A wrist rest ( palm rest, wrist support, or palm support) is a device used to support the wrists while using a

computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a built-in or peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or Push-button, keys to act as Mechanical keyboard, mechanical levers or Electronic switching system, electro ...

mouse A mouse (: mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus'' ...

. Wrist rests have common usage in the workplace.

Design

Wrist rests can be made from memory foam, gel, leather, or

hardwood Hardwood is wood from Flowering plant, angiosperm trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal ecosystem, boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostl ...

, the most common being memory foam rests. Memory foam rests retain impressions for longer, while gel rests quickly return to their original shape. Gel rests provide more cooling. Some computer keyboards come with a wrist rest included.

Ergonomic use

There are mixed opinions on whether wrist rests for computer keyboards are a benefit to

ergonomics Ergonomics, also known as human factors or human factors engineering (HFE), is the application of Psychology, psychological and Physiology, physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems. Primary goa ...

. The main benefit of using a wrist rest is increased comfort, especially for those using keyboards over long periods. Usage of a wrist rest can alleviate tension can take away pressure from the neck, shoulders and arms. Using a keyboard without a wrist rest may increase the bending angle of the wrists, causing strain and tendon irritation. Prolonged contact between the wrists and the rest may cause

carpal tunnel syndrome Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a nerve compression syndrome associated with the collected signs and symptoms of Pathophysiology of nerve entrapment#Compression, compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in the wrist. Carpal tunn ...

or tenosynovitis. Resting the wrists on a rest while typing may prevent motion of the wrist, causing issues. To mitigate potential problems, the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; ) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. The United States Congress established ...

(OSHA) recommends the hands to be elevated above the rest while typing. While not typing, the rest should contact the hand's palm/heel, not the wrist. As well, they recommend for the wrist rest's slope and height to match the front of the keyboard, and for the rest to be soft, with a depth of at least .

Scientific research

A 2004 study published in

Elsevier Elsevier ( ) is a Dutch academic publishing company specializing in scientific, technical, and medical content. Its products include journals such as ''The Lancet'', ''Cell (journal), Cell'', the ScienceDirect collection of electronic journals, ...

described the literature on the efficacy of wrist rests as "limited, inconclusive, and contradictory". Some studies have concluded that wrist rests reduce strain while others have concluded rests cause more strain. A 2018 study looked at a

sample size Sample size determination or estimation is the act of choosing the number of observations or replicates to include in a statistical sample. The sample size is an important feature of any empirical study in which the goal is to make inferences abo ...

of 25 during prolonged typing. They found wrist rests to reduce fatigue in the

biceps brachii The biceps or biceps brachii (, "two-headed muscle of the arm") is a large muscle that lies on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow. Both heads of the muscle arise on the scapula and join to form a single muscle bell ...

muscle but have no effect on the upper

trapezius The trapezius is a large paired trapezoid-shaped surface muscle that extends longitudinally from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae of the human spine, spine and laterally to the spine of the scapula. It moves the scapula and ...

muscle.

References

{{Reflist Computer keyboards Computer mice Physical ergonomics

Design

Ergonomic use

Scientific research

See also

References