About the only thing you will be able to is to get a vinyl protector from either DecalGirl or StickerBoy. Which of course will protect the surface or finish, but won't offer any protection from drops or harsh treatment.
I too was worried about the back. I simply got an oversize mouse pad from Amazon and lay it down on that. If you're familiar with TV trays (mine's wooden and I have it right beside the couch), it's large enough to cover about 3/4 of the tray. As a side benefit, I have lots of mouse-pad room for my mouse!