Analysis of hand in Dental surgeons

Abstract

newline A survey was conducted among dental professionals to study musculoskeletal disorders. Lower back, neck, wrist and hand were common areas of involvement in all dental surgeons. A study conducted to analyze an association of Biomechanical risk exposures with activity limitation related to most prevalent cumulative trauma disorders stated that RULA has an association with the neck disability index whereas OCRA has an association with carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire and has no association with the DASH score. newlineBMI has a strong association with CTS in institutionalized as well as private dental practitioners irrespective of gender. Wrist ratio was found to have an association with CTS in mainly institutionalized male and private female practitioners. On surface EMG small extrinsic muscles of the hand like FDP and FDS showed excessive muscle work while performing fine dental procedures whereas ECRL and FCU showed increased muscle activity in all the dental procedures. Pre and post-assessment of Outcome measures like EMG activity, Grip strength, Pinch strength, and Hand Dexterity (using the Jebson hand function test) were performed. Grip strength, pinch strength, and dexterity have shown significant reduction in these parameters after fatigue. Muscle work of ECRL and FCU has reduced significantly after fatigue. newlineThe splint was designed to maintain optimum thumb positioning in dentists with a base of thumb pain. A taping was used for another group. Subjects with thumb pain had shown significant improvement in hand function such as finger dexterity, pinch strength, and reduction of pain in the experimental group of splinting as compared to taping. The dental group has better dexterity but reduced grip strength as compared to the control group. newline newline