Ergonomic advices for using a Laptop Computer

Unergonomic Laptops - the design of laptops
violates a basic ergonomic requirement for a computer,
namely that the keyboard and screen are separated.
By the late 1970's a number of ergonomics design
guidelines were written and all called for the separation
of screen and keyboard. The reason is simple - with a
fixed design, if the keyboard is in an optimal position
for the user, the screen isn't and if the screen is optimal
the keyboard isn't.

Laptop Posture - as indicated above, laptops violate
basic ergonomic design requirements, so using a laptop
is a tradeoff between poor neck/head posture and poor hand/wrist posture.

    • Occasional Users - because the neck/head position is determined by the
      actions of large muscles, you are better off sacrificing neck posture rather
      than wrist posture.

    • For occasional use:

      • find a chair that is comfortable and that you can sit back in

      • positioning your laptop in your lap for the most neutral wrist posture
        that you can achieve

      • angling the laptop screen so that you can see this with the least
        amount of neck deviation

    • Full-time Users - if you use your laptop at work as your main computer
      you should:

      • Position this on your desk in front of you so that you can
        see the screen without bending your neck.

      • This may require that you elevate the laptop off the desk surface
        using a stable support surface, such as a computer monitor pedestal.

      • Use a separate keyboard and mouse. You should be able to
        connect a keyboard and mouse directly to the back of the laptop or
        to a docking station

      • Use the keyboard on a negative-tilt keyboard tray  to ensure a wrist
        neutral posture. Use the mouse on an adjustable position mouse platform

      • Follow the postural guidelines for working at a computer workstation

Now to 'business'! Here are some links to ergonomic websites. I compare and choose
the best prices I could find.

Keyboard and mice to the laptop can be found under any corner and not need to be purchased! 
http://www.misco.co.uk/productinformation/68677/WW/DATAFLEX_
ERGO_NOTE,_NOTEBOOK_STAND/

http://www.coollaptopstand.co.uk/
http://www.laptopstands.co.uk/
http://www.prop-forward.com/?cn=uk&ag=ac&ad=nb
 
 
 

The information for this article is taken from the Cornell University Ergonomics Website http://128.253.253.139/culaptoptips.html