Assessing tool parameters that influence veterinarians’ postural risk during an equine odontoplasty

• Link between tool design and ergonomic risk • Ergonomic risk during a simulated equine odontoplasty • Design requirements for new equine odonotplasty tool • Assessing ergonomic risk of power and manual tool during veterinary procedure Since the domestication of horses, humans have found new ways to nourish and care for them. One such way is the introduction of grains and refined feed into their diets, however this deviation from their natural diet has introduced uneven wear and tear on horses’ teeth. This uneven wear can cause lacerations of soft tissue and now requires the intervention of trained veterinarians to remedy. Unfortunately, the care of animals puts a toll on veterinarians’ bodies due to the variation in their patients and gap in engineered tools. The objective of this study was to assess tool parameters that put veterinarians at risk for MSD development during an equine odontoplasty. A simulated equine odontoplasty was conducted on 20 subjects with previous experience performing odontoplasty procedures on live patients. Subjects used a Power Float and hand float to perform the odotontoplasty, and postural, ergonomic risk, and subjective comfort levels were assessed. Findings showed that while the Power Float was rated more favorably by participants in comfort ratings both tools showed significant ergonomic risks, this supports the link between tool parameters and risk of MSD development. This research helps inform tool design to protect veterinarians from ergonomic hazards during an equine odontoplasty.