Dental Hands--May be the most random thread

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MissionDental

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Hi Future Colleagues!

So this issue has been on my mind for some time now and I would appreciate your input as dental students.

I lift weights regularly and was wondering if that may have some negative effect while trying to learn the manual dexterity of a dentist in pre-clinic and clinic.

For those that may not be aware...lifting weights regularly causes your hands to be rough/calice up in certain areas of your palm and fingers. In addition, more than just the external effect of rougher skin...i'm concerned about the internal effects of regular lifting weights on your muscles and joints of the hand (ie. having to squeeze strenuously while holding bars, lifting weights, etc.).

What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think that I should change my lifting routine to incorporate more cardio workouts just to be easier on my hands?

I appreciate all comments!!
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Hi Future Colleagues!

So this issue has been on my mind for some time now and I would appreciate your input if you are in the know.

I lift weights regularly and was wondering if that may have some negative effect while trying to learn the manual dexterity of a dentist in pre-clinic and clinic.

For those that may not be aware...lifting weights regularly causes your hands to be rough/calice in certain areas of your palm and fingers. In addition, more than just the external effect...i'm concerned about the internal effects of regular weight lifting on your muscles and joints of the hand (ie. having to squeeze strenuously while holding bars, lifting weights, etc.).

What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think that I should change my lifting routine to incorporate more cardio workouts just to be easier on my hands?

I appreciate all comments!!

Oh btw, gloves help...

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i've been lifting weights for the past 4 years. Like you said, wear gloves to avoid those callus. Once you're in dental school you might have to back off on the weights. This is your career you're talking about - so gotta be more careful.
 
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Treat your money maker nicely! Chicks will flock to you because of your money instead of your physiques anyway 😉.
 
I recommend getting a good pair of gloves with wrist wraps. I stopped wearing gloves as few years ago and I wear wrist wraps with straps, except my calluses are huge now. I think weight lifting is going to be a great stress reliever while in dental school, and the improved grip strength will help with extractions! lol
 
keep liftin'
im sure hte ladies would love some eye candy in d school 😉
 
This thread is great. In fact, I've contemplated starting a similar one many times. I constantly chose not to, so I wouldn't look like a meathead lol. Anyway, what I have decided is I will move away from really heavy lifting in dental school. Step down the weight, increase the reps. This will be easier on your hands/wrists. (I think your wrists are at much greater risk than your hands). Like people have suggested, I will definitely wear wrist-wraps. If you're concerned about calluses, then yes, wear gloves. But I still think your primary concern should be your wrists - if you hurt these, you will not be able to manipulate your hands in the necessary fashion. Lifting does not really hurt your hands aside from the calluses. Unless of course you drop a plate on them in between sets lol.
 
Its a good stress reliever, don't worry about it too much. Until you see that it is affecting your motor skills, keep doing what you like.
Cheers.
 
i am just a D1 but i don't think it will be a problem. there is a D4 that is ripped to all hell so i am guessing that that he lifts heavily and stills does fine.
 
i would almost half the guys in my class lift weights.

I've received As on my preps so far...
 
I lift weights myself. I think you should keep going with it. I know personally that I'm moving away from anything that will put me in any kind of risky position (e.g. catching a clean). I'm also focusing more on things like back exts., bridges and core rotational exercises. Think about how much time a dentist spends bent over or somewhat contorted and the importance of saving your back. I learned how inequitiies in core strength and stability can adversly affect even your everyday life the hard way through years of playing golf and not taking fitness seriously. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not lifting weights to be a better dentist, but I don't want my weight lifting to jepordize my ability to be a dentist either.
 
being a huge dentist is a must. so i would continue lifting weights if i was you.
 
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...seriously. i can't believe this was even posted...
 
RAK1987 said:
...seriously. i can't believe this was even posted...
Click to expand...

And why is that? It's a great question. I'm only 24 and have already dealt with tendinitis in my right wrist because I lift 6x week.

My advice to save your wrists and avoid injury is to focus on technique more than weight. Stand very tall and stiff so you don't cheat, hold your core tightly, and keep your desired muscle flexed and worked while you're doing your reps. Also, don't lower your rep all the way down. Thats your body cleverly giving itself an extra fraction of time to rest. Stop just short so you're hitting the muscle the whole time.

For protection, gloves and wrist wraps.
 
I've thought about this alot too. Do what I do boys....wrist wraps and animal paks. Specifically get the animal flex packs cause they got all the joint pills in them. Supplement well and never compromise form and you'll be fine.
 
i doubt a few callouses here and there will affect your technique. aside from olympian-esque competitors, i lose ALL respect for cheese***** who wear gloves in the weightroom. but thats just me.
 
Last edited:
I lift weights and I have no intentions of stopping if I get into DS. It keeps me healthy, both mentally and physically. I'm not reckless in the gym, I follow proper technique and do not do more than I am capable of. As long as you are careful, there is really no need to stop lifting. If you start to notice adverse effects, I'd say it's time you change your routine.

Also, what is the issue with calluses, or is that just an aesthetics concern? I don't see them affecting the mobility of your hand much.
 
RAK1987 said:
...seriously. i can't believe this was even posted...
Click to expand...


??? this is a completely relevant post. just like a lot of others have said, it's a great stress reliever, and who doesn't want to stay in shape?

i can pretty confidently say that i won't be playing rugby anymore, but i'm definitely planning on trying to keep up with the lifting during D school.

and hoss19... i wouldn't openly advertise your beliefs about "cheesedicks" in the weight room... especially around guys that are bigger than you.
 
My response would be that the more one uses and strain ones hands, the quicker they would wear out.
 
Is there a gym in dental school? Always wonder that...
 
lifting weights will not affect your manual dexterity in dental school.

working on teeth is all about finesse. the only time i use a lot of force, so far, is when i condense amalgam. other than that its very light strokes and not too much pressure.
 
gloves are for women. I have leather skin after all my years of lifting big. You'll be wearing gloves so no prob here, my only concern is my wrists, my left one is starting to hurt.
 
our school has one, UTMemphis. Not sure about others.

I would assume that most do.
 
In all honesty I would suggest against wrist wraps for anything except max lifts. By wearing the wraps you are artificially strengthening the wrist and it will be a weak point or at least a stress point unless its strength progresses along with the rest of your body. Same as if your wore a weight belt for squats all the time...you would not strengthen you back in proportion and become reliant on the belt.


I got into dental school this cycle and looks like I will have to scale back my mma training in the future. There is just too much risk to important structures. However I will be hard pressed to give up no gi.

Edit: I think I may take a proactive approach and start more grip and wrist strengthening routines.
 
i lift 4-5 times a week, and to be honest i would think that having to squeeze the bar would actually strengthen your hands making your manual dexterity even better!!

but it's always been my opinion of proper form>more weight, i think if you lift correctly (i.e. stop bouncing that car, keep your shoulders square etc...) you'll be fine, if you ever notice something not feeling right definitely stop for a while
 
PSU SHC 414 said:
??? this is a completely relevant post. just like a lot of others have said, it's a great stress reliever, and who doesn't want to stay in shape?

i can pretty confidently say that i won't be playing rugby anymore, but i'm definitely planning on trying to keep up with the lifting during D school.

and hoss19... i wouldn't openly advertise your beliefs about "cheesedicks" in the weight room... especially around guys that are bigger than you.
Click to expand...

edited!
 
Dentistry does a number on my back. I'd keep up w/ exercising- cardio, weights, flexibility if I were you.
 
just be smart about it, dont go crazy, and be careful and you should be fine.

i was thinking about this topic the other day before you posted it. not just lifting weights, but in general. a few months ago i was trimming tree branches when one fell and just about broke my hand (put my arm up to guard my face). luckily it was a deep bone bruse but it made me think. once im a dentist, ill have to be more careful, and hopefully i can afford to pay someone else to do that 🙂
 
supraman said:
gloves are for women. I have leather skin after all my years of lifting big. You'll be wearing gloves so no prob here, my only concern is my wrists, my left one is starting to hurt.
Click to expand...

Hey now, I don't wear gloves! =P
 
Yeah, callouses affecting manual dexterity blind-sighted me. Such a claim is ill-founded and makes no sense. It doesn't matter if you wear gloves or not. All gloves do is give you a better grip and replace your natural grip for some sort of leather. Personally, I like callouses so I don't wear gloves.

I think the real concern is whether weight lifting will (1) lead to withering away of the joints in your hand and/or (2) lead to a decrease in the fine motor nerve fibers of your hand/forearm (so you cannot perform the finesse movements that a dentist requires).
 
Plopper said:
i lift 4-5 times a week, and to be honest i would think that having to squeeze the bar would actually strengthen your hands making your manual dexterity even better!!

but it's always been my opinion of proper form>more weight, i think if you lift correctly (i.e. stop bouncing that car, keep your shoulders square etc...) you'll be fine, if you ever notice something not feeling right definitely stop for a while
Click to expand...

what do you mean "stop bouncing that car"

they have found that dynamic stretching is more more efficient that static stretching. more specifically they have found that there is an optimal tension in muscles to produce the maximal force. once a muscle is stretched beyond this point (as so often the case in static stretching) then the muscle will produce less force in the subsequent contractions.

bouncing is very helpful.
 
Probably a typo for bouncing the bar off the chest during a bench press.
 
Contach said:
Yeah, callouses affecting manual dexterity blind-sighted me. Such a claim is ill-founded and makes no sense. It doesn't matter if you wear gloves or not. All gloves do is give you a better grip and replace your natural grip for some sort of leather. Personally, I like callouses so I don't wear gloves.

I think the real concern is whether weight lifting will (1) lead to withering away of the joints in your hand and/or (2) lead to a decrease in the fine motor nerve fibers of your hand/forearm (so you cannot perform the finesse movements that a dentist requires).
Click to expand...

Re-Read the original post a little closer Buddy...no such "claim" was ever made. And your "real concern" was ALSO what I was referring to. Thanks for the input though. Cheers.
 
MissionDental said:
I lift weights regularly and was wondering if that may have some negative effect while trying to learn the manual dexterity of a dentist in pre-clinic and clinic.

For those that may not be aware...lifting weights regularly causes your hands to be rough/calice in certain areas of your palm and fingers. In addition, more than just the external effect...i'm concerned about the internal effects of regular weight lifting on your muscles and joints of the hand (ie. having to squeeze strenuously while holding bars, lifting weights, etc.).

What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think that I should change my lifting routine to incorporate more cardio workouts just to be easier on my hands?

I appreciate all comments!!

Oh btw, gloves help...
Click to expand...

so why are you talking about callouses?
but not only your post. the posts succeeding seem to promote the use of gloves.. but I don't see how or why this helps..

whatever, that's besides the point.. and you did go on to say a valid point (in my opinion).. I think we have to look at the research to see if weight lifting kills neurons or affects the ability to learn fine motor skills.

On a somewhat related note, I remember there being considerable evidence that weight lifting promotes bone growth in adolescents by applying a growth stimulus to the bones - this was contrary to conventional wisdom that making a 12 year old do back squats would stunt his growth.

There have definitely been problems with knee health in adults who squat a lot.
 
I don't know too much about the internal affects of lifting on your hands but in dentistry it is the tools that go in peoples mouths, not the hands. I don't believe the callices should affect you.
 
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