I had a great question from a patient the other day…
How do I properly set up my workstation when using a laptop?
Answer: You can’t.
(Tune in next time for more valuable insights!)
I guess we can’t just leave it at that can we?
Don’t get me wrong, laptops are great. They are faster and more powerful than ever, while at the same time becoming even more lightweight and portable with their new, sleek designs. In fact, I’m typing out this post right now on my laptop (and I can already feel tightness in my shoulders creeping in!).
The issue is, laptops were not designed with ergonomics in mind. The bottom line is that laptops are designed with a screen and keyboard attached as one unit, meaning both optimal screen height/distance and proper keyboard positioning are unattainable for the user. When the keyboard is in an ergonomically favourable position, the screen is too low resulting in increased strain on the muscles of the head and neck from looking downward at the screen. If the screen is in a good position, the keyboard is too high and far away from the body, resulting in increased strain on the muscles of the shoulders, arms and wrists when typing.
Click here to check out an older post with more information on workplace ergonomics and properly setting up your workstation.
Other issues with laptops:
There are several other issues that can arise when using a laptop as your primary computer source:
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- Laptop keyboards are often small and compact, with cramped spacing of keys. Laptop keyboards are also flat. This can lead the user to adopt poor wrist and hand positioning (bending the wrists inward to bring the hands closer together) which can increase strain and result in repetitive stress injuries when typing.
- Laptop screens are often smaller than desktop monitors, which can cause increased eye strain.
- Laptop tracking pads are often placed centrally and are less ergonomically designed than an external mouse. Excessive laptop trackpad work can cause increased strain on the wrist and hand.
The best ergonomic solution:
Use a laptop docking station! These devices let you plug in your laptop to a base station that has a monitor, keyboard and mouse already connected. You end up with a desktop workstation setup with a removable computer that just happens to have a keyboard and screen attached. This is the best option for users that spend a lot of time at their computer, but who still want to use a laptop.
The next best ergonomic solution:
Maybe a docking station is not in your budget, or maybe you don’t spend a lot of time at your computer. The next best solution is to have a separate keyboard and mouse at your workstation. This allows you to position your laptop screen at the optimal height/distance while maintaining proper keyboard and mouse positioning. When you need to be portable, you can simply unplug and take your laptop with you. Just ensure any long bouts of computer work are done at your workstation (or take your mouse and portable keyboard with you).
The makeshift ergonomic solution:
Unable to spring for the above two options but still wanting to use your laptop? There are other strategies to help with a less than perfect solution. First, determine what type of computer work you will be doing mostly. Are you primarily typing, or are you mostly reading text on the screen? If you spend most of your time typing, then set up your keyboard in the proper position and sacrifice on the screen positioning. If it’s mostly viewing/reading text on the screen, then opt for having your monitor at the appropriate height and sacrifice on keyboard positioning. If it’s an even mix of both, set your laptop up in a proper ergonomic keyboard setup. The large muscles of the back and neck can take more stress than the arms and wrists so the bending of the neck to read the screen is the lesser of two ergonomic evils.
For more information on workplace ergonomics and properly setting up your workstation click here.
In good health,
Dr. Steve