Laptop Ergonomics
Be sure you have gone through the ergonomic evaluation process to learn the principles and set up your work area as close to those recommendations as possible.
Because the keyboard and screen are attached on laptops there is no perfect way to work safely on a laptop. The best we can do is minimize certain risks. If you place the keyboard at a height good for the wrists you have to bend the neck excessively to see the screen. If you place the screen at a good height for your neck the wrists will be in a risky position. This is the problem with laptops.
If you have discomfort related to your neck you should favor a higher position that requires as little neck bending as possible. If you have problems in the wrist or hands you should favor a lower position that is easier on those areas.
First, move to a stable surface that is not too high. Avoid using a bed or couch. If you do not have a suitable work surface there are good adjustable laptop tables that are not very big.
Sit close in a chair that allows you to sit back and relax in it.
No matter which option you try do not lean your head forward to look down at the screen. Gently tuck your chin in and bend the head down as little as possible. You want to keep your ears over your shoulders. View the screen by looking with your eyes, not your neck.
If you need to raise your chair be sure to provide support to your feet with a footrest or phone book.
There are several options of how to make your laptop setup more ergonomically friendly to your body. Several are listed below with the most helpful at the start of the list.
The ideal situation is to plug the laptop into a docking station and use a separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse. This is the best option for long term laptop use.
The next option is to raise the laptop screen up on monitor risers, phonebooks, or text books to use it as a monitor. You can then plug in an external keyboard and mouse. The top line of the glass should be at eye level and at least 20" away from you. You can use a standard mouse and keyboard (with the rectangular USB connectors) or there are smaller keyboards designed to make traveling with them easier. A laptop stand with a built in document holder can also accomplish this position. Even better is an adjustable height keyboard tray which lets you put the keyboard in the ideal position.
If you do not like this option the laptop can be placed on a laptop stand that raises the screen while angling the keyboard into a better position for your wrists. The stands may also help to prevent overheating of the computer.
If none of these work place the laptop on a 3-ring binder to angle the keyboard up. If there are legs on the bottom of the laptop extend them to create room between the binder and the laptop to allow air to circulate and keep the machine cooler.
If you need to carry your laptop with you consider a rolling laptop bag. If you carry it in a backpack you should place the straps on both shoulders.
Due to the inability to be in a truly ergonomic position with laptop use it is even more important to take breaks and change position often.
