Dental Tribune UK Edition, October 11-17, 2010, No.25 Vol.4

Saddle Stool in Dentistry Veli-Jussi Jalkanen, a specialist in sitting ergonom- ics, discusses the healthy and comfortable ways to sit October 11-17, 201024 United Kingdom EditionProduct Profile Salli Systems Finnland Tel. +358 10 270 1210 R Upright. Comfortable. Healthy. Sit yourself fit! info@salli.com SALLI - makes your back and shoulder problems disappear. The two-part saddle for better circulation and vitality. To be seen at BDTA in London, at stand M01 www.salli.com Identifying personal sitting disorders While some dental professionals have insufficient knowledge to be able to recognize or manage sit- ting disorders, others realize that back pain and shoulder tension have a lot to do with sitting. Poor circulation in the lower extremi- ties; shortage of oxygen; hip, knee and shoulder joint problems; sit- ting fatigue, and genital health problems are some examples of the ailments that belong to the large group of SDs (Sitting Disor- ders). All people working in den- tistry are affected by these disor- ders whether they are aware of them or not. Many of those who are aware of SDs would usually like to improve the situation and look for a more healthy, produc- tive and comfortable way to work. A healthy posture for long term sitting: 1. Good, relaxed posture, balanced and without harmful supports 2. Thighs 90° apart and pointing down enough to keep the upper body in balance 3. Close to 135° an- gles in hips and knees 4. Weight on the sitting bones, not the muscles 5. No pressure on the genitals and under the hip (especially for men) This ideal position can be ob- tained with a saddle stool. Sitting on a saddle stool is based on the sitting bones that are lo- cated under the hip. They keep the buttocks and thighs from be- ing pressed against the seat if they have a firm support. Thighs point down at a 45 degree angle, tilting the pelvis to a near neutral posi- tion, as when standing. This al- lows the lower back and upper body to find a relaxed, natural pos- ture without the need for a back- rest. Feet rest on the floor on both sides of the body as if you were riding a horse. This way it is easy to operate pedals with your feet - they must be placed on the side. General benefits from a sad- dle stool in dentistry • Good, natural and relaxed pos- ture which also keeps improving for years • Less shoulder area ten- sion by allowing lower po- sitioning of the patient • Relieving or eliminating lower back pain (oftentimes it disap- pears in a week) • Preventing fatigue and improving productiv- ity through deeper breathing • Preventing shoulder, hip and knee joint problems, angles are more natural • Easier movements and good working positions • Improved circulation in lower extremities prevents varicose veins + cellulite built up • Easy visibility into the mouth by leaningforwardwithastraightback • Working at a close distance (also the assistant) with legs under the hoisted chair • Easy rolling and turning makes pickingmaterialsfastandeffortless A divided seat is helpful be- cause the free space allows proper pelvis/hip position without pres- sure or discomfort in the soft tis- sues on the pubic bone. For men a divided seat is a safer solution in the long run. Pressure on the pudendal nerve and tissues on the pubic bone can lead to erec- tile dysfunctions. Loose, light and stretching trousers are highly rec- ommended for men when sitting on any seats. Difficult positions, like work- ing on posterior teeth, looking at x-rays, surgery, large-chested pa- tients, patients who cannot toler- ate supine position, etc. become easier because of the more natu- ral, relaxed and free sitting. Shoulder joint problems of- ten come from elevated shoul- der positions, which stress the joints. A riding-like sitting po- sition allows lower position- ing of the patient, which allows you to relax your shoulders.. Good posture, easy visibility into the patient’s mouth, efficient and free movement can all be- come reality. The saddle stool al- lows close proximity to the patient, leaving more room for the legs under the patient. This method of working dramatically decreases problems for both the dentist and the assistant, and is becoming the most common way to sit and work for dentist in Scandinavia. Adapting to a saddle chair takes some effort because almost everything changes. The body needs time to adjust. Learning to use the saddle chair takes a few days and the “saddle soreness” in the buttocks and inner thighs as well as fatigue of the back mus- cles last 2-14 days. It is worth it, but nothing comes for free. Financially, the change is cheap. But most importantly, you need to learn about sitting physiology to be motivated to make the change, alter your working move- ments and positions and tol- erate temporary discomfort. As a return you may achieve a healthier body, better pos- ture, higher productivity (more patients with the same energy), improved quality of work and more satisfying years at work.DT