A Personal Trainer, But for the OP

I clearly over need an objective my someone remember patient view to thinking this one day as I was hunching with my back screaming at me. "I just come in and watch me work so I can get of my posture and habits." I thought this because, over my 14-year career as a full-time clinical hygienist, I knew my ergonomics were not good, and my pain had pushed me to my breaking point.

I love being a hygienist. I love helping my patients achieve better health. Honestly, I love the feeling and sound of calculus flying off the teeth! Dental hygiene has given me so much; a stable income, strong relationships with my patients and coworkers, and is constantly pushing and challenging me.

For the first ten years of my career, I experienced very little in the form of pain and fatigue. I mistakenly thought I was somehow "immune" to the body issues I heard my fellow hygienists complaining about. Pain was rarely on my mind, as I didn't experience it often. I focused on improving my clinical skills, learning new technologies, and enjoying my life.

Then the pain came. And did it come! At first, I noticed it at the end of my work week, but then it gradually increased to the point where I was constantly in pain, whether I was working or not. It disrupted every aspect of my life. My work performance was declining, my mental health was suffering, and I could no longer enjoy things I once did, like outdoor activities, working out, and socializing with friends. Now pain was ever-present on my mind. I went from rarely thinking about pain, to pain being all I thought about.

During this time, I saw everyone I could think of; chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, physical therapists, personal trainers, and more. While these treatments helped some, I was still in considerable pain, and my quality of life was quite compromised. I didn't know this at the time, but I was spinning my wheels because I wasn't adjusting the SOURCE of my pain, which was my behavior in the operatory.

I decided to re-learn ergonomics (due to the fact I felt like I had forgotten everything I learned in school about positioning, neutral posture, etc.). I took some courses, read some studies, and started implementing changes in the operatory. I almost immediately felt the difference. I had less pain, more energy, and I found the joy of practicing dental hygiene again. When my pain was at its worst, I started to resent my job and my patients. This is not me at all! But that's what pain does; it turns you into someone you're not.

As I learned more about ergonomics and felt the difference it made, a light bulb went off. I thought, "what if I could help other dental clinicians with their ergonomics? What if I could be that person I wished I had when I struggled?" I knew I was not the only one in dentistry struggling with posture, ergonomics, and pain. So I decided to return to school, get certified in ergonomics, and start a business. Just like that, I was an entrepreneur.

Looking back, I think I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, I've had ideas for products or businesses but never took action. When this idea came, however, it was almost as if I didn't think about it at all; I just acted.

Since it was over COVID, I got certified online as a Certified