Posted on 3rd Sep 2011 @ 5:31 PM

The laptop computer is one of the most valuable inventions in the past quarter century. With laptops, people can do all of their personal computing at a remote workplace, in a hotel room, or even in a coffee shop. Yes, you can use your laptop pretty much anywhere. And then you get on an airplane, and your laptop computer becomes an ergonomic disaster.

Most of the blame can be heaped on the economy class seats on commercial aircraft. After all, these aren’t exactly ergonomic chairs. They’re only about 17 inches wide, and each row is separated by less than three feet. So it's difficult enough for many people to squeeze into the seats, let alone work comfortably on their laptops.

Not only is seat size an issue, but the space that you do have is not very conducive to laptop computers. If you put your laptop on the tray table in front of you, it is often difficult to see what you are typing. That's because the tilt-up screen is impeded by the downward-sloping seat back in front of you. And a laptop that is placed on your lap is usually too low to work with in an airplane seat. In addition, the armrests are too narrow to allow your arms to rest comfortably while typing, and there's no room to use an external mouse.

As a result, laptop computing on aircrafts is about as non-ergonomic as an airplane lavatory. Passengers working on laptops often constrict their shoulder muscles, slouch, bend their neck forward, and hold their arms and hands in uncomfortable positions in order to type on the keyboard. All of this can lead to pain and discomfort which may persist long after the flight is over.

So how can you improve the ergonomics of laptop computing in an airline seat? There's no easy answer to this question. But here are some suggestions:

1. Minimize typing. Try to choose tasks that involve pointing and clicking rather than substantial keyboard use. That may relax some of the finger and hand muscles that would be flexed by extensive typing.
2. Take breaks. Stop every ten minutes or so and stretch out your hands, wiggle your fingers, roll your neck, and shrug your shoulders. That will keep your body more limber and retard the effects of muscle strain.
3. Use the empty seat. If you're fortunate enough to have an empty seat next to you, use the tray table in front of it for your laptop. You'll have to turn your body somewhat to face the screen, but at least your arms and shoulders will have a bit more room to move around.
4. Buy a special laptop pad. Products like the e-pad portable laptop desk can help your airline laptop experience become more ergonomic. The e-pad is a cushion that sits on your lap and tilts toward you - so you don't have to lean over to type on your laptop.
5. Go first-class. Yes, it's more expensive. But if you know that you'll have to get some work done on a flight, go ahead and shell out the extra cash for a first-class seat. You'll have more room to work with, and you'll be more productive while you're in the air.