Journey in Software

Do you use your laptop as a desktop? Then be aware!

How convenient is it to use a laptop instead of a desktop computer? The amount of space it saves is amazing, and when you use the same computer both at home and at work, there is no need to synchronize data. I stopped using a desktop when I bought my first laptop about four years ago. Since then I have been using my laptop as a desktop, working on it many hours a day.

Recently I started feeling tingling sensations in my fingers and occasional sharp pains in my hands while working on the computer. When I searched the web, I realized that I had the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Further look up revealed that I have been having a poor posture while working on the laptop all these years.

The correct way to use a laptop as a desktop

The website: http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/culaptoptips.html gives the following advice about using your laptop as a desktop:

if you use your laptop at work as your main computer you should:

• position this on your desk/worksurface in front of you so that you can see the screen without bending your neck. This may require that you elevate the laptop off the desk surface using a stable support surface, such as a computer monitor pedestal.
• use a separate keyboard and mouse. You should be able to connect a keyboard and mouse directly to the back of the laptop or to a docking station”

The correct way to use a mouse

After switching to the recommended set-up, I could feel a slight improvement in my condition. However, the issue did not disappear, especially on the right hand which I use to hold the mouse. It seemed that mouse use contributed a lot to my condition. Further search brought me to the an article that described how to use the mouse properly:

I started practicing the advice, especially when using mouse buttons, and although it took some time to get used to, it further improved my condition.

However, the discomfort returned with many hours of mouse use, that prompted me to look for ways to use the comptuer with minimum use of the mouse.

How to use computer with minium use of the mouse

Gmail shortcuts

I spend one to two hours everyday on my email using Gmail as the mail client. I learnt that it’s in fact possible to configure Gmail to use keyboard short cuts. This is a very convenient way to use Gmail. Even when you have the option of using the mouse, using Gmail shortcuts can be faster.

Mouseless Browsing

I use the web a lot as well as use a lot of hosted services with Firefox as my browser. The Firefox plugin: Mouselss Browsing allows one to perform almost all operations on the browser without using the mouse. Although it takes a while to get used it I found it quite effective.

Exercises

Although all these changes helped, they did not completely cure me. So, I bought the book: Conquering Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from amazon.

I am glad I bought the book as following the simple exercises mentioned in the book gave me instant relief.

I continue to follow the exercises and use correct posture when I work at the computer. Even though I still have a little bit of pain, it is gradually reducing, and it has not prevented me from spending many hours at the computer.

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