Clinical work on the foot requires a clear and detailed view of the subject at all times. Only then can your work be considered a success - particularly when your work is of a medical nature. A good magnifying lamp facilitates the visualisation of all features, enables precise work and relieves the strain on your eyes - for many years to come. It is therefore clear that a magnifying lamp that is ideal for your needs should be an integral part of your equipment.
However, choosing the right product is easier said than done: Which lamp is the right one for me? What features should I be looking for? How do I use my magnifying lamp correctly and what do I need to bear in mind for ergonomic working? Before you start looking at technical details and different models, you should answer some basic questions:
A fixed magnifying lamp should be robust and durable and adapt to the room situation when mounted. Magnifying lamps for mobile work should be as light and compact as possible. In any case, it should be ideal for your height. The versatility of the arm also plays a role here, as it enables ergonomic working, even when mobile. At RUCK you will find magnifying lamps with arm lengths from 30 to 70 cm and different weights.
Warm white, neutral white or cool white? Different details come to the fore on the illuminated skin depending on the light colour. For medical applications such as podiatry,
a neutral white colour temperature of about 4,000 K (Kelvin) is the best choice. Warm white light brings out the surface structure of the skin well, cold white light (approx. 5,300 K) makes blood vessels more visible.
Flicker-free, energy-saving LED bulbs are installed in PODOLOG and Waldmann magnifying lamps. They last up to 50,000 operating hours, which corresponds to a service life of 20 years. With dimmable lamps, you can appropriately adjust the light intensity to the room lighting conditions and treatment situation. Simple models have four dimming levels, top models such as the PODOLOG CIRCLE XL are smoothly dimmable.
Tension springs and joints are integrated into the arm of a magnifying lamp to ensure optimum moveability and stability. Magnifying lamps must reliably cope with thousands of motions and should have undergone corresponding long-term stress testing. When it comes to magnifying lenses, you can choose between plastic and glass lenses. Plastic is lighter and therefore more suitable for its mobile use, but more sensitive to scratches and chemicals. Glass is more durable, but also heavier, and therefore the right choice for use in a fixed practice. No matter which model, PODOLOG and Waldmann magnifying lamps are - in contrast to almost all competing products - manufactured in Germany. This signifies the level of quality and is also a benefit if you ever need service or spare parts.
Illuminance: 5,000 - 6,000 lx (at a working distance of 15 cm) Colour temperature: 4,000 K (neutral white) Colour rendering: Ra = 80 - 90 Magnification: 3.5 - 6 dpt
Tip: Use the magnifying glass sparingly. To prevent eye strain, you should not use the magnifying glass constantly while you are working. The lens distortion and the artificial light is not beneficial for the eyes in the long-term.
You should sit at right angle to the patient.
The patient’s leg should be propped up to enable easy access to underside of foot to enable you to maintain upright posture.
Kneel in front of the patient with the leg raised.
The patient should lie in prone position if possible or stand/kneel with the foot raised backwards.
For optimum illumination of your clinical area, it is recommended to mount the magnifying lamp diagonally opposite to the podiatry drill on the podiatry cabinet. If you are right-handed, you should mount the lamp on the rear left corner of your podiatry cabinet so that it can be reached from above. The maximum radius of action describes the length from the joint to the outer edge of the magnifying lamp and provides you with a relevant decision-making aid. In order to flexibly design your reach zone according to the treatment situation, the lamp head should be available from the first to the third reach zone. The magnifying lamp must illuminate the treatment area evenly and with pinpoint accuracy. The exact adjustment of the position should be smooth, the lamp must stay reliably still in the final position. From table clamps to mounting brackets for cabinet or wall mounting, you will find everything you need in terms of accessories at RUCK. Our online configurator can also give you assistance - here, many accessory details are automatically adapted to your lamp and furniture selection. Caution: Magnifying lamps are sensitive! To clean them, wipe them with a mild, alcohol-free disinfectant. Plastic lenses can be damaged by aggressive cleaning agents.
The uniquely flexible arm enables the user to work ergonomically, while the illumination is wide and even. The scratch-resistant magnifying glass provides a large field of view and distortion-free vision. An on/off switch allows for smooth dimming.
The tough aluminium housing encloses the totally scratch-resistant magnifying glass, which allows a wide field of view and provides vision without distortion. The magnifying lamp produces strong, wide-area and uniform illumination. The LED technology requires no maintenance.
This magnifying lamp comes with a hard-coated plastic lens and, thanks to its highly adjustable flexible shaft and small footprint it, is extremely suitable for podiatry. The low-distortion magnification makes it comfortable to work with.
The plastic lens used is particularly light, while the illumination level is extremely high at 7,450 lx. Besides smooth dimming via an easy-to-use on/off switch, a large field of vision is provided, which is evenly illuminated.
In your professional life, you are dedicated to ensuring that your patients live with healthy feet. But for you to be able to continue this, it is imperative that you adapt your workplace to your physical needs. Without consideration of your personal well-being, it would be impossible for you to continue long-term and with pleasure.
With podiatry in particular, you are seated for long periods of time, using a forward-leaning, often twisted posture towards the work equipment and the patient, and perhaps carrying heavy equipment during home visits - all of which are deemed to be extremely stressful on your back. Ergonomic practice equipment is therefore necessary to avoid tension and relieve the back. The reach zones to the moveable podiatry cabinet with its organisation systems, the placement of the instrument tray and the magnifying lamp all play important roles, as well as the height-adjustable practitioner chair and the adjustable podiatry chair.
