Current research indicates XO Foot Control to be the most ergonomic solution yet.
It is a well-known fact that dental professionals are burdened with a field-specific risk of health problems related to their musculoskeletal system. As many as 86 percent of dentists experience neck and back pain annually.1 For this reason their work posture has been investigated in various studies, with the objective of optimising it in order to minimise the prevalence of such musculoskeletal problems.
While the dental chair and dental stool have been the subject of much study in this regard, the humble foot controller is rarely recognised as being associated with ergonomic considerations, despite its being in almost constant use during clinical procedures.
THE FOOT AND ITS MOVEMENT
During the use of the universal pedal controller (1), the foot undergoes a bend (flexion) followed by a stretch (extension).
To actuate the combined sliding pedal controller (2), the foot must operate in a combined vertical and horizontal motion. During this motion, the foot is bent and applies pressure onto the pedal.
Operation of the pedal controller (3) requires multiple movements (flexion and extension) on a vertical axis, along with constant application of pressure.
When using the sliding rotation controller (4) the foot undergoes the least amount of movement. This happens primarily due to the horizontal foot movement, and the fact that the foot is on the floor most of the time. It has also the lowest pressure load of all the tested foot controllers.
As a consequence of the different types of movement involved, the first three foot controllers show significant differences in tension in the lumbar spine, while the sliding rotation type shows no change in this spinal area.
IT’S AS GOOD AS IT FEELS
To summarise the results of the study described, there is a link between the way in which the foot controllers work and the consequent changes in spinal position.
Interestingly, the volunteers participating in the test also received a questionnaire, in which they were asked to give their subjective impressions. Analysis of the results showed a correlation between the negativity of the volunteer’s reviews and the measured influence on spinal position. XO CARE’s sliding rotation controller not only had the best measured results, but was also described as the most comfortable to use.
Sources:
- Meyer, V. P., Brehler, R., Castro, W. H. M., Nentwig, C.G. Arbeitsbelastungen bei Zahnärzten in niedergelassener Praxis. Köln, München 2001.
- Dissertation for Doctorate of Dentistry in the Faculty of Medicine at the Goethe University Frankfurt. “The effect of different operational principles of dental foot controllers on spinal position and foot pressure distribution”, presented by Caroline Gerhard, 2011.