No matter what kind of desk you have, whether you sit or stand while you work—or both—you should pay attention to where your keyboard is located. To help prevent musculoskeletal problems like hand and wrist pain, or even carpal tunnel syndrome, you should position your keyboard at elbow height, where your arms are bent at about a 90-degree angle.

If your keyboard is too high or too low, you could be unnecessarily straining muscles from your fingers all the way up to your neck! You can help prevent these problems by using an under-desk keyboard tray. Below are some tips to keep in mind when you buy ergonomic products like a keyboard tray.

Why Use a Keyboard Tray?

When you install an adjustable keyboard tray, you can easily position your keyboard at the height that’s right for you. Additionally, you can optimize your typing posture in more than one direction with a computer keyboard tray—the ideal position for your keyboard is at a negative angle, where the top of the keyboard points downward. This tilt adjustment helps you keep your wrists at a neutral angle to help prevent injuries.

The best ergonomic keyboard tray is one that offers a variety of adjustment options. In addition to the tilt just mentioned, you should consider an under-desk keyboard tray that not only slides in and out, but also swivels left to right. Sliding the keyboard tray in and out will help you keep your desk decluttered, and you can slide it under your desk when it’s not in use. The ability to swivel left and right gives you more flexibility in positioning, which can be helpful if you move around a lot.

It is important that you find an ergonomic keyboard tray that will accommodate your neutral zone. The idea is to minimize your need for unnecessary movement and reaching for your mouse, keyboard or any other peripherals that you’re trying to access while you’re working at your station. Everything is within reach while in a comfortable seated or standing position.

Keyboard Tray Features

An under-desk keyboard tray can help you get your keyboard and mouse in a more ergonomic position. This can help you work more comfortably throughout the day and may help reduce muscle strain. Using an underdesk keyboard tray can also support the benefits of other ergonomic furniture like computer monitor stands.

The best reason to invest in an under desk keyboard tray is optimizing your typing posture. With a wide variety of adjustment options, our under-desk keyboard trays tilt forward and backward to help you achieve optimal wrist positioning. They slide in and out to help you declutter and organize your desktop, and swivel left to right so your keyboard and mouse will be directly in front of you.

There are a variety of options when finding a keyboard tray that will best suit your desk as well as your mouse and keyboard, so that you have a place for everything and tuck it away when you want to. In the event that you do not enjoy drilling and fastening, perhaps a clamping style keyboard shelf could be an alternative.

Uncaged Ergonomics’ Keyboard Trays

Our underdesk keyboard trays have mouse platforms that you can attach on the left or right side, which is perfect for those who use the mouse with their left hand—we didn’t forget about the southpaws! The mousing platforms also adjust independently so you can find the perfect position while retaining the best wrist positioning for your keyboard platform.

Uncaged Ergonomics offers two adjustable under-desk keyboard tray models: the KT-1 and KT-2. They both feature multiple adjustment options including height adjustments that range from above the desk level to below the desk level, tilt, swivel, and slide. They both feature a separate mousing platform that can be mounted on either side of the keyboard platform, which is great for left-handers or ambidextrous use. Additionally, the mousing platform is independently adjustable so it can remain level if you opt to tilt your computer keyboard tray—after all, you wouldn’t want your mouse to roll onto the floor!