Laptops are designed to be incredibly convenient. They give us the ability to work remotely from anywhere in the world. But they are not designed to be ergonomic, not at all. There are major health risks possible if we do not practice healthy laptop posture habits.
An ergonomic laptop setup is critical to prevent computer-related pain. This article will contain frequently asked questions (and answers) that serve as a laptop ergonomics guide.
This article is not professional medical advice. It’s based off my personal experience and opinions. For years, my poor computer posture caused muscle tension, inflammation, and chronic pain. Bad posture also decreased my mental clarity, energy level, and work productivity.
All the desk worker health tips I write about are directly related to improving posture at a computer. We are our own primary caretakers. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.
Best Posture for Working on a Laptop All Day
How can I prevent neck pain when using a laptop?
The best way to prevent neck pain is to use an external monitor with your laptop. This means you won’t have to look down at your laptop monitor. That is what causes increased neck pain, the act of looking downward for long periods of time.
I got an external monitor that easily plugged into my laptop. There was no software to download. It just plugs in and comes right on. I got a monitor that is big enough to keep 2 windows open at all times. This does not include my laptop screen, which I try to avoid using at all costs. The ability to keep 2 windows open at the same time has increased my work productivity considerably.
The second way to decrease neck pain is to use a laptop stand. This will raise your laptop screen so you don’t have to look downward, which would put your neck in a poor posture.
There are downsides to using a laptop stand though. First, laptop screens are very small. So you would lose work productivity, compared to if you had a larger external monitor.
Second, using a laptop stand doesn’t only raise your laptop screen. It also raises your laptop keyboard and mouse. Using the laptop keyboard and mouse, while it is raised by a laptop stand, would cause you to activate your bicep muscles constantly in order to lift your hands onto the keys. Holding this bicep activation for long periods of time can lead to repetitive strain and overuse injuries. The most common, speaking from experience, was shoulder pain. The biceps are connected to tendons. Those tendons connect to bone in the shoulder area. These tendons typically get inflamed before the muscle does. Especially when it’s from a long duration, low intensity strain. To learn more, check out my article titled Why Does Sitting at a Computer Cause Shoulder Pain?
There is a way you could avoid this laptop desk posture mistake. You could get an external keyboard and mouse to use, while your laptop is on the stand. This will allow the laptop stand benefit of not having to buy an external monitor. But it will also allow you to relax your biceps while typing and using the mouse.
Regardless if you use an external monitor, or if you use the laptop screen while on a laptop stand, I always make sure the top of my monitor screen is even with my eye level. This has helped me reduce neck pain from a laptop, as well as prevent it in the future.
How can I avoid back pain caused by laptop use?
Ironically, using an external monitor is also the best way to prevent back pain from a laptop. When I used to use my laptop screen, it would cause me to look downward. Holding this poor posture for long periods of time caused neck pain. But the pain didn’t stop there. My poor neck position set off a chain reaction that transferred all the way down my spine. All the muscles on the front of my torso became shortened and compressed. While all the muscles on the back of my torso because lengthened and overextended. This is a common way to cause laptop-related pain.
Using an external monitor allows me to easily set the top of the monitor screen even with my eye level. This is the best way to avoid back pain from a laptop.
What is the best ergonomic laptop setup to work from home?
The most comfortable laptop desk posture for me requires an external monitor, external keyboard, and external mouse (I don’t use a laptop stand). All 3 of these variables are very small on my laptop. So that right there is enough reason for me to make the investments in external devices. The external monitor helps me prevent eye strain, neck pain, and back pain from using a laptop. While the external keyboard and mouse help me prevent shoulder pain.
Once these items are in place at my desk, I follow my 3 most important ergonomic rules for any workstation.
- I make sure the top of my monitor screen is even with my eye level.
- I make sure my elbow level is slightly higher than my desk level.
- I make sure my feet are flat on the floor (or a footrest).
These 3 rules apply, regardless if I’m working in a standing or sitting posture.
For a more detailed description of these ergonomic rules, download my free ebook titled 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!
THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN COMPUTER POSTURE.
If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to reduce computer-related injuries by improving your posture. That’s something to be very proud of!
If you liked this article on laptop posture tips, check out my book titled 45 Ways to Improve Computer Posture.
This book is a great supplement to the article you just read. It covers healthy ergonomic habits like posture, sleep, hydration, and breathing.
I wrote this book to be the resource I wish I had back in 2002, when I first started sitting at a computer for long periods of time.
Go to SittingPosture.com/book to learn more.
Take care,
Todd Bowen