Revised August 11, 2008
In some situations, wrist rests can make mousing more comfortable. However, they do not provide relief for everyone. Read on to learn more about pros and cons. There is more information on how to prevent mouse-related discomfort at:
Towards Pain-Free Mousing.
A mouse wrist rest often has an attached mousing surface. The wrist rest pad actually supports the base of your palm, hence some people call them palm rests. As optical mice become more popular, the mousing surface is less important and standalone wrist rests are now available.
Pro
Can help keep the wrist straight while mousing.
Can cushion the wrist from a table edge or hard surface. (This will be especially helpful if the mouse is positioned too far or at an incorrect height for the user, but a
more effective strategy may be to address these problems first.)
Con
Can cause a slight increase in reach to the mouse due to the front to back size of the wrist rest pad.
Can promote “windshield wipering” (excessive sideways hand motions) if wrist stays planted in one spot on wrist rest.
For wrist rests with attached mousing surfaces or on some mouse bridges, some may find the space available for the mouse limiting (especially in the front to back
dimension), increasing the frequency of mouse lifting.
Tips for selecting a good wrist rest
Wrist rest pad high enough so that your wrist is straight when holding your mouse.
Soft but not too soft. If it is too soft, your hand will sink into the wrist rest, making it difficult to move your hand.
Texture feels comfortable on your skin.
Low coefficient of friction. In other words, your hand should slide easily on the wrist rest pad.
If you need a wrist rest with a mousing surface (NOTE: optical mice may not need a mousing surface), make sure the mousing surface is large enough so you aren't frequently lifting the
mouse when you get to the edge, at least double the width of your mouse and as close to double the length, as possible. (I haven't seen one that is this long, so it is in
this dimension where you may find yourself running out of room.)
Wrist rest pad should be as wide as the mousing surface (or about twice the width of your mouse if you don't need a mousing surface). If it is not, you may find
yourself bending your wrist sideways to move the mouse beyond the width of the wrist rest pad.
Usable on both sides of the keyboard. On some designs, the pad is larger on the left side of the wrist rest, making them better suited for the right side of the
keyboard.
Make sure there is room for it on your desk (especially if you are using a mouse bridge).
For further advice, please don't hesitate to contact Mike Papakyriakou at mikepapa@yorku.ca or ext 33477 or refer to our website.
