Choose an electric examination table if you change the height often and prefer to hold a switch rather than pump a pedal. Choose a hydraulic examination table if you want height adjustment without an electrical connection and a foot pump suits the way you work.
Lowering the table for a patient and raising it for an examination is part of everyday practice. Height adjustment lets you adapt the table to patient access and your working position, so the system you choose should fit naturally into your routine.
To decide which fits your practice, consider how often you adjust the height, where you need to reach the controls and how the table fits into your room.
| What to compare | Electric examination table | Hydraulic examination table |
| How the height changes | An electrically powered mechanism raises or lowers the table while you operate a switch. | A foot-operated pump raises and lowers the table |
| Operating action | Hold the relevant control until the table reaches the required height. | Use repeated pedal strokes to raise the table and lifting the pedal to bring it down. |
| Controls | Circular switch, foot switch or hand switch, depending on the model. | Foot pedal; its position and accessibility depend on the model. |
| Power requirements | Requires a suitable power source. Check the model’s connection and any battery provision. | The hydraulic height mechanism works without an electrical connection. |
| Frequent height changes | Worth considering when height changes are a regular part of each appointment. | Consider whether the pedal action suits the frequency and extent of your adjustments. |
| What still needs checking | Height range, load limits and adjustment of individual tabletop sections. | Height range, load limits and adjustment of individual tabletop sections. |
Electric height adjustment can be a practical choice when you frequently change the examination table’s height during an appointment. You may lower the table for patient access, raise it for an examination and adjust it again when moving between seated and standing work. In a shared room, practitioners of different heights may also need different working positions.
With electric adjustment, you hold a switch until the table reaches the required height. With hydraulic adjustment, you use repeated pedal strokes to raise the table. In a comparison of the electric and hydraulic versions of the Novak M Examination table SL, both tables took the same time to rise from 47 to 94 cm. The hydraulic version required approximately 25 full pedal strokes. The difference is therefore not speed but the type of effort.
Everyday height adjustments usually cover only part of this range. Even so, the difference between repeated pedal strokes and holding a switch is worth considering when you adjust the height frequently. During a demonstration, try raising the table through the range you normally use to see how the controls feel in practice.
An examination table’s height controls should be within easy reach from the positions you normally use during examinations. Both the type of examinations and the room layout influence which control arrangement suits your practice.
In general practice, working mainly from one side of the examination table may be sufficient for routine examinations. Where access from both sides is not needed, positioning the table against a wall can help make better use of the available space, particularly in a compact consulting room. Both an electric foot switch and a hydraulic pedal can suit this arrangement, provided the control is within easy reach on the working side. Novak M’s hydraulic examination tables have pedals on both sides.
Some specialist examinations and procedures require access to the patient from several sides. With either a foot switch or a hydraulic pedal, you need to return to the control to adjust the height. A circular switch provides access from all sides of the table, making height adjustment more convenient when you regularly move around the patient. Novak M’s S-line electric examination tables feature this type of control. In practice, users value this flexibility:
“We particularly appreciate the all-round height adjustment using the circular switch, which allows us to work flexibly and ergonomically.”
Dr. med. David Muggli, Derma Stettbach, Switzerland
During a demonstration, try adjusting the height from your usual seated and standing positions. This will help you assess whether you can reach the controls comfortably or need to change position to operate them.
Hydraulic height adjustment works without an electrical connection, which can be useful if you frequently reposition the examination table or move it between consulting rooms. There is no power cable to unplug or manage when changing the layout, for example when different practitioners use the same room for different types of examination.
For an electric examination table, plan the power connection around its intended position. A suitably located wall or floor socket can help keep the cable clear of walking routes and working areas. If the table usually stays in one place, a well-planned connection allows electric height adjustment to fit neatly into the room.
No. Electric height adjustment only describes how the table is raised and lowered. It does not automatically mean that the head section or other tabletop sections are electrically adjustable, and the choice between electric and hydraulic height adjustment is not available on every model.
Height adjustment is only one of the movements and specifications to check. For each model you are considering, ask:
Start with the tabletop configuration and patient positions your examinations require, then compare the models that offer them. Alongside the adjustment options, consider dimensions, upholstery and accessories when choosing an examination table for your practice.
Visit the Novak M showroom to try both types of height adjustment and explore the positioning options that suit your examinations.
Neither is better in every case. Choose an electric examination table if you change the height often and prefer to hold a switch. Choose a hydraulic examination table if you want to work without an electrical connection and a foot pump suits your routine.
Not necessarily. In a comparison of the electric and hydraulic versions of the Novak M Examination table SL, both tables took the same time to rise from 47 to 94 cm. The difference is the effort: approximately 25 full pedal strokes on the hydraulic version, compared with holding a switch on the electric one
The hydraulic height mechanism works without an electrical connection. There is no power cable to manage, which can be useful if you frequently reposition the table or move it between consulting rooms.
A circular switch provides access from all sides of the table. With a foot switch or a hydraulic pedal, you need to return to the control to adjust the height. Novak M’s S-line electric examination tables feature a circular switch.
No. Electric height adjustment only covers raising and lowering the table. Check how each tabletop section you need, such as the head section, is operated on the model you are considering.
