Laptops

While laptops or notebook computers are a boon to the fields of business and education, they are not good examples of ergonomically sound equipment. Designed to be as portable as possible, laptops were not created with the comfort of the user in mind. When using a desktop computer, you can usually adjust both the monitor and keyboard for optimum placement for comfort and injury prevention. By design, a laptop is smaller and both the screen and the keyboard are very close together. The screen is much smaller than a desktop monitor, which forces you the view the same content on a smaller area. The screen's angle can be changed, but unfortunately, a laptop causes you to hunch over the screen. The keys found on a laptop tend to be closer together, which may cause problems for both your fingers and wrists. On the other hand, laptops do have LCD screens, which are considered superior to CRTs in terms of both EMFs and overall ergonomics.

By their very nature, laptops cannot be as comfortable as desktop machines. Because the screen and keyboard cannot be adjusted independently of one another, it is impossible to have both where they should be for optimal comfort. If the keyboard is in the correct position, the monitor will be too low. Conversely, if the screen is in the correct position, the keyboard is too high. Most laptop users position the keyboard for comfort and then lower their heads so they can see the screen, but this is far from a strain-free posture (37).

Because of the ergonomic problems posed by laptops, they are not recommended as a primary computer, unless you have the option of plugging in an external monitor, which can alleviate many of the issues. Just as with a desktop machine, the first issue is how you sit while you use the laptop. It would be better to have a chair and desk to sit at while you use a laptop, but due to the portable nature of the machine, this is not always the case. Pay attention to how you position your neck, shoulders, back and wrists as you use the laptop because they can be easily strained.

The other problem posed by laptop use is the fact that the user must carry the laptop and all the extra paraphernalia (including AC adapter, batteries, etc). Here are some tips on carrying your laptop (38):

Keep your computer and accessories as close to your body as possible when lifting or carrying.
Lift with a straight, upward movement.
Use your legs for lifting.
Maintain a lengthened, opened body use while lifting and carrying.

It is also recommended that you carry your laptop in a knapsack rather than in a shoulder bag or briefcase. While this may not present the proper business image, it can save your back (39). As laptops continue to shrink in size, these concerns may diminish, but the fundamental ergonomic issues remain.

For a more indepth discussion of laptops and ergonomics, please visit Healthy Computing.