Curved desk mats restrict arm movement.

Yes, they can. The cutout forces your arms into a narrower zone than they naturally want to move in.

A standard rectangle gives you a consistent, flat surface for your wrists and forearms. You can slide your mouse hand out to the side without hitting the edge of the mat. With a custom shape that curves around the keyboard, your arms are essentially trapped inside that curve. Every time you reach for the mouse or pull your elbows in, you’re fighting the boundary.

I’ve tried a few of these “ergonomic” shaped mats. They look cool on Instagram, but in practice I found myself either hovering my wrists over the edge or bending them