Wrist Pain: Keyboard and Mouse

Fix the position first

the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) guidance keeps the keyboard at about elbow height with wrists in a neutral, straight line and the mouse right next to the keyboard. If your desk is too high, raise the chair and add a footrest; if the keyboard sits too far away, you reach, and your shoulder and wrist pay for it.

Keyboards and mice that help

A low-profile keyboard or a slight negative tilt keeps wrists flat. Split and tented keyboards reduce the sideways bend for some people. A vertical mouse keeps the forearm in a handshake position. Try position changes first, then one piece of gear at a time.

Test your gear

A key that bounces or a mouse that double-clicks on its own makes you press harder and more often. The free Keyboard Tester and Mouse Test show exactly which key or button is failing, so you can clean or replace it before it becomes a habit.

What should I fix first?

Three fixes in the order that pays off fastest, using the measurements from the guides on this page.

1. Fix the position first. Bring the keyboard and mouse to elbow height and close to your body, with wrists straight and elbows at about 90 degrees. If the desk is too high, raise the chair and add a footrest; the ergonomic desk setup hub has the measurements to check.
2. Change how you type. Float your wrists while typing and rest them only during pauses, and keep the mouse right next to the keyboard so you are not reaching for it. Once a laptop sits on a stand, a separate keyboard and mouse are a must, not an upgrade.
3. Only then change the gear. Try a low-profile keyboard or a slight negative tilt, a split or tented keyboard for the sideways bend, or a vertical mouse for a handshake position, one piece at a time. Run the free Keyboard Tester and Mouse Test first, because a bouncing key or a mouse that double-clicks on its own makes you press harder. If pain, tingling or numbness lasts more than a few weeks, see a doctor.

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