Nowadays, it’s normal to use a laptop computer for work. Statistics say that as of February 2019, 74 percent of Americans owned a desktop or laptop computer. A laptop computer promises efficiency: After all, you just fold it and you can work anywhere in your home.
As much as it offers flexibility and freedom, using a laptop computer may still pose several health issues. Poor posture, eyestrain, and neck pain are some of the problems that plague laptop computer users.
According to this CNET article, laptops were never meant to replace a desktop computer. No wonder so many suffer from laptop-itis -- workers who have hunched backs and are suffering from back and neck strains.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported that in 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released data that musculoskeletal disorder cases accounted for 33 percent of all worker injury and illness cases.
OSHA further said that BLS defines musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) to include cases where the nature of the injury or illness is pinched nerve; a herniated disc; meniscus tear; sprains, strains, tears; hernia (traumatic and nontraumatic); pain, swelling, and numbness; carpal or tarsal tunnel syndrome, to name a few.
Thankfully, there is a cost-efficient solution to this dilemma: A portable sit-stand desk! This home office desk will help to address some of the health concerns by giving your workstation a boost of ergonomics.
The benefits of a portable folding sit-stand desk
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More ergonomics -- Using a portable sit-stand desk will help lessen the risk of repetitive stress injury, which is normal if you do improper typing techniques every day. Most modern home office desks are height adjustable so you can raise or lower your laptop computer screen to eye level. This prevents strain caused by poor posture. OSHA did confirm that work-related MSDs can be prevented with ergonomics by helping lessen muscle fatigue, increase productivity, and reduce the number and severity of work-related MSDs.
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Increase comfort while typing -- It’s so easy to neglect your wrists when typing. But typing at a wrong angle for hours can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, an injury to the nerve that passes through the wrist. But with an ergonomic home office desk, you can adjust the angle of the laptop so you can also position your body for the right working position.
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Reduce screen glare -- A functional sit-stand home office desk can be adjusted to various angles, heights, and distances. This means that you can situate the laptop in a position that will be kinder to your eyes.
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Prevent laptop burn -- Using a portable sit-stand home office desk will help hinder a medical condition called laptop burn. It is characterized by a reddish-brown pigmentation that appears after directly placing a laptop across the legs. According to this study, the most effective way of preventing this is to use the laptop on a table or a desk to improve airflow.
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Stay organized -- If you like to keep your desk clean and organized, a foldable standing home office desk will help you to tuck away wires and have enough room to spare for your mouse and other files. To know more about cable management, you can refer to this article.
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Help shed weight - The right mix of standing and sitting time offers a lot of benefits. But standing, which requires more effort than standing, burns an average of 54 extra calories a day as per this Harvard Health Publishing article.
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Lower blood sugar level -- In the same article from Harvard Health Publishing, advocates claim that blood sugar levels return to normal faster on days a person spends more time standing.
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Lessen back pain and help improve posture -- If you suffer from back pain from extended laptop use, you can get relief from standing than sitting. The UT Southwestern Medical Center clears that a standing home office desk is not a cure-all but doing so can help improve posture and soothe back and neck pain.
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Augment mood and energy level -- According to this article, standing has psychological benefits. It cited research where workers with standing home office desks significantly increased their productivity over those with traditional seated desks - by 23 percent in the first month and increasing to 53 percent by the last month of the study. Similarly, a portable sit-stand home office desk can offer the same advantage but on a smaller scale.
Stand on what is right and good for the body
Having the advantage of tailoring your workspace will have a great impact on your body. Use flexibility and freedom as an impetus to improve your working condition at home. This way, you can energize your whole body and be more productive as you go about the daily grind.
