How to work stress and pain free. Prevention and recovery from workplace injury

There is no doubt that Dentistry is a very challenging profession. We work sitting down all day, in a confined space in a physically demanding position. Often it’s an emotionally charged environment and on people who for the most part, would like to be somewhere else. It is a recipe for STRESS!! Most of us have never been taught how to sit well and we often end up either tired, in pain or “crippled” at the end of our day.

This course has been designed specifically for all members of the dental team. While working in Endodontics for over 25 years, Dr Jones knows what problems the team experience and has found successful innovative techniques based on neuroplastic learning from the Feldenkrais Method. It is a profound but easy way to not only undo the damage already done, but to prevent work related injuries in the first place.

By addressing our bad postural habits this course can not only reverse some of the damage already done in the dental office but can prevent getting into trouble in the first place. It also has the added advantage of creating flexibility to improve your sports and fitness activities and help you come back to enjoying your body and grow old gracefully.

Dentists are encouraged to attend this course with their nurse.

Topics include

• Lecture on the anatomy of good posture from a functional perspective. What organisation of muscles contributes to best posture
• How spiral movement has been shown to be more efficient than other older model of biomechanics. Creating strength WITH flexibility
• How to use pelvis and “integrated core” as foundation for strong, flexible, balanced trunk in all the difficult things we need to do in the dental office 
• Efficient practical sitting, turning, getting up and down from chair 
• How to maximise benefits of using loupes and microscope
• An easy Daily Program to limber up for work, to unlock Sacro-iliac joint and align body for good posture and work before the day starts.
• First Aid strategies in case of unexpected pain or tension on the job
• How to integrate good relaxed shoulders, elbows and wrists with core trunk support
• Balancing flexors and extensors of trunk to facilitate and enhance good spiral movement

Learning Objectives

• Recapture enjoyment of your body again while you work; that ease and flexibility you may have had in much earlier days 
• Apply awareness and neuroplasticity of the nervous system to dismantle old bad postural habits and replace them with new ways that are more efficient biomechanically
• Recognise the neuromuscular basis for work injury, pain and discomfort specific to the dental office and demonstrate how to reverse and prevent this damage. Identify and in a practical way dismantle your own particular unique patterns of holding tension
• Reawaken your bodily wisdom (proprioception), something that stress has diminished in us and that has been scientifically demonstrated to be a key imperative in recovering from chronic pain and dysfunction 
• Incorporate relaxed shoulders and arms with good core trunk support.
• Activate new easy patterns of sitting, turning etc using spiral patterns that have been shown to be functionally more efficient and natural. Create new good habits of movement and balance as you work
• Learn a Daily Program to align body well before work as a prevention for further problems