Journal
WORK-A JOURNAL OF PREVENTION ASSESSMENT & REHABILITATION
Volume 76, Issue 3, Pages 1125-1133Publisher
IOS PRESS
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220601
Keywords
Ergonomics; musculoskeletal disorders; dental students; musculoskeletal pain
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This study conducted at a university dental hospital in Saudi Arabia aimed to assess dental students' awareness of ergonomics and physical activities in controlling musculoskeletal pain (MS-P). The majority of students had insufficient awareness of MS-P and took limited measures to alleviate symptoms. Female students reported higher MS-P than males, and undergraduate students experienced more pain than interns and postgraduate students.
BACKGROUND: Dentistry is a profession that demands a high level of physical work and excessive repetitive movements in strained positions, both of which are risk factors for developing musculoskeletal pain (MS-P). OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the awareness of ergonomics and physical activities in controlling MS-P among dental students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted at a university dental hospital in Saudi Arabia, through a validated self-administered questionnaire, distributed to undergraduates and postgraduate's dental students. RESULTS: Out of 402 students responded to the questionnaire, 337(83.8%) reported suffering from MS-P with 67.7% of participants did not take any measures to alleviate their symptoms and the majority reported limited physical activity. Females reported significantly higher MS-P than males. Lower back (56.5%), neck (56.2%) and shoulder (50%) were the most frequently reported MS-P. Unexpectedly, undergraduate reporting significantly more pain than interns and postgraduate students (P = 0.009). The dental students' awareness of ergonomics and MSDs were insufficient. CONCLUSION: Physical activity, student's awareness of MSD and ergonomics were the major factors for controlling MS-Ps. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of enhancing students' knowledge of the importance of controlling work-related MS-P, especially during their university educational hours.
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