"I Know how to work on my laptop!"

“I know how to work on my laptop!”

In general, we are a lot of time in front of a computer, at home or in the job.

Most of us know that working on the computer with the wrong posture can result in pain, fatigue, and sometime even injuries. 

Here are some tips about properly setting up an ergonomic workstation:

• Top of monitor level with eyes
• Neutral head position
• Elbows close to body at a 90º angle
• Wrists in straight line with forearm
• Support for natural back arch
•  Hip angle 90º
• Knee angle 90º

But sometime we forget all these tips in front of a laptop. We use it during a trip, on the sofa, on the bed, etc. And many computer users use laptops as an alternative to a desktop computer.

We have to know that:

a)  A laptop keyboard is joined to the screen and it is not positioned at eye level.

b) You have to place the screen too close to your eyes or stretch your arms to reach the keyboard if you away the laptop.

c) The incorporated mouse of the laptop forces you to rotate your wrists inward constantly.

You can avoid injuries with:

• The use of a separated keyboard and mouse
•  Raise the laptop on a stand, stack of books, etc
• Work on a stable base (not on the sofa, on the bed, etc), bent legs can cut off circulation
• Use back support and not have shoulder hunched

Adapt your space to use your laptop!

Elena Miguel Poza - Nurse, nursing coordinator & trainer - Enfermera coordinadora y profesora de enfermería - IMTRA Instituto Madrileño de Traumatologia (Madrid Spain)
Tel: (0034) 915545405 Email: elena@imtra.es   www.imtra.es