Table 6. Dependency between practicing sports and the dentists’ pain intensity self-assessment. N=567
References
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2.
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4.
5.
Note: Sum total of all percentages may exceed 100, as some of the respondents have marked more than one response; the
total number is based of the number of respondents.
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Peter Georgiev BOJINOV
Table 7. Dependency between the dentists’ practicing sports and the duration of MSD provoked pain. N=562 p>0,05
DMD, PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Dental Public Health
Faculty of Dental Medicine
Medical University - Sofia
Sofia, Bulgaria
CV
and mild pain (23.62%).
Gradually, with the increase of the pain intensity
practicing sports is reduced, which means that
probably strong pain is a barrier to sporting or
namely due to reduced sports practicing the pains
intensify.
Our data show no statistically significant
dependence between practicing sports and the
pain duration period (Table 7).
What is interesting in our findings is that the most
active dentists prove to be those experiencing
more recent pain (for weeks - 85,72%). Practicing
sports is lower in the groups experiencing the MSD
type of pain for months and years (respectively
68.25% and 63.07%). It indicates that despite
the lack of statistical significance, it is likely that
continued chronic pain is a hindrance to practicing
sports by the dentists.
4. Discussion
Our study revealed that a small percentage of
dentists practiced sports regularly (12.6%). The
more active were the younger dentists (length
of service group 11–20 years), men being more
active than women. Practicing sports dropped with
the decrease in health self-assessment. Officially
published data are similar to our findings. The
study by J. Szymanska 5 conducted in Poland also
indicated a low level of practicing sports– fitness
7.76% and jogging – 10.05%. A significantly higher
level of practicing sports was observed however
among the dental medicine students in Brazil per
data reported by M. DeCarvalho 1 , showing that
144
PRACTISING SPORTS AMONG DENTISTS IN BULGARIA
50.2% practiced sports regularly (20.3% body
building and 16.7% jogging). Our data also show
more active practicing of sports among younger
dentists – with 11-20 years of length of service. We
think that pain due to MSD serves as a motivation
to go sporting, yet with the pain intensity increase
practicing sports is reduced, most active being
those experiencing recent pain (for weeks –
85.72%). Practicing sports influenced positively
the health of dentists, decreasing the pain of the
lower back. 9 Physical activities less than twice a
week were associated with the higher prevalence
of MSD. 8
5. Conclusions
1. A very small fraction of the respondent dentists
practice sports regularly (12.63%).
2. The most active is the group of 11-20 years
length of service, men being a bit more active than
women.
3. Practicing sports drops down with the decrease
in health self-assessment.
4. Despite the lack of statistical significance, the
results showed that practicing sports decreased
with the pain intensity increase, the most active
being those with most recent pain (for weeks) –
85.7% and moderate intensity.
Acknowledgments
The authors declare no conflict of interest related
to this study. There are no conflicts of interest and
no financial interests to be disclosed.
Stoma Edu J. 2017;4(2): 140-145
http://www.stomaeduj.com
Dr Peter Georgiev Bojinov was born on June 20, 1976 in Sofia. He graduated from the Faculty of Dental
Medicine, Medical University - Sofia, Bulgaria in 2000.
In 2002 he became an Assistant at the Department of “Social Medicine and Dental Public Health” in the Sofia
Faculty of Dental Medicine. In 2005 he obtained a new specialty, namely “Social Medicine and organization of
dental health”, and in 2007, another specialty, namely “General Dentistry”. In 2011 he was promoted Assistant
Professor.
In 2014 he defended his doctoral thesis on the topic: “Musculoskeletal disorders among dentists, associated
with dental practice” and was awarded his PhD degree.
PRACTISING SPORTS AMONG DENTISTS IN BULGARIA
Questions
Work related musculoskeletal disorders among dentists are associated with:
qa.
qb.
qc.
qd.
Microorganisms in the mouth of patients;
Sport activity of dentist;
Mercury, monomers of dental plastics and other chemical risk factors of dental practice;
Marital status of dentists.
Underlain the correct answer:
qa.
qb.
qc.
qd.
Men are more active than women with sport activities;
Older dentists are more active with sport activities than younger;
There is no statistical significance between sport activity and length of service;
There is statistical dependency between sport activity and daily and weekly workload.
In our study the regular sport activity among dentists is:
qa.
qb.
qc.
qd.
100%;
12.6%;
77.9%;
50%.
The sport activity increases with:
qa. Increase of pain intensity;
qb. Age;
qc. Decrease of pain intensity;
qd. Decrease of health self-assessment.
Stomatology Edu Journal
145