presents:
Can Work-Related Pain Be Avoidable or Reversible? In the School of ErgoPractice®, Part 1 B. J. Chang, PhD A large majority of dental professionals and surgeons today
Statistics of Loupes
experience pain in their necks, shoulders, and upper backs. Many
Today the majority of dental professionals and surgeons use
practitioners believe chronic pain is a necessary evil inseparable
loupes. Based on various survey data we estimate that more than
from the practice of dentistry or surgery. But, work-related pain
85% of current loupe users may be using traditionally designed
can be avoidable or reversible if we work with ergonomically
loupes with inadequate declination angles (smaller than 25
designed loupes and headlights. Loupes, often called surgical
degrees). Less than 15% of current loupe users may be using
telescopes, establish one’s posture (good or bad).1 Headlights may
ergonomically designed loupes with adequate declination angles
either support or break the posture established by loupes.
(larger than 35 degrees).4,5 After using traditional loupes for 5 to
Are Tools Available for Practicing Dentistry or Surgery Pain-Free? The answer is defi nitely yes. During the last twenty (20) years SurgiTel has been dedicated to designing and building tools
15 years, many users have developed chronic pain or injuries in their necks, shoulders and upper backs. But they do not know that the main cause of chronic pain may be the continued use of traditionally designed, posture breaking loupes.
clinicians have testifi ed, the use of SurgiTel ergonomic loupes2
Why are Most Dental Professionals and Surgeons Using Traditional Loupes?
and headlights3 has helped dental professionals and surgeons
Pain due to the use of non-ergonomic loupes will take many years
avoid, alleviate or eliminate chronic pain.
before it becomes overwhelming and contributes to injury. Most
which enhance a clinician’s work and assure their safety. As many
users do not know that their loupes are the main cause of chronic In order to achieve a truly comfortable and safe posture, one that
pain because traditional loupes have been sold as ergonomic
will reward you with a long and pain-free career, there are two
loupes. Even traditionally designed loupes help users achieve a
critical tools and one supporting tool:
straighter lower back, but they will still force users to excessively
1. Loupes: Can make or break your posture. Ergonomic
tilt their heads.5 Believing they have ergonomic loupes based on
loupes will allow you to sit upright with a comfortable level
manufacturers’ advertisements, they often attempt to manage
of head tilt.
their pain by visiting chiropractors or physical therapists rather
2. Headlights: Maintains the posture established by
than searching for ergonomically correct loupes. But without
ergonomic loupes.
eliminating the root cause, treating symptoms is not a long term
3. Seating: Supports the posture created by loupes and
solution and cannot reverse their pain.
headlights. Educating customers on the ergonomic benefi ts of SurgiTel’s Most manufacturers have labeled their traditionally designed loupes
advanced loupes and headlights, SurgiTel has become one of top
as “ergonomic loupes.” Traditional designs can help users sit with
three loupe manufacturers in the world within a relatively short
a straight lower back, but cannot support a neutral neck posture for
period of time. SurgiTel continues to increase market share among
most procedures. Traditional loupes provide partial ergonomics.
new, young loupe buyers. In the early 1990s SurgiTel introduced
the 1st ergonomic loupes and later the 1st portable clinical headlights. But the other two loupe manufacturers (Orascoptic and Designs for Vision) have focused on promoting their traditional through-the-lens (TTL) loupes as ergonomic loupes, even if the declination angle of their loupes do not meet the ergonomic requirements for a comfortable and safe neck posture. Since the majority rule is applied here, many dental professionals and surgeons believe that traditional TTL loupes are ergonomically designed and continue to use traditional loupes, eventually resulting in chronic pain. It should be noted that even the declination angle of traditional front-lens-mounted (FLM) loupes is similar to the declination angle of traditional TTL loupes.
Creating the Right Tools and Sharing Experiences For a pain-free practice we have to have the right tools. During
References 1. Rucker, LM, Surgical Telescopes: Posture Maker or Posture Breaker, Murphy, D, Ed, Economics and the Dental Care, Am Public Health Assoc. Washington DC, 1998, pp191-216 2. Chang, BJ, Advances in Magnification and Mounting with SurgiTel’s Patented Prism Loupe Technology, ErgoPractice News, February Issue, 2014 , www.surgitel.com/news 3. Chang, BJ, Advances in SurgiTel Headlights: Design Considerations of LED Headlights for Color Accuracy and Eye Safety, ErgoPractice News, March Issue, 2014, www.surgitel.com/news 4. Valachi B, Practice Dentistry Pain-Free, Posturedontics Press, Portland, OR 2008 5. Chang, BJ, Key Factors for Ordering Custom Loupes: Part 1, Declination Angle as the Key Ergonomic Factor, ErgoPractice News, April Issue, 2014, www.surgitel.com/news
the last twenty (20) years SurgiTel has created all the necessary tools for the pain-free practice. SurgiTel products have helped many clinicians practice dentistry or surgery pain-free. As a part of ergonomic education, SurgiTel has been publishing ErgoPractice® News starting June 2013: www.surgitel.com/ news. We have reviewed the advances made in loupes and headlights, principles of clinical illumination, requirements of custom loupes, blue light hazards of cool LED lights, and key factors for selecting the right loupes. In our ErgoPractice News, several clinicians have shared their stories about their chronic neck pain caused by traditional loupes and how they were able to eliminate or alleviate their pain with SurgiTel ergonomic loupes. As a tribute to Steve Jobs, Brian Solis said, “Life is about creating and living experiences that are worth sharing.” First of all, I would like to thank all those who shared stories of their SurgiTel experience through our ErgoPractice News. I would also like to ask those who have achieved the pain-free practice to share your stories with your peers privately, or even using our ErgoPractice News. If you would like us to send our ErgoPractice News to your peers, who may now be suffering from posture related pain, share with us their e-mails. I strongly believe, together, we can make our work places both safer and more productive.
B. Jin Chang, PhD, is President and Chief Scientist of General Scientific Corporation, Ann Arbor, Michigan. From the late 1970s to late 1980s Dr. Chang lead the development of advanced head-up display systems for fighter jets such as F15E, A10 and F4. Over the last twenty years he has been extending the ergonomic principles used for military display systems designs to clinical vision systems. This had lead to SurgiTel’s family of ergonomic loupes and illumination systems which prevent chronic neck and back pains. Numerous patents (awarded and pending) have been applied to designs of SurgiTel’s loupes and illumination systems.
Jin Chang PhD Ann Arbor MI jchang@surgitel.com 1-800-959-0153 SurgiTel is a Division of General Scientific Corp.