Meeting abstract
The Pain Experienced by Stomatologists at Different Postures of Work
Zita Blažić-Potočki
Abstract
Stomatologists often experience diseases caused by the very nature of their profession, which is both physically and mentally demanding for practicioners. Bad habits and static pressure on the body at adverse postures at work will cause severe fatigue and damage the locomotor and cardiovascular systems of stomatologists. Somatic and mental difficulties and pain caused by body postures at work.
The purpose of this investigation was to determine what kind of pain experienced by stomatologists, regarding their posture at work.
The investigation was carred out with a survey containing targeted questions about the different postures at work of stomatologists and different kinds of pain incurred. 252 stomatologists were interviewed. They were divided into three groups with 84 interviewees each, according to their posture at work-”standing”, “sitting”, “sitting and standing-combined”. Each group was questioned for pain in the neck and shoulders, pain in the lumbar region of the spine and pain in the feet. Data were statistically processed with ?2 test.
Statistically significant differnece was found regarding pain in the feet between group with a standing posture at work and the group with a sitting posture at work (p < 0.01). A statistically significant difference regarding pain in the feet was found between a group of stomatologistswho stand and those who combine the standing and sitting postures at work (p < 0.01). Pains in the neck and shoulders and pain in the lumbalregion of the spine in all three groups of stomatologists with different postures at work do not show statistically significant differences.
Pain experienced by stomatologists at work occur due to adverse physical posture at work, regarless of the kind of posture-standing, sitting or combined. Pain frequency in the neck, shoulders and in the lumbal region is the same in all three postures-standing, sitting or combined. However, pain in the feet are more frequent in stomatologists who stand at work than in stomatologists who sit or both stand and sit at work. It is necessary to implement the principles of ergonomy in order to prevent proffesional diseases and pain in stomatologists, although nearly avoiding working in the standing posture could prevent pain in the feet.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
3059
URI
Publication date:
15.9.2003.
Visits: 1.953 *