The price of laptop computers has come down dramatically in the last ten years or so. Portable computers are no longer the privilege of business men and women, like cell phones were in the eighties. More and more ordinary people are switching their big old desktop computers for lightweight small laptop computers. This has caused people to move away from doing their work sitting behind a desk to sofas, airplanes, trains, buses and subways. This raises a few issues with ergonomics.

The latest versions of office desks and desktop computers are designed with ergonomics in mind. The same cannot be said about laptop computers. They are designed to be small, light and portable. Portability and ergonomics seldom match. Even the term laptop computer implies that the computer should be placed on top of your lap. Ergonomically that is not correct. In order to use a laptop computer you need to arch your back to an uncomfortable position, which causes tension in neck and back muscles. Tense neck and upper back muscles are the leading cause of head aches in the office worker population.

So how to work more ergonomically with a laptop? Well you can put a pillow under the laptop computer, but ideally you need a laptop holder. It holds the laptop in an ergonomically correct position so you don’t over work your neck and back muscles. For men there is another reason why they should avoid having computers on their laps. Studies have shown that that heat from the computer affects testicles. It lowers sperm and testosterone production and the mobility and quality of sperm. The more worrying news is that the radiation from laptops has been linked to an increased risk of prostate and testicular cancer. So a laptop holder can truly be a life saver. Think about that the next time you work hours with the computer on your lap.