A Quick Guide to Laptop Ergonomics

Everyone has heard that working on laptops for extended periods of time can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS. This syndrome causes severe pain around the hands, wrists and arms during typing. Luckily, there are ways to prevent it. Buying an ergonomic laptop which is designed with comfort in mind is the quickest and easiest way to make sure that CTS doesn’t hit you.

What exactly IS ergonomics? Ergonomics is basically a form of engineering that promotes comfort and a more natural and healthy posture for people. Getting ergonomic laptops, chairs, desks, mice and keyboards are a great way to keep yourself healthy, comfortable, and even more alert while working.  Many studies have shown that people who use ergonomic laptops and chairs often have increased productivity, and can work for longer hours than those who do not. People with CTS will also find relief from their pain when working on an ergonomic laptop. Both chiropractors and regular doctors have been known to recommend ergonomic office products.

With a regular laptop, wrists often are awkwardly hanging off the laptop as you type away. Many people have experienced this, and even complained about the discomfort of typing for a long time. With ergonomic laptops, the design has been modified to support a typist’s wrists. The keys are positioned in a way that is more natural to a person’s hand motions. Even the touch pad has been placed in a more comfortable position on the laptop.

The major downside to ergonomically engineered laptops is that they can cost a lot more than regular laptops. The investment, however, is a smart one. Most ergonomic laptops are not only engineered for comfort and support, but also engineered for durability. Since it is considered to be a “luxury laptop” by many, ergonomic laptop makers also use higher standards when creating their laptops. Just like regular laptops, they are fully customizable, and adding in new hard drives or graphics cards never really poses too much of a problem.

When looking for an ergonomic laptop for yourself, it’s important to shop around. Read reviews of different products and stores, and also look at the prices of the laptops. If you have a specific need in mind when looking for an ergonomic laptop for yourself, it’s important to bring it up with the seller. They may have some laptops in mind that place special attention to your comfort needs.

This is a guest post by Tom Moore, who is a blogger and internet marketing enthusiast currently working for a number of internet companies as a web consultant , marketing expert and investor. Tom has a passion for Laptop Accessories and Gadget and is a co-founder of iLapdesk.