Schultz Dentistry: What Does Ergonomics Have To Do With Dentistry?
Ergonomics in the workplace has become one of the hottest and most discussed topics in the medical and dental industry forums today. And because of the important role ergonomics play in achieving and keeping a pain-free dental career, more and more dentists, hygienists, and other dental professionals are willing to invest a considerable amount in purchasing various dental tools, devices, and instruments that can help them stay in neutral and healthy posture while working. This is one of the reasons why almost all companies offer different dental products of ergonomics value. And dental loupes companies are not exempted to this.
But ergonomics is such a broad topic. It entails more than just preventing and resolving work??elated injuries and musculoskeletal disorders. While successful application and the right choice of ergonomics products like Schultz loupes can help increase productivity, enhance comfort at work, improve user and patient satisfaction, and ensure avoidance of work-related illnesses and injuries, the opposite thereof can lead to a variety of musculoskeletal disorders.
What is ergonomics?
According to Google, ergonomics is an applied science or process that involves designing and arranging systems, workplaces, and products that people use in order for them to fit those that are using them. It ensure's the efficiency of people in their working environment.
What are work-related musculoskeletal disorders?
Work-related musculoskeletal disorder or MSD is the disorder or illness people experience or acquire while at work. MSDs are the illnesses that became worse or chronic due to unhealthy work conditions or other risk factors present in the workplace like repetitive maintaining of awkward postures for extended periods of time. or MSD is the disorder or illness people experience or acquire while at work. MSDs are the illnesses that became worse or chronic due to unhealthy work conditions or other risk factors present in the workplace like repetitive maintaining of awkward postures for extended periods of time.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are noted as the primary reasons for early retirement among dental hygienists, dentists, and other dental professionals. In order to avoid occupational MSDs and to prevent early retirement, you need to have a good working ergonomics. More to that, excellent working ergonomics can also help enhance your efficiency and capability in carrying out various dental clinical treatment procedures and maintain such condition all throughout the duration of your dental career.
Workplace risk factors in dentistry
There are so many things in a typical dental clinical setting that can contribute a lot to developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Among these critical risk factors that all dentists, dental hygienists, and other dental professionals need to watch out for are as follows:
* Maintaining awkward postures for prolonged periods of time
* Repeated contact stresses
* Frequent repetitive motions for extended periods
* Prolonged forceful exertions
* Too much exposure to local vibration
Different types of work-related MSDs in dentistry
Work-related MSDs in dentistry come is different types. The most common types, thereof, are back problems like lower back pain and upper back pain, and hand and wrist problems like Guyon's syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, tenosynovitis or tendinitis, and DeQuervain's disease. Other types include problems in the neck and shoulder.