title: The biomechanical demands of manual scaling on the shoulders & neck of dental hygienists.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postural and muscular demands placed on the shoulders and neck of dental hygienists when performing a simulated manual scaling task. Nineteen healthy female dental hygienists performed 30-min of simulated manual scaling on a manikin head in a laboratory setting. Surface electromyography was used to monitor muscle activity from several neck and shoulder muscles, and neck and arm elevation kinematics were evaluated using motion capture. The simulated scaling task resulted in a large range of neck and arm elevation angles and excessive low-level muscular demands in the neck extensor and scapular stabilising muscles. The physical demands varied depending on the working position of the hygienists relative to the manikin head. These findings are valuable in guiding future ergonomics interventions aimed at reducing the physical exposures of dental hygiene work. Practitioner Summary: Given that this study evaluates the physical demands of manual scaling, a procedure that is fundamental to dental hygiene work, the findings are valuable to identify ergonomics interventions to reduce the prevalence of work-related injuries, disability and the potential for early retirement among this occupational group.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Science, Department of Kinesiology , McMaster University , Hamilton , Canada.|b Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Department of Kinesiology , University of Waterloo , Waterloo , Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: La Delfa
authors.affiliation: c Department of Graduate Education and Research Programs , Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Diane E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Grondin
authors.affiliation: c Department of Graduate Education and Research Programs , Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Jocelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Science, Department of Kinesiology , McMaster University , Hamilton , Canada.
authors.forename: Jim R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Potvin
authors.affiliation: c Department of Graduate Education and Research Programs , Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College , Toronto , Canada.|d McMorland Family Research Chair in Mechanobiology , Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Samuel J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Howarth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D057645:Deltoid Muscle; D003756:Dental Hygienists; D012534:Dental Scaling; D004576:Electromyography; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles; D012782:Shoulder; D064171:Superficial Back Muscles
keywords: Dental ergonomics; dental hygiene; neck; physical demands; shoulder