April 14, 2005

Sit Up Straight If Your Notebook Computer Will Let You

I've found that using the Microsoft Natural keyboard and Logitech's trackball mouse are the easiest ways to work on my desktop computer. However, most of my work is done on a notebook computer.

USA Today writes No nationwide studies document the trend, but anecdotally, doctors and physical therapists say that as portable computers become cheaper, more powerful, smaller and lighter, and as wireless Internet access becomes ubiquitous, thousands are suffering persistent back, shoulder, wrist and neck aches.

The culprit: The keyboard and screen on laptops are too close to each other.

"When you use a laptop, you can make your head and neck comfortable, or you can make your hands and arms comfortable, but it's impossible to do both," says Tom Albin of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, a national think tank that has issued a standards report on ergonomics of computer workstations.

I'm not a doctor and don't have a solution, but do encourage you to see your local chiropractor and ask him/her how you can sit better and help keep your bones and muscles strong and healthy for years to come.

If your professional career is going to be sitting at a notebook computer (or desktop for that matter), at least make sure that you are sitting properly.

0 comments