DT News - MEA - How to avoid back pains in dental work

Veli-Jussi Jalkanen, Finland

Thu. 11 October 2018

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The pains caused by the common back degeneration, which is the result from traditional ergonomics, are the constant nuisance in dental work. Avoiding this threat is relatively easy with the new better posture that can be achieved by sitting on a divided swaying saddle chair, using looser clothes, and positioning oneself closer to the patient.

This concept includes also numerous other advantages. The leading Finnish ergonomics company has developed the solution for the dental ergonomics and health problems, and is spreading it around the world.

Why are lower back degeneration and pains so common?
Normal 90/90 sitting (90 degree angles in hips and knees) is actually C/90 sitting with the rounded back. Thus the facets are open and not carrying their part, and the pressure on the discs is 30% bigger. The increased one-sided disc pressure is the main reason for disc prolapse (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Poor posture opens the facets and the discs starts to degenerate and prolapses may appear.

Fig. 2: Rounded back holds many potential health risks and speeds up degeneration.

Fig. 3: The natural and balanced sitting, with no need to lean back.

Fig. 4: Balanced sitting in the natural posture without pains or health problems.

The roundness of the back also stretches the back muscles and makes them tense, slowing down the blood and lymph circulation. The weakened oxygen and nutrient intake and waste removal degenerate all tissues in the (lower) back, causing numerous impacts and pains.
The missing vertebral arteries around the L5 halves the flow of nutrients and oxygen for the L4 and L5, and that is why they are the first to degenerate (Fig. 2).

Dental work is challenging due to our anatomy
We humans still have the Stone Age hunter-gatherer anatomy and physiology. Slouched and immobile sitting is very unnatural and a great health risk. The musculoskeletal system is well and healthy when the back is in a good posture and mobile.

The spine and vertebrae are not only holding the body upright, the vertebrae are systematically also connected to the health of many organs. Poor spine care and problems in it trigger also other health issues.

Solution: How to keep the posture good and the back healthy
The divided swaying saddle chair restores the posture and keeps the back undegenerated, healthy, and without pains. The keys for the new ergonomics is to raise the patient chair higher, to sit closer to the patient, and to wear looser and more comfortable clothes (Fig. 3).

This new ergonomics is very friendly and healthy also for the genital and internal pelvic health (prostate, erectile functions, female infections), and knee and hip health as well. The 135 degree angle is so much better for the knees and hips than 90 degrees. If you can treat every 4th patient standing it would improve health and productivity even more (Fig. 4).

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