Regardless of the kind of desk you use, whether you sit or stand while you work—or both—you should consider where your keyboard is located. You can help prevent musculoskeletal problems like hand and wrist pain, or even carpal tunnel syndrome, by positioning your keyboard at elbow height, with arms bent at about a 90-degree angle.
If you’ve purchased, or are considering purchasing, a height adjustable desk, you are probably switching between standing and sitting while working. Pairing an underdesk keyboard tray with affordable standing desks is an inexpensive way to create an ergonomic workstation. You’ll be able to adjust the height of your desk and the height of your keyboard separately, to position both at the correct height for your body, whether you stand or sit.
An under-desk
keyboard tray can help you ergonomically position your keyboard and mouse,
which 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 height adjustable desks, active seating, and computer
monitor stands.
If your keyboard is positioned 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.
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 provides a variety of adjustment options. In addition to the ability to tilt, you should also look for other adjustments like sliding in and out, along with the ability to swing left to right. Sliding the keyboard tray in and out will help you keep your desk decluttered, and you can push 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.
Uncaged Ergonomics offers two adjustable 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!