What is it about?
Background: Despite the advancements in the modern dentistry, dentists experience enormous health issues. Musculoskeletal disorders are a major issue in the dental profession, leading to reduced work capacity and necessitating costly recovery. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are conditions that affect the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues in the body Dentistry frequently demands maintaining static, repetitive and ergonomically challenging postures, particularly while performing intricate procedures within the confined space of the oral cavity. Prolonged periods of working with improper posture significantly increase the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD). Objectives: This study aims to evaluate awkward, prolonged static postures causing Musculoskeletal Disorders in dentists while performing the dental procedures which results in extreme fatigue in multiple body regions. This study further examines MSD symptoms in dentists' body regions to prevent irreversible postural disorders caused by prolonged pain and discomfort. Methods: Dentists were assessed for their current working postures with various MSD symptoms and its effects. The questionnaire was devised to get musculoskeletal health data from dentists. The postural load was investigated using RULA. Various risk factors contributing to MSD symptoms were identified after data were statistically analysed using IBM SPSS version 27. Results: Prior research indicates a high prevalence of MSD among dentists, with common symptoms including extreme fatigue in the neck, upper and lower back, and shoulders. The most affected anatomical regions in this study in descending order were the neck, shoulders, lower back, upper back, wrist, hand, elbow, hip, thigh, knee, and ankle. The average RULA score of 6.75 suggests a necessity to adjust posture during dental procedures. There is statistical correlation between gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), uncomfortable positions, stretching, use of ergonomic saddle chair, hand dominance and MSD. There is no statistical correlation between years of experience and MSD. Conclusion: Workstation (Dental Chair) requires immediate improvements as evident from the postural load analysis, thus immediate need of implementation of intervention program is required.
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Why is it important?
The study creates awareness about the significance of ergonomics among dentists in the early stages of their dental careers. Emphasize the importance of adopting ergonomic postures for dentists during dental procedures to promote better health and prevent work-related injuries. The study establishes the need to implement ergonomics in curriculum
Perspectives
Writing this article was amazing experience as I got associated with dentistry community and routine challenges faced by them. It was great pleasure to help them out with their problems even though at small extent. It has been rewarding to see how the work could positively impact clinical practice particularly where the awareness of such issues is growing
Vinita Mane
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Assessment of ergonomic risk of work related musculoskeletal disorders among dentist in Kolhapur region, WORK A Journal of Prevention Assessment & Rehabilitation, June 2024, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.3233/wor-240184.
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