Why use a Laptop Stand? Risks and your options

Are you stuck in the time and still using a desktop computer? Do you still sit at a pre-defined corner of the house / office when using your desktop home or office computer? Do you prefer to work at defined work-station instead of scurrying around your house, office or the local caf? If yes � I must say, you're one of the rare few individual who's reaping the benefits of today's technological marvel while keeping the potentially negative side affects away!

If you are wondering with a raised eyebrow as to why am I praising you instead of labeling as someone who's not kept up with time? Well, consider this fact � today almost 200 million people across the globe use a laptop computer as against the traditional desktop. By 2015, this figure is expected to cross the 250 million mark. Assuming each laptop is used by a single individual, it would be safe to say that almost 200 million people across the globe today, run the risk of negative health impacts because of improper laptop use.

Professor Alan Hedge, from Cornell University has undertaken extensive research on Laptop ergonomics and he is of the opinion that the design and construction of laptops violates a basic ergonomic requirement for computer usage, namely that the keyboard and screen can be positioned independently for appropriate viewing and typing. While this flexibility is one of the fundamental reasons why laptops have become so pervasive, it is also one of the biggest design drawbacks. Depending on when and how you're using the laptop, one can tilt the laptop screen at various viewing angles and if the keyboard is not adjusted accordingly, people often retort to improper posture while using the laptop for long hours which increases risk of muscular-skeletal disorders, headaches, fatigue and similar complaints.

A few years back (say the 1990's, early 2000's), health disorders due to improper use of laptop went highly unnoticed as few people could afford buying a laptop. With the explosion of internet and phenomenal growth of mobile computing, laptop prices have crashed across the globe and more and more people have started replacing their home desktop computers with laptops. With increased usage, comes increase susceptibility to health risks. Today, a whole bunch of health disorders are repeatedly associated with improper laptop usage. Some key ones are:

Hand / Wrist pain (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome): common factors which cause this are typing for prolonged period without rest, forceful and repetitive movements with your hands moving the mouse, faulty positioning of the keyboard at an increased tilt, causing excessive bending of the wrist. Neck Pain or Strained Neck (Trapezius Myalgia, "Tech neck"): common factors which cause this condition are, sitting unsupported and leaning forward or slouching on the desk for prolonged periods. Monitor height not in line with seated eye level and/or too far to the side. Insufficient back support from the chair or typing with elbows and forearms unsupported can create neck muscle fatigue. Repetitive head tilting while referring to documents etc. Shoulder Pain (Cervical disc syndrome, spinal stenosis): In layman's terms this means injury to the vertebrae or disks in the neck causing pressure on the nerve roots existing close to the spine. Sitting unsupported, improper posture while using a laptop, improper posture while reading / eating in bed, slouching etc can be factors which can cause this condition Male Infertility: Yefim Sheynkin, MD, FACS of the urology department at the State University of New York at Stony Brook conducted extensive research which has proven a direct link between improper laptop usage and male infertility. His experiment demonstrated an increase of between 3-4 degrees of scrotal temperature for an average male, when using a laptop for about an hour while keeping it on the lap and keeping the thighs clasped together. Elevated scrotal temperatures results in lower sperm count; thus leading to rising risk of infertility.

Did I end up scaring you? While that was not my intention, I will not be surprised if you were alarmed. It's a known fact that improper usage of laptops can lead to harmful side effects.

Occupational Health & Safety consultants across the world, especially in Australia are acutely aware of this growing trend. Experienced consultants are more often than not retained by medium to large corporate houses in Australia. Concerns about employee's occupational health, even in industries where traditionally the health concerns have been minimal have ensured that injuries and negative health effects have been kept at a minimum.

While OH&S consultants ensure that health risks due to improper laptop usage is minimized in large corporate houses with hundreds and thousands of employees, the small to medium business owners & individuals need not be worried. Over the last few years, a number of niche web portals have emerged who provide excellent knowledge, service and associated products directly over the web, thus bridging this gap.

While this is not an extensive list, presented below is a description of a few products, services & web providers who have been leading the way in Australia.

Laptop Table or Overbed Table : This website, "Laptop Tables", provides 3 leading products. They are Laptop Table, Laptop Stand & Notebook Stand. I've bought all three products from this website, and I am happy to recommend that the product quality is absolutely outstanding. Key benefits of using each of these products are:Laptop Table: Ergonomically designed, height and tilt both can be adjusted. Comes with castors which are lockable. One can move this table anywhere around the house. Perfect when using the laptop while sitting on a sofa, wheelchair, or anywhere else in the house. Using this table can ensure that improper posture related health concerns can be avoided. Laptop Stand: Portable & ergonomic laptop stand popularly used as a bed table. Requires no assembly, use straight out of the box. Use this laptop stand when using the laptop at bed, sofa, relaxing chair or any other place where you want the laptop to be elevated up to your eye level. I've found this product to be of tremendous use for pregnant women, mature / old folks who are tied to the bed or patients recovering from injury and tied to the bed. Notebook Stand: A perfect laptop accessory for the upwardly mobile professional who use laptops extensively. The gadget converts your laptop into a desktop, raises the screen to an eye level and comes armed with multiple usb ports, which ensures that you can connect your mouse, keyboard and other accessories easily. Highly recommended for office & home use. iRest: Winner of Macworld Expo 2011 best of the show product award, I could not help but recommend this wonderful gadget, now that the iPad is quickly overtaking traditional laptops. Raindesign Inc, the manufacturer of this product some other wonderful products as well, which should not be ignored by any MAC enthusiasts. I've reviewed 3 of their most popular products, which are iRest, iLap & mStand. Their products can be purchased from a couple of leading retailers in Australia. iRest: The best stand on the market for ergonomic use of IPads. It prevents neck strain, hand fatigue and provides an optimum viewing angle for hours of iPad use. iLap: This is a versatile stand that keeps your laptop cool, and at the same time, lets you work comfortably on your lap as well as your desk. Perfect for keeping concerns about male infertility at bay. mStand: Designed for the Apple MAC Book and MAC Book Pro, but suitable for all laptops, this product helps you work comfortably and safely everyday by raising your laptop to the same ergonomic height as external display. Prevents Trapezius Myalgia, or "Tech neck" syndrome. Laptop Stand : A relative newcomer to the scene, but a real hidden gem. This new website has come up with some wonderful ergonomically designed laptop table, laptop stand, notebook stand and other popular products. There are 6 products sold through this site, and I'm sure more are coming. The product quality is excellent and so is their service. Unlike other websites, they allow phone orders, pickup, demonstration and physical inspection of products. Lap Desk, Bed Tray, TV Tray, Laptop Lap Desk, Portable LapDesk, LapDesk, Laptop Tray: The product is so designed to protect the lap from extra heat generated by all laptops, sits perfectly on the lap and comes with anti-slip silicon pad on the surface of the desk, which prevents the laptop from slipping over. Desk Stand, Laptop Cooling Pad, Adjustable Laptop Stand, Cooling Pad, Laptop Cooling Stand : Elevates and inclines notebook into dozens if not hundreds of positions. Viewing angle and notebook / height � both are adjustable. Provides 100% protection from laptop heat. Removes weight of any object from your body. Loved by OH&S professional and IT employers across Australia. Book Stand, Book Holder, Cookbook Stand, Copy Holder, Laptop Stand, Document Holder: This multi-purpose stand is extremely portable, light and durable. No matter if you want to hold coffee table book, soft cover book, paperback or a hardcover book or even your laptop; this stand accommodates them all. It solves almost all problems with improper posture while using a laptop or reading a book. Highly recommended at this price. Computer Desk, Bedside Table, Laptop Table, Adjustable Table, Laptop Desk : Solid, Sturdy & Durable. This laptop table does not wobble or jiggle under the weight of its contents. The table has adjustable height and can easily move up and down. There is also an incline / tilt setting which can be set as per your needs. Laptop Stand, Bed Table, Overbed Table, Foldable Table, Kids Table, Portable Table, Children's table, Over Bed Table: Why has this product got so many names? As the website says, it has so many wonderful uses. It's one of the best quality products that I've come across in a long time. I've recommended this to n number of users over the reasons and none have come back unsatisfied. Notebook Stand, USB Laptop Stand, Notebook Holder, Notebook Cooler, Desk Laptop Stand: A very popular product. Serves multiple purposes for the mobile professionals. I've recently seen this product sold through ebay Australia as well � seems like the good word has spread around. One of the best ergonomically designed notebook stands.

I'm sure I've bored you by now. If it was left onto me, I could present a few more reviews, but these are some of the best quality products & websites I'm happy to recommend.

In summary, I would like to re-stress that one should give due consideration to a new everyday chore of "using the computer" in our life, a bit more seriously than before. I'm not recommending that you dump laptops or ipads, but please be aware of the health risks. Use the latest computer accessories available, be it a laptop stand, laptop table, or notebook stand or whatever gadget you fancy, but make sure you're safe at all times.

Happy surfing