Tips for Making Laptops More Ergonomic
I frequently talk about how important it is to dock your laptop and not strain yourself trying to do continuous work on your lap. The basic problem here is that hunching over a laptop usually places strain on your neck, back, and even wrists. It’s practically impossible to practice good ergonomics on a lapped laptop. That said, what do you do to use your laptop and not cause injury? Here are a few suggestions you can implement to keep yourself pain- and injury-free, including avoiding neck, hand, and wrist cramps and even repetitive stress injuries.
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Notice how everyone's head is bent down...not good for the neck.
Try an ergonomic keyboard. Usually, a laptop’s keyboard is quite small and to compensate for space, many keys are omitted or oddly placed. While you may get used to this new placement, hand cramping can be quite common. Plus, it’s pretty typical to have bad hand posture, as crazy as that sounds, which tenses up the hand as well as the wrist, leading to repetitive stress injuries.
- Raise your monitor to avoid eye strain. Since laptop screens are often smaller than desktop monitors, it’s important to at least elevate them so that you’re not squinting to see the screen. You can use a monitor lift to get your screen to eye level. Also, be sure to take breaks and to blink often to keep your eyes hydrated.
- Try an ergonomic mouse. The built-in touchpads can be great, but they often aren’t that easy or comfortable to use and can therefore cause hand cramps and pain too. Thus, an ergonomic mouse that better fits your hand for comfort and ease of use Scan relieve cramping hands.
- For iPads, all the same principles apply. Take advantage of their great portability, but be intentional about making them more ergonomic with accessories that make them more comfortable. You can get stands and larger keyboards for easier use for longer periods of time.
Laptops are great tools, but it’s important to make them as ergonomic as possible to avoid eye strain and repetitive stress injuries.