Everyone knows hunching over a laptop for too long can hurt your neck, but you might not realize that using an iPad might be even worse. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health and researchers at tablet non-player Microsoft found that using a tablet usually strains users’ neck muscles far more than laptop or desktop use, because users tend to rest them in their laps.
“If you think about your position when you are hunched over looking down, your head is hanging out over space, so you are using your neck muscles to support the weight,” the lead author explained, according to the LA Times. The good news? Tablet users tend to shift positions more often than laptop or desktop users, and researchers advise doing so as often as possible. “Don’t get stuck in one position!” the lead researcher cautions.
