Affiliations: Occupational Safety and Health Centre, County Hospital
Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden | School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University,
Jönköping, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Bo Rolander MScPT,
Arbetsmiljöenheten, hus M3, Länssjukhuset Ryhov, Jönköping,
Sweden. E-mail: Bo.Rolander@lj.se
Abstract: In an earlier questionnaire study, dentists reported high
experienced physical work load in their profession, but low to moderate
complaints from their musculoskeletal system. The correlation between reported
physical work load and pain from the musculoskeletal system was weak. This
discrepancy could not be satisfactorily explained. Therefore, a second study
was undertaken, in which the same 27 dentists who reported musculoskeletal
problems were video recorded during one hour of clinical work, and the records
were later analyzed using PEO (Portable Ergonomic Observation). PEO is a
frequency analysis method which allows observation of work in real time using a
portable computer or video recordings. PEO can be adjusted for registration of
single or multiple work operations. Output data are presented as frequency,
duration, and sequence of the various work operations. The aim of the present
study was to investigate if there was a relation between observed work load
recorded with PEO, and subjectively estimated work load and musculoskeletal
complaints recorded with a questionnaire based on Visual Analogue Scales.
Sitting and standing postures, and head, trunk and arm movements were analyzed.
The PEO observations showed that dentists generally perform their clinical work
in a sitting position, with the head bent forward almost half of the time. Only
weak to moderate correlations (r =0.0–0.6) were found
between observed physical work load and subjective estimations of experienced
physical work load and musculoskeletal complaints. These findings support the
results in our previous study, but they do not explain the large difference
between the observed low work load and the subjectively experienced high work
load. The study will be followed up by EMG measurements and free interviews,
where both muscular load and psychosocial factors will be evaluated.
