Watch Your Back: Improving Your Posture and the Ergonomics of Clinic to Prevent Back Pain
By Dr. Cather McKay As dermatologists we spend our days leaning over our patients performing procedures and skin exams. Poor posture and repetitive strain lead to musculoskeletal injury over time. What causes back and neck pain? Back pain can generally be categorized as nociceptive or neuropathic. Physical stressors or repetitive strain on muscles activate nociceptors, while damage to nerve tissue itself leads to neuropathic pain. How can ergonomic stressors in a clinic day lead to back pain? Dermatologists bend in many directions to see all areas of our patients’ skin. During procedures, we spend long periods of time in cervical flexion looking down at our patients. Improper posture while seated, standing, or bending, leads to muscle strain and pain over time. Weak or tight muscles and poor patient positioning further contribute to these issues. What is “proper posture?” Good posture allows for the least amount of strain on our muscles, joints, and connective tissu