Evaluating the head posture of dentists with no neck pain

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

1 Assistant Professor in Physiotherapy Department, Musculoskeletal Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

2 Physiotherapist (B.S), Department of Physiotherapy, St. Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran.

10.22122/jrrs.v6i1.116

Abstract

Abstract   Introduction: Dentistry is one of the occupations which require a high concentration during treating the patients. There are many predisposing factors, such as head flexion during working on the patient's teeth, arm abduction and inflexible postural deficiencies which involves a dentist, leading him/her to some musculoskeletal disorders related to the neck. However, there is no evidence if dentists report neck pain before starting an abnormal condition in this region, including forward head posture (FHP). Understanding any alteration in the head posture in dentists before starting the pain might indicate one of the reasons of neck pain in these subjects. Materials and Methods: Fourty one dentists with no neck pain and 40 subjects having jobs rather than dentistry with no risk factors involving head posture were selected in the study as case and control groups, respectively. A standard method was used to measure cervical curve in these two groups. Results: There was no significant difference between the mean values of cervical curve in dentists and control groups (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference between cervical curve values in dentists, working in two different ranges of 5-8 and 8-12 years (P > 0.05). The only significant difference was found in the cervical curve mean values between men and women in the dentist group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: No alteration of cervical curve in the dentist group compared to controls might be due to no pain sensation in the dentists in the current study. Keywords: Cervical lordosis, Forward head posture, Posture.

  • Receive Date: 10 November 2010
  • Revise Date: 29 March 2024
  • Accept Date: 22 May 2022