Musculoskeletal disorders

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Causes of musculoskeletal disorders in dental hygienists and dental hygiene students:
Study of the biomechanical and psychosocial risk factors combined

Many dentists have musculoskeletal disorders as the region of neck, shoulder pain, tendinitis, neuropathy, myalgia in the trapezius, and because of this and other factors is why several studies and found to be suffering in the hands, wrists and hips are highly related to the profession, so analysis was performed in dental technicians and dental hygienists are exposed to high frequencies of vibration of the handpiece or ultrasonic scalers potentially causing tissue damage. The selection criteria were at least 5 years of experience as a licensed dental hygienists, current employment, and exposure to high frequency instruments such as ultrasound, piezoelectric climbers getting in total 92 women and 2 men have agreed to participate, the average age was 45.5 years and average length of employment 21.8 years.

The study involved a survey of 45 min, average exposure (hours per day), personal variables such as age, snuff consumption, body mass index. Detailed clinical evaluation of the upper extremity and neck and shoulder region. As a result it was found that the specificity of associations in specific body sites and factors such as severity of pain in the neck and shoulder are associated with neck Bend / twist factor of exposure, while the worst pain in the wrist is associated with the extent of static and grip, also lower back pain by flexion of the trunk.

COMMENT

This issue is of real importance in the ergonomics of the dentist because if we get a good posture when working in the dental office, this will prevent as stated earlier the onset of lesions that can affect motor show movement, and even get to the point to affect our work.
Not only the dentist must maintain adequate porstura but the assistant or an assistant will be severely affected in these disorders but has an adequate position in the dental office.

By Flor Alfaro Carranza

Bibliografía:

Warren, Nicholas. Work, 2010, Vol. 35 Issue 4, p441-454, 14p, 9 Charts; DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2010-0981