Perceived contra observed physical work load in Swedish dentists

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Dental Medicine

Background:

• Previous studies indicated dentists experience high physical workload but report low musculoskeletal complaints.
• A discrepancy exists between dentists' reported physical workload and their actual musculoskeletal pain.
• This study aimed to investigate the reasons behind this discrepancy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the relationship between objectively observed physical workload and subjectively reported workload and pain in dentists.
• To analyze dentists' postures and movements during clinical work using ergonomic observation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Portable Ergonomic Observation (PEO) to analyze video recordings of 27 dentists during clinical work.
• PEO method involved frequency analysis of work operations, including sitting/standing postures and head, trunk, and arm movements.
• Subjective workload and musculoskeletal complaints were assessed using Visual Analogue Scales.

Main Results:

• Dentists predominantly worked in a sitting position with the head bent forward for nearly half the time.
• Weak to moderate correlations (r=0.0-0.6) were found between observed physical workload and subjective estimates.
• Objective ergonomic observations did not fully explain the high subjective workload reported by dentists.

Conclusions:

• Findings support previous research but do not resolve the discrepancy between observed low workload and high subjective experience.
• Further research involving electromyography (EMG) and interviews is planned to evaluate muscular load and psychosocial factors.