World Journal of Dentistry

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VOLUME 12 , ISSUE 4 ( July-August, 2021 ) > List of Articles

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain among Dentists in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka: A Cross-sectional Study

Anshuman Shetty, Mahalaxmi Yelapure, Mithra Hegde, Darshana Devadiga, Raksha Bhat

Keywords : Ergonomics, Magnification, Musculoskeletal disorder, Standard Nordic Questionnaire

Citation Information : Shetty A, Yelapure M, Hegde M, Devadiga D, Bhat R. Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain among Dentists in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka: A Cross-sectional Study. World J Dent 2021; 12 (4):339-344.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10015-1834

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 15-07-2021

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2021; The Author(s).


Abstract

Aim and objective: The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among dentists in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey of the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) was conducted among dentists during the month of July to August 2019 over a span of 1 month at AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangaluru. This included interns, postgraduates, and private practitioners in Dakshina Kannada. An SNQ (Standard Nordic Questionnaire) about their practice pattern, their general lifestyle including exercise, fitness patterns, the prevalence of MSDs, and their general awareness regarding MSDs was recorded. The responses were recorded and analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, and Fisher's exact test. Results: A total of 138 dentists consented to be part of the study; among them, 68 were males and 70 females, with a response rate of 95.17% (138/145). The dentists who participated in the study reported MSDs in the areas with respect to the neck (60%), lower back (60%), upper back (57%), and the intensity of the pain progressing from mild to moderate. Conclusion: A high prevalence of MSD exists among dental experts influencing the everyday practice of more than one-third of dentists. The present study suggests the need to identify these factors predisposing to MSD among the dental practitioners and encourage them to adopt the practices and measures to eliminate the MSD. The adoption of such practices would help the practitioners improve their quality of professional life and work. Clinical significance: The high prevalence of MSD in this study indicates the need for dental practitioners to recognize the factors predisposing to MSD. Dental surgeons need to get more information about the effect of their seating choices in their field of work.


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