UNHCE Information Technology & Distance Education Blog

Many people seem to be using wrist supports and mouse pads which are relatively hard. The goal of wrist supports is to gently support your wrist. They should be cushioning. Foam ones are fine for many people. For the long haul, many people prefer gel rests.

The advantages to gel rests are that they tend to "bounce back" after use, and have less "memory" than foam rests. That means you don't get the little dents in them which often happens with a foam pad. Another advantage is it is a gentle, more-even form of support.

Gel rests can be purchased for your keyboard, mouse, and even accessories.

One manufacturer we have liked is Fellowes. Office Max carries that line.

Ordering info is:

Item #s are:
Gel rest (long, for in front of the keyboard): E691137
Gel rest with mouse pad: E691141

They cost $11.25 each.

A listing of all wrist rests offered by this manufacturer is at:
http://www.fellowes.com/Fellowes/site/products/productssubcategory.aspx?loc=left&Name=WRISTS_SUPPORT_WORKSPACE_ERGO


Note: Rests are not meant to be used to support your wrist while typing or mousing. Your hands should move freely and be elevated above the wrist/palm rest while typing. When resting, the pad should contact the heel or palm of your hand, not your wrist.

For further info on wrist support, see: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/components_wrist_rests.html