so the wrists are aligned.
•     The size of the wrist rest should be big enough to spread out over a large area of the wrist.
•     Less than about 6 cm is considered too narrow.
•     Wrist rest should not be too hard.
•     Wrist rests should not have sharp edges in contact with the skin.
•     The material the wrist rest is made of should be cleanable or the wrist rest should be cheap enough to be discarded when soiled.
•     The material the wrist rest is constructed of should not have too much friction; should not constrain the arms.
•     Wrist rests for mice should move with the mouse.