Abstract
A pilot study classified the locations, furniture, input devices and postures associated with using laptop computers in a small cohort of college students. Data were collected from digital photographs of the students posing as using laptop computers in their usual workstation configurations. The observed configurations were assigned to descriptive categories and the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) assessed the postural risk factors observed on the participants. We observed that 75% of the participants used the laptop computer in the traditional table and chair configuration; 25% of the participants used the laptop computer in untraditional configurations where they placed the computer on their laps while sitting on a lounge type couch or in their bed. Excessive shoulder flexion (61% of all configurations) and neck flexion (35%) were the postural risk factors observed commonly. RULA scores suggested the need for further postural investigation.
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