I thought ergonomics were every where theses days. When my back began to pinch, much like an injury I had from bad ergonomics at my computer desk, (which took weeks of expensive physio and finally drugs to convince to unclench), I began to look into ergonomics and tablet use.
My Google fu is failing me. All I can find are a few articles with a couple of vague suggestions.
When it was my desktop I found tons of really helpful and well spelled out, rules to follow. Distance from eye to screen, correct chair, etc.
What I can find about tablets amounts to “change position often”, and something else showing how all four of the most popular manners of using it are damaging to your; wrist, shoulder, back, neck etc.
Zillions of people have tablets and mini tablets by now. What am I missing?
Thanking you in advance for your assistance finding such resources. Please feel free to add your own experiences, that could also prove edifying.
Tablets are pretty much like reading a book - a typical 10 inch tablet weighs about the same as medium sized hardback book. An eReader like a Kindle is more like a paperback.
Touchscreen computers however have an ergonomic issue called ‘Gorilla Arm’ (google it) and may never be a runaway success.
jasg, I think you’ve set me on a better path with ‘gorilla arm’. I’m already learning a lot. But so far haven’t located any recommendations to follow. Fortunately there are many more articles to read,:D. Thanks again!
Anecdotally, I use a 7" tablet in a leather folding case and a smart phone more than 10 hours a day combined for work. I suffer from severe lateral epicondylitis as a result (I tell my doctors and physical therapists it is “geek elbow” and they’ll be seeing a lot more of it… they just look at me funny ). I also have developed weird uncomfortable calluses on the inside surface of the first knuckle of both thumbs where I rest the edge of the tablet. It is worse on my right hand, which is the primary hand I use to hold the devices. I bought a Twist notebook/tablet to try to improve the situation, but my existing epicondylitis prevents me from using it except on a limited basis.