Wrist Rests: Help or Hindrance?

A padded wrist rest looks comfortable, but used wrongly it can do more harm than good.

A wrist rest is designed to support your palms during pauses in typing, not to prop up your wrists while you actively type. Resting the wrists down and pivoting from them bends the joint and compresses the carpal tunnel, which is exactly the posture that leads to strain.

Used correctly, a rest is a parking spot between bursts of typing. While your fingers are moving, your wrists should float in a neutral line and your whole hand should glide across the keys. The rest catches you only when you stop.

Choose a firm rest at the same height as the front edge of your keyboard so your hands stay level. Too soft and your wrists sink; too high or low and the angle bends. Paired with good posture, a rest can genuinely improve long-session comfort.