Schultz Dentistry| Different Ways To Resolve Upper Back Pain In Dental Practice
Many hardworking professionals including dentists are now suffering from various illnesses that can be attributed to the nature of the work they have. Whether they are working inside the office or not, sitting or standing for quite a number of hours a day can trigger muscle pain especially if it becomes a routine for many years. This makes dental professionals susceptible to upper back pain.
When dental professionals are working, they stand most of the time. As soon as your patients open their mouth, you have to start with the dental treatment right away. And while doing the dental procedure, you need to use and exert more force which can trigger various musculoskeletal pains including upper back pain.
Certain ways have been developed to help dental professionals like you to get rid of or relieve upper back pain and these are the following:
Stretching
When you are at work and you have been sitting or standing for quite a long time already, take time to stretch to help the muscles at your back relax. Rolling your shoulder blades backward and forward will greatly help.
Sleep in the right position
Sleep comfortably. If you are in pain, sleep on the opposite side. That is, if the pain is on the right side of your upper back then sleep sideways with the left side on the bed and vice versa.
Walk like a model
Your head should be balanced with your shoulders. Placing a book on top of your head will definitely help you achieve this balance. It may be hard at first but if you get used to it, you will develop a good posture.
Take time to exercise
There are numerous exercises that you can do to help you with your upper back pain. Here are some of the exercises that you can do to relieve the pain in your upper back
* Lift both of your arms and hold your hands together then bend backward. Do this for sixteen counts. After bending backward, bend sideways, eight counts on the left and eight counts on the right.
* Lay down with your body facing the floor and with both hands at your sides. Place the tip of your chin on the floor. Do it for sixteen seconds or counts. Then twist your head to the right side for eight counts and to the left for eight counts.
* Fold a pillow in half and place it on the floor. Lay down with the pillow at your back while facing the wall. Do this for thirty seconds.
* Swing both your arms up and down for 30 counts or more.
* Place both of your hands on your hips and rotate your body on the right side, back and forth for sixteen counts and vice versa.
Maintain proper posture when sitting or standing
Most of the time we slouch when we are sitting. We slouch because we feel comfortable doing it without knowing that it could damage our back which could trigger chronic pain. As much as possible be mindful of your sitting position and avoid slouching.
There are many reasons why dentists slouch when working and one of the more prevalent reasons is the inability to see the work area clearly. If this is the reason why you slouch while working, an excellent quality optical magnification loupe like Schultz dental loupes can give you a quick relief.