Low Back Pain among Dentists

Abstract

Background.- Dentists often experience pain while working, especially in the lower back area. Back pain has been reported to be the most common type of discomfort in all occupational groups. Back pain has been reported to be the most common type of discomfort in all occupational groups. The study investigates the low back pain among dentists. Method -A cross sectional study was conducted among 120 dentists were selected for the study who are in the age group of <30 and above years, in urban areas of the Lucknow district of Uttar Pradesh. Ex- post facto research design was used to obtain and analyze the data. For selection of the respondents, multi stage sampling technique was adopted. A questionnaire was used to investigate the low back pain among dentists. PAS software was used for statistical processing. Descriptive statistics i.e., percentage, mean and ANOVA was used to interpret the data. For multiple responses, percentage was calculated in terms of total responses therefore exceeds 100%. Results: Among 120 dentists, 80% of dentists were suffering from LBP. Conclusion: From the study, it can be concluded that the age of the respondent has an impact on low back pain. Long hours of work and no leisure time made the dentists sit in a restricted posture leading to severe low back pain among dentists. Therefore it is recommended to maintain proper body mechanics and use supportive devices like back belts, knee cap, and chair with back rest during patient care, stretching exercise, promotion of good ergonomic posture and general fitness.