Spinal pain, curvature, and mobility comparisons according to spine region in dentists working in risky postures

Aim

To identify the presence of spinal pain and compare spine curvatures, mobility, and competency according to spine region in dentists working in risky postures.

Methods

One hundred twenty-two dentists aged between 18 and 40 years (52 males, 70 females; age: 25.94 ± 3.40 years), who at least in a medium risk group according to the Rapid Entire-Body Assessment (REBA) were included. The Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire for pain and skin-surface Valedo®Shape device (Idiag, Fehraltorf, Switzerland) for spinal curvature, inclination from the center of gravity, mobility, and postural competency were used.

Results

The REBA risk classification was medium (36.1%), high (56.6%), and very high (7.4%). The spinal pain rate in at least one region was 79.5%, and in all regions was 34.4%. The pain was in the neck (62.3%), mid-back (60.7%), and low back (53.3%) with the following intensities 4.00 ± 1.64, 4.05 ± 1.89, and 4.09 ± 2.11, respectively. In the sagittal plane, inclination in mobility decreased in the low back pain group (p = 0.045). In the frontal plane, the thoracic curvature angle increased (p = 0.023), and inclination in mobility decreased (p = 0.044) in the mid-back pain group, and postural competency differences in sacral region in the low back pain group were observed (p = 0.037). Dentists experiencing both mid and low back pain showed increased thoracic curvature angle (p = 0.020) and differences in sacral competency (p = 0.044) in the frontal plane.

Conclusion

The regional spinal pain rate with moderate intensity was about 80% in dentists working in risky postures. The mobility and postural competency changes with thoracic curvature increase were observed in dentists who had pain in the mid-back and low back regions.