Set your keyboard just below elbow height and keep your wrists straight while typing before choosing a wrist rest, as the Health and Safety Executive advises. If a fixed rest does not line up with the keyboard, consider an adjustable-height model; otherwise, check its width and height against your keyboard. Use the rest for pauses rather than relying on it to hold your wrists in place while you type.
If your hands bend upwards or downwards at your standing workstation, adjust the keyboard position before choosing padding. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the keyboard just below elbow height and keeping wrists straight while keying.
If you use a compact, slim or full-size keyboard, compare its width and front-edge height with the rest. Trust positions its 43.5 cm-wide Vela for full-size keyboards with numeric pads; that does not establish a fit for smaller boards.
Once the keyboard position and rest size suit your setup, consider the surface you want to use and clean regularly. Logitech describes a cleanable memory-foam palm rest, while Kensington offers foam and gel keyboard rests.
Check your standing typing position first, then the rest’s fit against your keyboard, and finally the surface and stability you prefer.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard height and wrist position | Set the keyboard just below elbow height while standing. Check whether the rest’s height lets you keep your wrists straight when typing. | If my keyboard leaves my wrists bent, I need to correct its position before adding support; around 42% of consumers put workstation height and wrist position first. |
| Keyboard fit | Compare the rest’s width and height with your keyboard’s usable width and front edge; check the intended keyboard type. | With a compact or full-size board, I want a rest that fits without an awkward contact point or unnecessary overhang; roughly 33% of consumers prioritise keyboard fit. |
| Surface and stability | Consider foam or gel feel, whether the base resists sliding, and how the surface should be cleaned. | Once the setup fits, I want a surface I can use and maintain through regular typing sessions; around 25% of consumers place comfort and upkeep first. |
A pad does not correct a keyboard position that makes you bend your wrists while typing.
Set the keyboard just below elbow height at your normal standing position, following Health and Safety Executive guidance, before assessing the rest’s height.
A rest made for a full-size keyboard may be too wide or high for a compact or slim board. Trust lists its full-size Vela at 43.5 × 8.4 × 2.0 cm.
Measure your keyboard’s usable width and front edge, then compare them with the rest’s dimensions and intended keyboard type.
The Health and Safety Executive distinguishes resting hands and wrists when not keying from keeping wrists straight while keying.
Check how the support feels during pauses, and reconsider its position if it makes your wrists bend as you type.
A manufacturer’s description of cushioning cannot establish that a particular rest will resolve an individual problem.
Prioritise workstation position and physical fit. If discomfort persists, seek appropriate professional advice and, where applicable, a workstation assessment.
Keyboard-rest options include height-adjustable gel, foam and gel designs.
MX Palm Rest is a memory-foam option for shoppers considering a low-profile support.
Vela is positioned for full-size keyboards with numeric pads.
This option is a keyboard with an integrated padded rest, for consumers considering a new keyboard as well as wrist support. It is not a separate wrist rest.
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Consider this if you want wrist support built into a new keyboard rather than a separate pad.
Check that the complete keyboard suits your setup and that the integrated rest lines up with your typing position. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing the keyboard just below elbow height and keeping wrists straight while keying.
Do not choose a pad on the assumption that you should press your wrists into it continuously. The Health and Safety Executive describes resting hands and wrists when not keying and advises keeping wrists straight while keying.
Not by itself: adjust the keyboard position first. The Health and Safety Executive advises placing it just below elbow height; an adjustable-height rest can then help you match the support to the keyboard.
Measure your keyboard’s usable width and front-edge height, then compare them with the rest’s dimensions and intended keyboard type. Trust, for example, lists the Vela at 43.5 × 8.4 × 2.0 cm and positions it for full-size keyboards with numeric pads.
Choose a surface whose care instructions suit regular cleaning. Logitech describes MX Palm Rest as stain-resistant and easy to clean, while Kensington describes its Duo Gel finish as easy to wipe clean; follow the instructions for the product you choose.