Laptop Use

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Laptops have been one of the greatest innovations in computer use in the last 20 years, and have changed the way that we work by allowing us to work away from our normal location and taking up a lot less space.

However, from a postural point of view laptops can cause significant problems. The keyboard is small which means we have to pull our wrists in close together to type, twisting them away from what is comfortable for us to do. As the screen is attached to the keyboard it is also very low which leads most people to bend and extend their necks forward to see the screen clearly. The mouse is often a small button which we tense our hands to use with one finger and because we can put a laptop anywhere we put them on our laps - the end result can be tensed arms and wrists twisted inwards and a spine bent almost double.

It is obvious that if we sat in this position for any length of time or on a regular basis we would be very uncomfortable.

So a laptop alone does not make a suitable primary workstation. It is easy to add a few extras that mean when we sit at our desks we have a good workstation set up and still have the flexibility of a laptop should we want to move away from the main desk. The easiest way to set up a workstation for use with a laptop is to get a docking station, separate screen, mouse and keyboard. Monitor risers can be provided to bring the screen up to the normal height (top at about eye level) and any additional items can be provided as needed. There are various ways of achieving this outcome - a monitor riser can be provided and the laptop itself placed on it so the screen from the laptop is still used as the main screen with a separate mouse and keyboard.

The recommendation is that if a laptop is provided as the primary workstation then a docking station and peripherals also need to be provided.

Safe Practice: Laptops/Notebooks