scholarly journals An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Ergonomics in Dental Practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42
Author(s):  
Praveenkumar Ramdurg ◽  
Vijaylaxmi Mendigeri ◽  
Surekha Puranik

ABSTRACT Dentists and dental hygienists are at risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders compared to the general population. The most frequent injuries occur in the spine (neck and back), shoulders, elbows and hands. While specific procedures place the clinician at increased risk for finger and hand injuries, poor posture is a risk factor with all procedures. Sitting in an appropriate chair, using magnification for visualization, and the selection of ergonomically-friendly equipment are essential for the health of dental clinicians. Ergonomics is the science of designing jobs, equipment and workplaces to fit workers. Proper ergonomics design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and can lead to long term disability. This article includes musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the signs, symptoms and risk factors of these types of injuries, so that one can be aware of developing problems and can change his /her approach to work or alter the workstation setup to prevent further injury. The article discusses the applications of ergonomics in dental clinic set up and offers different exercises to work with comfort, efficiency and ease. How to cite this article Ramdurg P, Mendigeri V, Puranik S. An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Ergonomics in Dental Practice. J Postgrad Med Edu Res 2015;49(1):37-42.

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-136
Author(s):  
Ana Giselle Aguiar DIAS ◽  
Cristiam Velozo da SILVA ◽  
Neiandro dos Santos GALVÃO

OBJECTIVE: Identify the prevalence of Repetitive Strain Injuries/Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in dentists of different specialties from Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil. METHODS: A questionnaire about personal and professional informations and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire, that has questions about movement difficulty, pain symptoms, weakness, stiffness, paresthesia and psychological and sleep impairment related to last week, was given to 200 dentists from Porto Velho city. However, 100 of them gave back the questionnaires appropriately answered within the time limit, consisting of 100 dentists the sample of this study. The collected data was analyzed by simple descriptive statistics and the Spearman nonparametric correlation test was applied between independent variables and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire disabilities measures, considering p<0.05. RESULTS: The questionnaire disability average was "excellent" for the general sample, but it was found statistical correlation between upper disability measurements and two variables: short time in profession (less than ten years) and the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Implantology and Stomatology specialties. CONCLUSION: It is necessary the dentists that are specialists in these areas and the newly graduated ones do a self-assessment and find out if they are neglecting ergonomic standards so they can follow them.


2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Pavlovic-Veselinovic

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are becoming a major problem in world economy. There is many and various risk factors that contribute to their development. Repetitive work is one of the most important risk factor. In this paper is described the body's response to repetitive strain, existing methods for evaluation/ quantification of repetition as risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders. The author proposes a new multidimensional scale for rating the level of risk of repetitive work, which may be useful in the risk assessment of the workplace. Key words: ergonomics, work related musculoskeletal disorders, risk assessment.


2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robson da Fonseca Neves ◽  
Mônica de Oliveira Nunes

Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)/Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) are a major issue in Brazilian public health. The way such sickness is produced, its multidetermined origin and the troubled care provided to sufferers point to the very contradictions of the capitalist production system. This work aims at understanding the macrosocial processes surfaced in the workers' search for cure of RSIs/WMSDs, paying close attention to the negotiation and (re-)signification processes present in those trajectories. By drawing on "explanatory models" and the concept of "therapeutic itinerary", "thematic analysis" of in-depth interviews with Brazilian workers receiving Social Security compensation was used to approach the socioeconomic and political realms. Culpability and excess were reported in connection with etiology whereas pain, tiredness and stress were shown to be related to symptom initiation. Legal medical assessment, rehabilitation programs and prognosis were all along (re-) signified by the interviewees in an attempt to create an "ideal type" of productive worker despite the injury. It is then urged that public health policies responsive to the wider organization and processes of power and class related to the care of RSIs/WMSDs are devised.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-64
Author(s):  
P Bansal ◽  
M Kaur ◽  
AK Sharma

ABSTRACT ERGONOMICS is a way to work smarter - not harder by designing tools, equipment, workstations and tasks to fit the job to the worker-NOT the worker to the job. In the dental profession, dentists spend their work days in an awkward static position performing extremely precise procedures in a 2“×2 ½” workspace-the patient's mouth. Therefore, they are at a greater risk of work- related musculoskeletal disorders than is the general population. These disorders can result in pain and dysfunction of neck, back and hands and fingers. This article is aimed at providing some interventions that can considered by the dentists in light of their own experience and needs. It also discusses the important issues of posture and offers different exercises to work with comfort, efficiency and ease. A broad research of published literature was performed using the keyword ergonomics, MSD's and stretches from 1983- 2016 in google scholar, internet and text books.


Author(s):  
Henk van der Molen ◽  
Sanne de Vries ◽  
Judith Sluiter

Background: To determine differences between workers in lower and higher socioeconomic positions (SEP) in incidences of occupational disease (OD) and incapacity for work due to ODs. Methods: From a Dutch dynamic prospective cohort of occupational physicians (OPs), ODs assessed by OPs were retrieved for lower and higher SEP groups. Results: Among the lower SEP, musculoskeletal disorders, and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) comprised two-thirds of the OD diagnoses. Among the higher SEP, stress/burnout comprised 60% of the OD diagnoses. Temporary and permanent incapacity for work due to work-related lower back disorders and repetitive strain injuries differed significantly between workers in lower compared to higher SEP. Conclusions: Occupational diseases occur at a 2.7 higher incidence rate for workers in lower SEP compared with higher SEP. Incapacity for work varies between the type of OD and the level of SEP.


Author(s):  
Alan Mesquita Santos ◽  
Flavia Martão Flório ◽  
Eber Coelho Paraguassu ◽  
José Pedro Gomes Moura ◽  
Thamilly Joaquina Picanço da Silva ◽  
...  

Introduction: Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) are considered a public health problem because of their high prevalence in various professions, including dental professionals. Because of poor posture and organization at work, for example, dental surgeons occupy the top spot on sick leave due to temporary or permanent disability, accounting for approximately 30% of the causes of premature abandonment between medical activities.Objectives: To identify the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and their relationship with dentist activity and to evaluate the relationship between symptomatology and laboratory test results.Methodology: A scan was performed, but Scopus, Web of Sciences and Google Scholar indexing databases were used to unite musculoskeletal disorders, dental surgeons, prevalence, laboratory tests. We found 15,000 articles, of which 56 were selected based on the best h index score or Qualis rating on the Sucupira platform.Conclusion: The relationship between musculoskeletal pain and dentist activity is strong and in some cases, these disorders can be detected on laboratory tests.


2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulekha S Gosavi ◽  
Siddharth Y Gosavi ◽  
Rashmi S Jawade

ABSTRACT In the dental profession, dentists and dental hygienists spend their work days in an awkward, static position performing extremely precise procedures in a 2” × 2½” workspace—the patient's mouth. However, maintaining the steady hand and posture comes at a cost to the back, neck and shoulder area of the dentist. The occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in oral health care professionals has been documented over the past 10 years. A WMSD can be defined as a condition wherein work-related tasks affect the nerves, tendons, muscles and supporting structures. Conditions can vary from mild recurrent symptoms to severe and incapacitating. This article discussed about the prevalence of occurrence on musculoskeletal disorders in dental personae and its prevention. How to cite this article Gosavi SS, Gosavi SY, Jawade RS. Posturedontics: Reducing the Stress in Dentistry. World J Dent 2012;3(4):335-339.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Sowmya Pendyala ◽  
P. Karunakar

In recent years, there is a reported increase in the number of people suffering from work related musculoskeletal disorders; though all the people related to medical profession are included, there has been an increase incidence in dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants. Maintaining one's own health is important for overall performance and understanding the principles of ergonomics helps to achieve this goal. Ergonomics is the science of designing jobs, equipments and workplaces to fit workers. Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent work related musculoskeletal disorders and the conditions which might lead to it, thereby increasing the performance of the dentist.


Author(s):  
Nilson Rogério da Silva ◽  
Pedro Fernandes Junqui ◽  
Meire Luci da Silva

As Lesões por Esforço Repetitivo/Distúrbios Osteomusculares Relacionados ao Trabalho apareceram com maior incidência a partir do final dos anos 70, com destaque na década de 80. Atualmente um problema significativo entre trabalhadores nos mais diversos segmentos laborais, ocasionando elevado contingente de trabalhadores lesionados com prejuízo para saúde e consequentemente para produção, justificando a importância de estudos dessa temática. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar o perfil de adoecimento por LER/DORT de usuários do Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador de uma cidade de médio porte no interior de São Paulo, entre o período de 2016 a 2017. A coleta de dados foi realizada a partir de um banco de dados informatizado, onde são registradas informações pessoais e profissionais dos usuários, bem como registro de acompanhamento e evolução do tratamento. Para a análise dos resultados foram aplicados cálculos de estatística descritiva. Os resultados revelaram prevalência da Síndrome do Manguito Rotador, seguida da Dor Lombar Baixa e Síndrome do Túnel do Carpo. Estas foram mais frequentes em mulheres, trabalhadoras domésticas, com predomínio de adoecimento acima de 40 anos de idade e em relação à evolução clínica houve predomínio de alta por melhora e elevada evasão do tratamento. Espera-se que os resultados ofereçam subsídios para a implantação de ações de prevenção e promoção da saúde, bem como de intervenção junto aos trabalhadores, além de nortear políticas públicas de atenção a essa população. AbstractRepetitive Strain Injury / Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders appeared with greater incidence from the late 1970s onwards, especially in the 1980s. Currently a significant problem among workers in the most diverse occupational segments, causing a high contingent of injured workers with injury for health and consequently for production, justifying the importance of studies of this theme. The aim of this study was to characterize the Repetitive Strain Injury / Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders profile of users of the Occupational Health Reference Center of a medium-sized city in the interior of São Paulo, from 2016 to 2017. Data collection was performed from a computerized database, where users' personal and professional information is recorded, as well as monitoring and treatment evolution records. For the analysis of the results, descriptive statistics calculations were applied. The results revealed a prevalence of rotator cuff syndrome, followed by low back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. These were more frequent in women, domestic workers, with a predominance of illness above 40 years of age and in relation to clinical evolution, there was a predominance of high for improvement and high treatment dropout. The results are expected to offer subsidies for the implementation of health prevention and promotion actions, as well as intervention with the workers, besides guiding public policies of attention to this population.Keywords: Occupational Diseases, Occupational Health, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation, Vocational ResumenLas lesiones por esfuerzo repetitivo / trastornos musculoesqueléticos relacionados con el trabajo aparecieron con mayor incidencia desde finales de los años setenta en adelante, especialmente en la década de 1980. Actualmente es un problema importante entre los trabajadores en los segmentos laborales más diversos, causando un alto contingente de trabajadores lesionados con lesiones. para la salud y, en consecuencia, para la producción, justificando la importancia de los estudios sobre este tema. El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar el perfil de enfermedad lesiones por esfuerzo repetitivo / trastornos musculoesqueléticos relacionados con el trabajo de los usuarios del Centro de Referencia de Salud Ocupacional de una ciudad mediana en el interior de São Paulo, de 2016 a 2017. Se realizó la recolección de datos. de una base de datos computarizada, donde se registra la información personal y profesional de los usuarios, así como los registros de seguimiento y evolución del tratamiento. Para el análisis de los resultados, se aplicaron cálculos estadísticos descriptivos. Los resultados revelaron una prevalencia del síndrome del manguito rotador, seguido de dolor lumbar y síndrome del túnel carpiano. Estos fueron más frecuentes en mujeres, trabajadoras domésticas, con un predominio de enfermedades mayores de 40 años y en relación con la evolución clínica, hubo un predominio de alta para mejoría y alta deserción del tratamiento. Se espera que los resultados ofrezcan subsidios para la implementación de acciones de prevención y promoción de la salud, así como la intervención con los trabajadores, además de orientar políticas públicas de atención a esta población.Palabrasclave: Enfermedades Profesionales, Salud Laboral, Terapia Ocupacional, Rehabilitación Vocacional.  


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