Support Stool
Homo Sedens -
The Seated Man
"Performance starts with the spine"
Bob McIntyre, Support Stool's Managing Director, explains why
backache is an occupational hazard that needn't affect Dentists anymore.
According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
musculoskeletal problems of the upper and lower limbs cost UK industry up to
£3billion a year in lost revenue.
This is a real problem in Dentistry where 80% of Dentists suffer from pain
in their lower back, shoulders or neck at some time or another during their
career.
The development of four handed dentistry, the advent of the water cooled
air-rotor and ever more intricate and time consuming treatment plans now
means Dentists and their Staff spend hundred's of hours a month seated in
front of their patients, often bent over performing precision tasks. This
can be a recipe for disaster with potential risks of chronic back, neck and
shoulder pain that can necessitate time off work, or even premature
retirement!
This problem is
exacerbated if they adopt a slouched position
due to a badly designed stool.
The reality of these problems has prompted a vast amount of research and
time to be spent identifying suitable solutions. This has involved input
from a wide range of specialities including Dentistry, Occupational Health,
Medicine, Engineering and Ergonomics to name but a few. This has resulted in
the identification of Homo Sedens - "The Seated Man" and a clear
understanding of the importance of the ideal Operator position and stool.
The ideal Operator position
Dentists should be seated such that their feet are flat on the ground with
their thighs sloping slightly downwards. It is important that their back
is well supported by the operating stool. Whilst working, their forearms
should be roughly horizontal and the neck slightly bent without undue
arching of the back.
The Assistant needs a clear view of the operating site so
their chair should be positioned about 10cm higher than the Dentist's with
their
feet resting on a foot ring.
The ideal stool
Over the years a lot of time and money has been spent within Occupational
Health
to come up with some remedies for Homo Sedens - "The Seated Man". The
work
of Dr C Mandal, a Danish orthopaedic surgeon and doyen in ergonomics, has
encouraged engineers to develop a special seat mechanism: a synchronised
forward and backward tilting chair designed mainly for performing precision
work in a forward bent position, the precise situation found in Dentistry.
This action helps to stabilise the operator in the optimum position for
comfort, efficiency and reduced stress.
This work has been reinforced by countless others including Dr Daryl Beach,
from Osaka, Japan who stresses that “performance starts with the
spine" and “maintaining the physiologic curves of the erect vertebral
column
transecting the centre of gravity allows for maximum performance.”
Consequences
An operator's success in maintaining an unstrained posture has been mostly
left up to personal trial and error in a tilting environment that requires
organization and postural accommodation. Failure to adopt an ergonomic
position will ultimately result in backache and other posture related
problems. These can include a myriad of elbow, eye, upper arm, shoulder, foot,
forearm and neck problems. Failure can also results in mental health
and stamina problems for operators, who consequently limit themselves to
"a
peek in the mouth" style of treatment rather than "peak
performance".
Fortunately research has shown that using an ergonomically designed stool (one
that is designed to correct posture and support the back properly) can
dramatically improve the situation. This included research by Health and Safety
Researchers from
Improvements in the patient's dental chair have made a great contribution
towards the enhanced performance of dental treatment. Recent developments in
Operator stool design now mean that Surgeons can also sit on a stool that
will enable them to work better, for longer.
Ideally, the stool should be fully adjustable and designed to hold the Dentist
in
the correct anatomical posture with their pelvis tilted forward whilst
allowing their spine to hold its natural "S" shape at all times, even
when
leaning forward. The stool should also incorporate an anatomically shaped seat
and
back and a "free floating" action that follows the Dentist's
movements to
and fro. The option of an armrest is also an important consideration.
For example, some stools are now available with armrests which hold the
operator's mirror hand in place whilst also allowing freedom of movement and
support. Other armrests allow flexibility of movement for the
instrument hand whilst supporting the arm. These benefits can be
particularly important during precision procedures, where the clinician
spends long periods bent over a patient, staying relatively still in order
to perform intricate manoeuvres, e.g. when using use a microscope.
.
Finally, gone are the days of a limited colour range. Nowadays Specialist
Manufacturers offer operator stools in an extensive range of colours and
material finishes. These enable Dentists and their Staff to enjoy the long term
health
benefits of an ergonomically designed chair stool whilst maintaining the décor
and
ambience they want to associate with the rest of their practice and dental
equipment. Such stools are now available through all good Dental Dealers.
Of course there are alternatives ...persistent nagging pain, constant visits to
the chiropractor, strict exercise
regimes, a hard board to sleep on and traction to name but a few.
For further information on the full range of ergonomic stools available from
Support
Stool contact your regular Dental Dealer or telephone Support Stool direct
on 01296 581764.