Dental professionals are at a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. To a patient laid back in the chair with their mouth agape it may just be a fleeting thought but if they take a minute and think about it, bending and leaning over like that’s gotta hurt. Then, the patient returns back to focusing on anything but what’s being done to their mouth.
Neck, shoulder, upper and lower back pain all contribute to early departure from the dental profession. Those of you who work in dental offices have to contort your bodies to get the angle needed to take care of your patients. You have to hold those positions while you carefully, meticulously and methodically work to take care of your patients throughout the day.
Doing this day after day and year after year can lead to the inability to continue working in this capacity. It’s just too damaging and too painful to continue on after so long. If you don’t find ways to make your work practices more ergonomic and really pay attention to your body you may find yourself looking for a new position in the dental field or for another line of work altogether.
- Here are a few ideas for things that could help relieve or even prevent pain/discomfort while at work in the office:
- Make it a point to stretch periodically throughout the day.
- Use a tennis ball between yourself and the wall to roll out tense and aching back muscles.
- Keep a massage gun in the office for a quick tune up. You may need a hand from a coworker if you can’t seem to get the massage gun
- to the right spot or hit the tissues at the right angle.
- Schedule a massage therapist who will come to the office with their massage chair and give 10-15 minute massages to each of the staff as they rotate out for their lunch break.
Injuries can be short or long term but chronic injuries are more common. With chronic injuries, it increases the likelihood that you won’t be able to continue working in the dental field as you are. As a result of these injuries, the dental practice will see an increase in sick leave, decreased quality of work and increased work-related accidents. These can cost you considerably and in more than one way.
When able, try to find different positions to perform the same tasks and vary them throughout your workday. Find ones that work for you and place less strain on your body. Take a minute here and there to move and stretch those muscles, tendons, ligaments and structures that are pushed, pulled and cramped while working with patients.
About the author: Ethan Pariseau is a registered nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing and is licensed by the state medical board of Ohio to practice massage therapy.