ErgoMatters℠ is moving to SafeAtWorkCA.com, State Fund’s safety resource center. Click the link below to find all of our ErgoMatters content. ErgoMatters on SafeAtWorkCA.com |
Compact mobile computing devices, often referred to as tablets, have quickly become a viable option for business and personal use when the latest trendy smart phone simply isn't enough.
While size and weight make them attractive in terms of portability and price, their diminutive size may pose risks to many users. Screen sizes on most netbooks range from 7–10 inches, which is considerably smaller than the average 15-inch laptop screen. The smaller the screen, the greater the risk of developing neck problems from sustained neck flexion.
Netbooks also tend to have small keyboards. Depending on the brand, they tend to be about 20 percent smaller than normal keyboards. This smaller size tends to put most adult wrists into ulnar deviation—outward twisting to the little finger side. Working with the wrists in this position puts extra strain on the soft tissues (tendons, muscles, ligaments, and nerves) of the hands and wrists.
As with the growing popularity and convenience of smart phones, netbooks have a place in the world of mobile computing. And while the price is attractive, they should not be considered as a replacement for adjustable workstations, but merely a convenience for sending and receiving messages and minimal document work.
If you are considering a netbook, keep the following tips in mind:
For more information related to this topic, make sure to read the ErgoMatters® Texting Tenosynovitis, as well as Tech-Related Tension Neck.
Revised: 04/2017