Abstracts Category : Other

Electromyography and 3-Dimensional Kinematics to Assess Body Posture in Dental Students

by Patrick D Zawadski

INTRODUCTION: Seated posture in dentistry is an important area, which has received little investigation. Poor postural seated positions have long been documented to cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Back pain is a common MSD and has been recorded as occurring on average in over 50% of dentists and dental hygienists. Recent studies have suggested that negative consequences of bad posture can be identified as early as undergraduate dental education. With a well-documented prevalence of MSDs in dentists, hygienists and dental students, it should be no surprise that posture and ergonomics demands more attention.|METHODS: Electromyography (EMG) and 3-Dimensional Kinematics were used to assess posture in dental students while standing (baseline) and while sitting in a standard and in an ergonomic operator chair. Measurements were collected at rest, initial and adapted while the subjects performed routine dental restorations.|RESULTS: Our findings showed marginal improvement in the right (p = 0.088) and left thoracolumbar erector spinae regions (p = 0.101) while sitting on the ergonomic chair versus the standard chair. However, we observed statistically significant differences in the degrees of trunk inclination relative to gravity and a reduction in body movement on individuals seated at an adapted position in an ergonomic chair as compared to sitting on a standard chair (p = 0.046).|CONCLUSIONS. While preliminary in nature, this study provided proof of principle for a larger study involving dental students and dental professionals at different stages of their careers. Furthermore, it supports the need for improvement in the design of dental operator chairs to address and prevent chronic back pain.Advisors/Committee Members: Hasslen, Jennifer A (advisor).