title: Survey on utility of yoga as an alternative therapy for occupational hazards among dental practioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The therapeutic potential of yoga are often considered complementary to various forms of medical practice. Very few studies have evaluated the effects of yoga in the treatment of occupational hazards among dentists. Hence, this cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the adoption of yoga techinques as an alternative therapy in treatment of physical and psychological occupational hazards among dental general practitioners in Chennai, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A validated closed-ended questionnaire was circulated to 500 dental general practitioners in Chennai, India and we received 394 completed questionnaires. The questionnaire documented demographic data, occupational hazards and the type of treatment taken for the hazards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Musculoskeletal pain with stress (47%) was the most common occupational hazard reported, followed by only stress (27.4%), and only musculoskeletal pain (25.6%). Only 9.6% of practitioners adopted yoga as an alternative treatment for these occupational hazards. Interestingly, majority (46.4%) of them did exercise, gym, massage, walking and heard music. Surprisingly, 43.9% did not take any measures to treat these occupational hazards. However 53.3% of the dentists who did not consider yoga as an alternative therapy, stated lack of time as a reason for not practicing yoga while 17.6% of them don't believe yoga as a therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite musculoskeletal pain and stress being the most common occupational hazard prevalent among dentists, over 50% of the subjects surveyed didn't seek any measure to treat these occupational hazards and only 10% of them practiced yoga as the alternative therapy.
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Ananthalakshmi
authors: A
authors: Ramamoorthy
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Sathiya Jeeva
authors: SJ
authors: Jeevakarunyam
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Sunitha
authors: S
authors: Janardhanan
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Nadeem
authors: N
authors: Jeddy
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Srikaanth Aranmanai
authors: SA
authors: Vasan
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Arundayanadhi
authors: A
authors: Raja
authors: Department of Oral Pathology, Thai Moogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: Parvez
authors: P
authors: Ikram
keywords: Dentists; musculoskeletal pain; occupational hazards; stress; yoga