I give Kinesis Advantage keyboards credit with allowing me to continue my career unimpeded which was in serious question for a time, with wrist pain severe enough to interfere with sleep, even with NSAIDs and ice. (Obvious-tip: don’t let it get that bad before taking action!)<p>There are other good ergo keyboards as well, but Kinesis have been excellent for me and durable over a couple decades.
I share the exact same sentiment because using a wrist wrest for a year actually gave me carpal tunnel. Just like how it's cautioned about in this article.<p>I was using the wrist wrest the wrong way, however, just about everyone marketing wrist rests shows them used the wrong way, so it's a bit more than just "user error" at play here.<p>As the article goes into, the best way to type is with hands hovering over the keyboard. I accomplish this by using a chair with high adjustable arm rests. If the arm rests can pivot inwards like on the Herman Miller Mirra, then a standard keyboard will do. If the chair's arm rests are only height adjustable, then I use a split ergonomic keyboard. Either way, my hands are kept floating above the keyboard.<p>If I did still use a wrist rest, I would have it spaced far enough away from the keyboard such that it would effectively be a forearm rest. Doing so would use up more desk space than I'd be comfortable with, hence why I skip wrist rests entirely.
There are a lot of shaky ergonomic concepts that have successfully marketed their way into our brains because they are associated with an expensive solution. Some of them are worthwhile, but it's hard to tell. When you want a bandaid, you're inclined to try anything with a reputation.<p>Every time someone shops for standing desks, I mention my floor desk setup. A floor desk with height and tilt action(plus some peripherals) is a fraction of the cost of a regular desk and chair, and lets me change posture frequently. If I need more surfaces or a mix of angled and flat, I can fit in a second desk. Unless ceremonial reasons or a dirty floor require you to be in a more elevated pose, it is the superior.<p>Yet every time, they invent a reason to not want it. After all, they aren't there to solve their aching back, they are buying a standing desk.
Wrist rests work great for me, maybe everybody's body reacts differently.<p>What helped me a lot was 1. learning touch typing (a lot less strain on fingers & wrist), 2. using vim shortcuts which leads to less mouse usage (I'm just a basic user using basic shortcuts but even then it's noticeable) 3. exercising multiple times a week.