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October 2008 | Modern Hygienist
Get it straight! Advances in seating, loupes and instrumentation have helped take the pain out of your work day.
She’s been a hygienist for 37 years and has dealt with muscle spasms, back pain, shoulder tendinitis and other physical problems. And for most of her career, ergonomics just didn’t get much attention. Even though she knew she hurt, she didn’t know what to do about it. “We didn’t know anything about that for years,” Fox says. “We were told a little bit in school, but it didn’t make much of a difference.” About 10 years ago, Fox began to notice a change. People began talking about ergonomics. Manufacturers came out with improved seating and hand instruments. And as we learn more, manufacturers continue to develop products designed to make your day pain free. Fox has tried various seating over the years but didn’t find much pain relief until she tried the AnterioRest from Career Extenders. Instead of trying to change the posture, the AnterioRest eliminates the static muscle contraction—which is often a great source of pain for hygienists—by putting the muscle at rest, President Greg Books says. The robotic arm attaches to the back of the chair, and can be put in any position. If they lean on it, their back is completely relaxed because it provides support on the opposite side.
“We’re healing the healers not by changing their posture but by adapting support to their preferred posture,” he says. “We’re searching for everyone’s posture. People are diverse in strength and body mass; every dental professional has a perfect position they work from. If you try to move away from that, it’s going to cause problems.” the core of ergonomics Thoughts about the best seating position for good posture have changed over the years, with the ideal angle moving from 90° to 110° with the hip higher than the knee, says Lori Harman, business director for Posture Perfect Solutions. The Evolution Chair naturally puts the spine in that neutral position, which helps alleviate back and muscle pain on the job. Hygienists sit in awkward positions, and this chair helps balance the muscles and ligaments that stretch and shorten as they adapt to those positions, Harman says. The main part of the chair is a stability ball, which has been a core-strengthener for years. “The spine requires movement to be healthy,” she says. “This chair allows that movement. It corrects the imbalances.”
As hygienists become more educated in ergonomics, they are learning more about how loupes can help, says James Onderak, Director of Marketing for Orascoptic/Surgical Acuity. They’re more in tune with the angle of declination and sitting with correct posture while using the loupes. “They are taking control of their health and their careers by making sure they have proper posture,” Onderak says. “Loupes add to that. Hygienists are sitting up straighter and are requesting longer working distances in their loupes.”
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