How many hours do you sit on your dental stool? If you add it all up, clinical dental hygienists spend hundreds of hours on their stools after just a few months. Are you sitting correctly? Do you have the stool adjusted to fit you? If not, you could be setting yourself up for pain, fatigue, discomfort, or even injury.
If you’re anything like how I used to be, you may take whatever stool the office has and try to make it work. I used to think all stools were the same. But it wasn’t until I started learning and ultimately teaching ergonomics that I realized how wrong I was. Stools are not one-size-fits-all. (Just like a pair of pants, right?) We’re all different shapes and sizes, and our stools must be ones that “fit” us, just like a perfect pair of jeans.
While there are many aspects to selecting the right stool, this article will guide you through a step-by-step process to adjust yours for maximum comfort and support. You can also view my video tutorial here.
Since the stool will impact how you feel, your posture, and how close you can get to the patient, let’s start with the basics.
First is the backrest
I use a saddle stool that doesn’t have a backrest, but some saddles and most traditional stools have backs. You want that backrest to be pressed into the lumbar curve. It’s there to reinforce that curve and prevent it from flattening out.
Many times, when people develop low back pain, it’s because this curve is starting to flatten out, which pinches the nerves between the spinal discs, causing pain. One reason I like saddle stools is that they naturally support this curve, and many hygienists realize they don’t need the backrest when they switch to a saddle.
Next is the seat pan
This is the part of the stool you sit on. You want this adjusted forward just a bit. This opens the angle of the hip. Many of us in dentistry have very tight hip flexors due to the prolonged time we spend sitting. See my quick video with tips for this. Tipping the pan forward opens your hips, which also relieves pressure on the lumbar spine. Don’t tip it so much that you feel like you will fall forward; this is a very small adjustment.
Height of the stool is next
You want to sit high enough so your hips are above your knees. What you don’t want is the thighs parallel to the floor with a 90-degree angle between your torso and legs. (This is how I was taught, but I’ve since learned this isn’t the optimal way to sit.)
I prefer clinicians to sit as high as comfortably possible. This is yet another reason why I prefer saddles; they are easy to “sit high” on. The benefits of elevated seating are, again, opening up the hips, but this also gets your legs out of the way, therefore allowing you to get nice and close to the patient. No more legs jutting out in front of you, hitting the patient chair, and preventing you from getting close.
Finally, pay attention to your feet
You want your feet flat on the floor—not crossed, not up on the casters of the stool, but firmly planted on the floor. You want your feet and rear end to be a tripod, with your weight evenly distributed between all three.
Seating is a crucial, yet often overlooked, aspect of ergonomics and posture. I learned much later in my career how important this is for us and I wish I'd known years earlier. Developing good ergonomic habits early, like proper seating, will ensure your health and longevity, and will enable you to stay in the dental hygiene career you love.
