Laptops have become the epitome of convenience due to their light weightedness, easy portability and easy handling that they offer.
(prHWY.com) October 4, 2012 - Newmarket, Australia -- Laptops have become the epitome of convenience due to their light weightedness, easy portability and easy handling that they offer. But sadly convenience is rapidly turning to disability and health risks. The incidences of posture related health disorders and syndromes are growing at a rapid pace.
When Does Laptop Usage Turn Harmful?
Laptop usage cannot be labeled as harmful in general, because obviously laptops have been tested and confirmed for safe human usage before they are put in to the market. There are certain criteria that transform this safe device into a health threat. Here are a few of them:
* Prolonged usage for over an hour at a time
* Adapting unhealthy postures during usage
* Using laptops by placing them on the thighs or lap
On close observation it is quite clear that the majority of the people who use laptops use it unsafely according to one, more or all of the above criteria. That explains the rampant incidence of laptop usage related health problems.
What Are the Ergonomic Issues That Make Laptop Usage Risky?
Laptops are designed to be more compact and stylish than desktops. But these compactness and style are achieved by sacrificing the convenience of having a larger monitor, separate keypad and mouse and a processor that can be stored away from the monitor.
Smaller screens on laptops cause enormous strain on the eyes. The pointing device on the laptops is integrated and using it for a prolonged period of time can cause injury to your wrist muscles which is a consequence of repetitive movements.
The keyboards on laptops are much more compact than those of desktops and this squeezing of the keys can cause excessive strain on your wrist and fingers, resulting in cramping pains and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Because the monitor, keyboard and mouse are all integrated together, laptops do not permit separate modification of each of the components to suit appropriate height and position. So when the monitor is at perfect height, your wrists and shoulders are under strain because the keyboard is too high for comfort. When the keyboard is at perfect height, the strain is on your neck and eyes because the monitor is too low for comfort.
Measures To Adopt For Tackling These Issues
There are three kinds of measures that you can adopt to avoid such laptop usage related health issues as explained here. First of all you can make appropriate changes in your posture while working on your laptop otherwise it can arise a situation that you need to go for Physiotherapy Treatments.
* Avoid crouching or sitting with your back bent over the laptop.
* Avoid placing laptops on thighs or any part of the body.
* Use a comfortable chair that offers firm support to your back and shoulders.
Secondly you can buy helpful accessories like external keyboard, external pointing device and a document holder to add convenience to your laptop usage.
Thirdly you can buy ergonomic laptop accessories. There are a variety of such accessories that not only add convenience but also can protect you from posture related and other health risks.
Ergonomic Laptop Accessories
Ergonomic Notebook Stand
This is a perfect accessory to get rid of all those eye strain, neck pain, shoulder aches and wrist cramps while using laptops for long periods of time. The ergonomic stand can be adapted to suit your required height of the monitor and also has a document holder.
Adjustable Notebook Stand
This is another product that can position your laptop in an ergonomically appropriate position. The best part about this product is that both the neck and wrist joints are fully supported because of the adjustable angle of this accessory.
Laptop Desk
This accessory is an adjustable table to hold your laptop while you work on it. The table is wide enough to hold your laptop, mouse and maybe some extra things like a coffee mug. The best part about this accessory is that you are protected from the heat emanating from the laptop and also can suitably adjust the height of the table to bring the monitor at comfortable viewing level. Another feature that is present in the laptop desk is the incline facility. You can choose to use this position when you are reading from your laptop while lying in bed.
Ergonomic laptop accessories can go a long way in helping you work efficiently and more productively without having to stop to take care of those aches, pains and strains.
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http://www.pivotalmotion.com.au/ for details!
Pivotal Motion Physiotherapy
Shop 213A, Level 1
Newmarket Reading Centre
Cnr Newmarket & Enogerra Rd, Newmarket QLD
Contact us: (07) 33525116
Q 4051
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