Did you know that untreated hand fatigue can have long-term impacts on your career?
In a systematic review by Hayes and colleagues general musculoskeletal pain occurred in dental practice between 64-93% of the time with hand and wrist pain occurring 60-70% of the time, most often among dental hygienists.1 A recent study by Weinberg and colleagues also demonstrated that 63% of 235 dental students surveyed reported pain in the hand, wrist, or fingers.2 Hand fatigue, pain and musculoskeletal injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are a significant burden in dentistry often causing missed work, medical intervention and a lack of productivity.1,2,3
Managing workload, hand fatigue and pain with specific training on ergonomics, proper technique, and preventative strategies appear to be important in reducing occurrences for all stages of dental practice to ensure a long and productive career.2,3