Laptop Use and Upper Extremities Musculoskeletal Disorders among Higher Learning Students

Abstract

Background: In recent years, laptop was very popular among university students for the purpose of education. However, due to it physical characteristics, users may find difficulties in maintaining a good posture especially after prolonged used. This circumstance can lead to awkward posture that eventually cause musculoskeletal discomforts. Objective: To determine ergonomic practices and musculoskeletal related problems among university students when using a laptop. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among (n=240) respondents from June to October 2015 in Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universiti Selangor. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were determined for the selection of respondents. Self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: Results showed that there were significant association between practices and use of laptop causing shoulder, elbow, wrist and upper back discomfort of the body. Lower back (59.6%) is the highest discomfort complaint by the respondents followed by neck (55.4%) and shoulder (45.8%). Conclusion: Laptop is not designed for prolonged use and may lead to musculoskeletal discomfort among users. However, with proper guide in ergonomic education and practices, the magnitude of the problems can be minimized effectively.