It is very well known that leaning the wrists on a surface for long periods can put a lot of pressure on the undersides of the wrists. This increases the likelihood that carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) will occur. A device which is used to alleviate the strain and reduce the risk of CTS is the Wrist Rest.

A wrist rest supports our wrists while typing or when using a computer mouse. Some experts believe that wrist rests alleviate the likelihood of RSI whilst others believe that the efficacy of such devices has never been proven.

Wrist rests are proven to reduce tension in the neck and shoulders, thus decreasing the risk of musculoskeletal injury. However, frequent contact between wrists and wrist wrests can cause CTS or tenosynovitis. These are problems related to the delicate tendons on the underside of the wrist.

According to the experts, since most offices nowadays are properly furnished with desks of suitable size and height, there is no need to rest our wrists against the edges of a desk anymore. So, if the chair and the desk are properly adjusted, we might need only very light wrist support.