USING YOUR LAP TOP
By it’s very name, the ‘lap top’ gives off the wrong message. A lap top should NOT be used on your lap.
You need to be aware of whatyou are doing to your body while using a Lap Top.
If good posture has not been adopted when younger, it is extremely important that adults do "damage limitation" when using their laptops. If you are unable to achieve a good posture you should support your body to prevent sustained bad postures.
POINTS TO CONSIDER
The Spinal Curve
This is a slightly S shaped curve which curves in at the back of the neck and low back, but curves slightly convexly at the thoracic spine
The left and right sides of the spine should be symmetrical.
The spine is made up of small bones (vertebrae) stacked on top of each other and separated by discs. The bones are held together by ligaments at the front, back and sides, and they are moved by muscles.
Bad posture, constant twisting or leaning to one side, constant hunching forwards or constant slouching may result in an imbalance in these structures as a child grows, and so it is imperative that each child is aware of how they should sit, and they should be encouraged to sit well.
As adults you may already have developed some mechanical deviations secondary to poor posture when younger, so these should not be encouraged by adopting prolonged stooped or asymmetrical positions while using the lap top.
The Weight of the Head
The head can be about 1/8 of the body weight.
If the spine is not in the correct alignment this weight falls in front of the spine, and so the neck muscles must over work to support the weight of the head. This in turn may result in trigger points developing in the neck muscles which may refer pain to the head.
This is frequently a cause of headaches, and can be relieved or prevented with good posture.
It is a huge cause of neck ache, and headache in adults, and is often exaccebated by stress, so while you are slogging away over a lap top to meet a deadline, being all crunched over will only make stress related headaches etc. worse.
GUIDELINES
The aim is to maintain the spine in as neutral a position as possible and in so doing develop good control of postural muscles to help alleviate back and neck pain and reduce stress on the spine.
Lap Top / Computer
The screen should be at a level which encourages the user to hold their neck in the neutral position.
This position with a lap top can be quite low with older children and adults, therefore tilt the screen slightly back to encourage neck alignment
If the screen is too high the neck will tilt back
The screen should be directly in front , and a lap top should only be used directly in front.
If the screen is off to one side the neck will rotate
On Your Knees / On the floor / In bed
It is virtually impossible to maintain the spine in a good neutral posture while using a lap top in any of the above positions.
If someone is ill and needs to use a lap top in bed they should use a laptop support which will angle the lap top up in front of them while they remain fully supported by pillows.
NB: It is recommended that YOU DO NOT use your lap top in bed.