Postural and Muscle Fatigue Analysis of Endodontic Residents

April 28, 2026 updated by: Díaz-Flores García, Universidad Europea de Madrid

Postural and Muscle Fatigue Analysis of Endodontic Residents: A Research Proposal

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant occupational health problem for dentists and have been linked to a decline in quality of life, often leading to stress-related illnesses and early retirement. Poor posture, poor movement or imbalances in the neck or shoulders can lead to the three most common pain syndromes in dentistry. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the working position adopted during an endodontic procedure and to determine the perception of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders in first and second year students of the Master in Advanced Endodontics at the European University of Madrid (UEM), using the standardised Nordic Kuorinka questionnaire supplemented by a form with socio-demographic variables. This study has a descriptive cross-sectional observational design and included 10 students selected by convenience sampling. A video camera was used to record the procedures from three different angles for a maximum of 5 minutes. The information was processed using Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software, and the video recordings were assessed using Rodgers' Muscular Fatigue Analysis (RMFA) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

The unit of analysis for this study consisted of the first and second year students of the Master's in Endodontics programme at the European University of Madrid (UEM) who completed the two years of annual clinical practice during the years 2022/24. A total of 10 students were enrolled over the two years of training, treating 30 patients (3 patients per student) in the first year and another 30 patients in the second year (for a total of 22 months). A video camera was used to record the procedures from three different angles for a maximum of 5 minutes (two side views - right and left - and one frontal view) on different patients, following the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Protocol for Video Recording for Job Analysis and Risk Assessment. The selected endodontic procedure focused exclusively on upper or lower first molars during the opening and ultrasonic search for the fourth canal in upper first molars or the search for the mesiobuccal canal in lower first molars. The standardised Nordic Kuorinka Musculoskeletal Symptom Perception Questionnaire was used as the measuring instrument. Questionnaire data were collected using a spreadsheet program (Microsoft Excel).

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
10

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Madrid
      • Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain
        • Universidad Europea de Madrid

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

1st and 2nd year students of the Master's Degree in Endodontics of the European University of Madrid (UEM), who have completed the two years of the annual teaching period of clinical practice during the years 2022/24.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Students of the Master's Degree in Endodontics of the European University of Madrid (UEM), who have completed the two years of the annual teaching period of clinical practice.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects previously diagnosed with a musculoskeletal disorder.
  • Subjects who had suffered previous trauma affecting the musculoskeletal system.
  • Pregnant women in their third trimester.
  • Subjects who refused to participate.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Group 1
1st Year Students
Group 2
2nd year students

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Symptom Perception
Time Frame: January 2023 - July 2024
The standardized Nordic Kuorinka Musculoskeletal Symptom Perception Questionnaire will be used as a measurement instrument. Data from the questionnaires will be compiled in a spreadsheet program (Microsoft Excel); measures of central tendency and dispersion will be calculated as well as tables and figures. Sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, grade, weight, height, symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, body regions affected and times of symptom onset will be recorded.
January 2023 - July 2024

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universidad Europea de Madrid

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Ruth Perez Alfayate, PHD, Universidad Europea de Madrid

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 25, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 25, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 25, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 2, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 20, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 28, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 28, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Endo-ergonomics

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The data obtained will be used for scientific publications.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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