Keyboard and Mouse Position for Neutral Wrists
Desk checklist
| Setting | Aim for | Quick check |
|---|---|---|
| Elbow Height | Position your keyboard and mouse at or slightly below your resting elbow height. | Sit with your shoulders relaxed and upper arms by your sides. Your elbows should form a roughly 90-degree angle or be slightly more open. |
| Wrist Posture | Keep your wrists straight, in a neutral line with your forearms, while typing and using the mouse. | Look at your hand and forearm from the side. They should form a straight line. Avoid bending your wrists up, down, or to the sides. |
| Mouse Proximity | Place your mouse as close to your keyboard as possible. | Can you move from your keyboard to your mouse without reaching your arm out to the side? Your elbow should stay close to your body. |
| Keyboard Angle | Use your keyboard in a flat or slightly negative (tilted away from you) position. | Check if the small feet on the bottom of your keyboard are folded down. This helps prevent you from bending your wrists upward. |
| Shoulder Position | Keep your shoulders relaxed and down, not hunched or raised toward your ears. | Take a deep breath and let your shoulders drop. They should feel low and free of tension while you type. |
Correctly positioning your keyboard and mouse helps keep your shoulders relaxed, elbows comfortable, and wrists in a neutral, straight position.
This can reduce strain on your upper body during computer work by supporting a more natural posture for your arms and hands.
Positioning Your Keyboard and Mouse
Your keyboard and mouse should be at or slightly below your resting elbow height. To check this, sit with your upper arms by your sides and your shoulders relaxed. Your elbows should form a roughly 90-degree angle. A common mistake is placing the keyboard too high, which can cause you to shrug your shoulders.
If your desk is too high, try adjusting your chair height. If your chair cannot go higher, you can use a cushion to raise your sitting position. A footrest can help support your feet if they no longer rest comfortably on the floor.
Fine-Tuning Your Wrist and Arm Posture
Keep your wrists straight and in a neutral line with your forearms while typing. Avoid bending them up, down, or to the sides. To help with this, use your keyboard in a flat or slightly negative position by folding down the small feet on the bottom.
Place your mouse as close to your keyboard as possible so you can move between them without reaching. Your elbow should stay close to your body. A keyboard that is too wide can force your mouse into a position that requires reaching.
What Good Positioning Can and Cannot Do
These adjustments can help reduce physical strain, but they do not replace the need for regular breaks, movement, and stretching throughout the day. Ergonomics cannot eliminate all discomfort from very long, uninterrupted hours of computer use.
Proper positioning may not be enough if your primary equipment, like your desk or chair, is not a good fit for your body, and it cannot fix pre-existing medical conditions.
Common mistakes
- Placing the keyboard too high, causing shrugged shoulders.
- Reaching far out to the side for the mouse.
- Bending wrists upward by using the keyboard’s kickstand feet.
- Resting wrists on the sharp edge of the desk while typing.
- Using a keyboard that is too wide, which forces the mouse into a position that requires reaching.
Low-cost fixes
- Adjust your chair height so your elbows are at the correct height relative to your desk.
- Fold down the feet on the back of your keyboard to make it lie flat.
- Move your mouse directly next to your keyboard, inside your shoulder width.
- If your desk is too high and your chair cannot go higher, use a cushion to sit on and a footrest for your feet.
What it will not do
- Proper positioning cannot fix pre-existing medical conditions.
- Good setup does not replace the need for regular breaks, movement, and stretching.
- These adjustments may not be enough if your primary equipment, like your desk or chair, is not a good fit for your body.
- Ergonomics cannot eliminate all discomfort from very long, uninterrupted hours of computer use.
Quick questions
How high should my keyboard be?
Position your keyboard at or slightly below your resting elbow height. When you sit with your shoulders relaxed and upper arms by your sides, your elbows should form a roughly 90-degree angle.
Should I use the little feet on my keyboard?
It is generally better to keep the small feet on the bottom of your keyboard folded down. This creates a flat or negative angle that helps you keep your wrists straight instead of bending them upward.
Where is the best place for my mouse?
Place your mouse as close to your keyboard as possible. You should be able to move your hand from the keyboard to the mouse without reaching your arm out to the side.
When to see a doctor or physio
Consider seeing a doctor or physical therapist if you have persistent pain, numbness, or tingling in your hands, wrists, or arms. You might also ask for a workplace assessment if these adjustments do not relieve significant discomfort or if you cannot achieve the recommended postures with your current equipment.
- You have persistent pain, numbness, or tingling in your hands, wrists, or arms.
- Your symptoms interfere with your work or daily activities.
- You have tried these adjustments and continue to experience significant discomfort.
- You are unable to achieve the recommended postures with your current equipment.
How this page was put together: general guidance consistent with public workstation and movement-break resources from OSHA, CDC/NIOSH and the NHS, and with standard exercise handouts. It was drafted with AI assistance, checked in a separate review pass and edited under our editorial policy. It is not medical advice and no clinician reviewed it. Last checked October 2026.