u/orchid_dork

Sorry in advance for the technical post about ergonomics.

I’m in my 7th year of practice and within the past year year I’ve developed terrible left low back pain and sciatica. I’m a right-handed dentist, so it makes sense why only my left side is afflicted (all the awkward class 3 ergo left turns).

To my main point:

I’m 6’1” and find that everything in every office isn’t tall enough for me. I find myself bending over, leaning, scrunching, twisting, turning in awkward positions because everything is designed for people of a certain height range.

Pertaining to treatment, I have Q-Optics 4.5x ergo loupes with a working distance (WD) that accommodates standing dentistry moreso than sitting, although neither is totally perfect. I chose this distance so my shoulders remained dropped and elbows can be at 90° for patient care.

I find patient chairs aren’t tall enough for me to do standing dentistry (which I love) at the WD I’ve set. I still have to stand wide or gently lean over to focus my WD. Furthermore, sitting for long periods of times absolutely destroys my lower back. If I sit, I prefer 12 o’clock, however, I can’t fully tuck myself under the patient’s headrest to focus my WD. Also, any chair I sit in is soo bulky (even the nice ones like crown seating or ADEC) that my chair hits the back of the patient chair, which requires me to sit at the edge of the chair to maximize proximity to patient. In doing so, this means I have ZERO back support from a back rest.

I think Improper ideal WD, shitty chair design, and patient chairs that don’t go high enough are the ultimate cause of my health issues: chronic mid-low back pain due to static, rigid body positions.

I’ve had 2 MRIs, one of my low back and one of my left hip. Aside from a slight bulging disc (2mm L5-S1 which my orthopedist says really shouldn’t be causing such extreme agony), both MRIs are unremarkable meaning NSF.

Now to chairs:

How has a chair not been designed to address these sitting issues? Where a dentist can sit near the edge of a stool to maximize proximity to the patient, the back rest is curved forward to meaningfully support the mid-low back?? I’ve demoed several different brands from Henry Schien, but haven’t been impressed especially at the price point. Plus, websites like SitHealthier basically expect you to buy a stool without trying it and have no return policy. This whole gatekeeping trials shit has been driving me nuts!

Features I like:

1. Split-seat saddle stool

(room for my junk and no tailbone pressure)

1. More narrow (some of them feel like you’re riding a damn horse!)
2. Well-cushioned
3. Tall cylinder
4. Wheels that stay in position but also roll well (but not like those dang inline skate wheels)
5. Multi-directional tilt
6. Engaging back rest

PLEASE HELP ME FIND THE PERFECT SADDLE STOOL.

(Also, I’m getting my working distance readjusted and thinking about a second pair of loupes for just sitting dentistry.)