Did you know that drinking too much soda or other carbonated beverages could interfere with calcium absorption – a problem that could eventually lead to osteoporosis? Or that slouching at a desk all day or tapping away at a computer keyboard can lead to painful strains in your wrists, shoulders, elbows and back? These are just a few of the bad habits that can lead to musculoskeletal problems, conditions that have an enormous impact not only your health, but also on society as a whole. In the United States alone, musculoskeletal conditions cost society an estimated $254 billion every year and one out of every seven Americans reports a musculoskeletal impairment. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and health care organizations worldwide urge you to take steps to prevent musculoskeletal problems before they negatively impact your life. Bones, and the joints that create function and movement, are connected by muscle and ligaments. Doctors of chiropractic, in particular, have long emphasized the importance of spinal health, posture and other lifestyle factors in the body’s ability to function optimally. Poor spinal health, for instance, can cause a negative chain reaction throughout the body. It can cause stress on joints, which, especially if the muscles are weak, can cause wear and permanent damage. The ACA and your local doctor of chiropractic offer the following advice to help improve and maintain your musculoskeletal health.

At the Office:

o Make sure your chair fits correctly. There should be 2 inches between
the front edge of the seat and the back of your legs. Sit with your feet
flat on the floor, with your knees at a 90-degree angle. If you can’t sit
that way, use an angled or elevated footrest.

o Take periodic stretch breaks. Clench your hands in a fist and move your hands like this: 10 circles in, then 10 circles out. Put your hands in a praying position and squeeze together for 10 seconds and then “pray” with the backs of your hands together, fingers pointed downward for 10 seconds. Spread your fingers apart and then bring them together one by one.

o Hold the telephone with your hand or use the speakerphone. Don’t cradle the phone between your ear and shoulder. This can lock up the spinal joints in the neck and upper back, and eventually cause pain.

o Take breaks and alternate tasks that use different muscle groups.

o Arrange your desk so that everything is handy – phone, mouse, reference materials, reports – to minimize awkward stretching and reaching.

o Position your computer monitor so that the middle of your chin is aligned with the middle of your monitor. This will allow for good neck posture.

At Home:

o When you wash the dishes, open the cabinet beneath the sink, bend one knee, and put your foot on the shelf under the sink. Lean against the counter so some of your weight is supported in front.

o When resting or watching TV, don’t use the sofa arm as a pillow. The angle is much too sharp for the neck.

o Don’t bend from the waist when you lift a child. Squat with your back straight. Keep the child close to you and use your legs and arms to lift.

In the Yard:

o If you shovel snow, push the snow straight ahead. Don’t try to throw it and walk it to the snowbank. Avoid twisting and turning motions. Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let your legs and arms do the work, not your back. Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. Try to stand as erect as possible.

o When raking leaves, use a scissors stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes; then reverse, putting your left foot forward and your right foot back. Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up leaves. Make piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.

o For mowing, use your weight to push the mower. Whenever possible, use ergonomically correct tools for the job.

Playing Sports:

o Warm up slowly before a game. Do calisthenics, flexibility exercises, or light running to increase your heart rate.

o When sweat beads form, your body is at the proper temperature to stretch the tendons and muscles.

While Traveling:

o When driving, adjust your car seat so you can sit firmly against the seat back without having to lean forward or stretch. Buckle your seatbelt and shoulder harness, and adjust the headrest so that it supports the center of the back of the head.

o Invest in a wheeled suitcase that has a sturdy handle.

o Don’t always carry the weight on one side – take frequent breaks and transfer the weight to the other side.

o Don’t try to carry too much. Even wheeled suitcases can cause problems to the neck, shoulders and lower back when pulled from behind.

o When traveling by air, check all bags heavier than 10 percent of your body weight. Overhead lifting of any significant amount of weight should be avoided to reduce the risk of pain in the lower back or neck. While lifting your bags, stand directly in front of the overhead compartment so the spine is not rotated. Do not lift your bags over your head, or turn or twist your head and neck in the process.

o While seated in an airplane, vary your position occasionally to improve circulation and avoid leg cramps. Massage legs and calves. Bring your legs in, and move your knees up and down. Prop your legs up on a book or a bag under your seat.

For Children:

o Have a smaller table for them where they can do their homework, rather than force them to use a standard table and chair. If the child’s feet don’t touch the floor, place a footrest or box under the feet. Position the computer monitor so the top of the screen is at or below the child’s eye level.

o Make sure the straps of your child’s backpack are padded and worn over both shoulders, not just one. Also, the contents of the backpack should not weigh more than 10 percent of your child’s body weight.

o If your child is involved in sports, make sure all equipment, including helmets, pads and shoes, fits your child properly. If your teenage child is involved in soccer, make sure they are taught how to “head” the ball properly. A young child should not use the heading technique at all, according to ACA experts.

o Make sure your child has enough calcium included in his or her diet. ACA recommends 1 percent or skim milk for children over 2 years old, and whole milk for those younger than 2. The calcium in milk is essential for healthy bones and reduces the risk of joint and muscle related injuries.

o Make sure your child avoids sugar-loaded, caffeinated and carbonated drinks. Rather, encourage them to drink plenty of water. Caffeine can dehydrate your youngster, and the high levels of phosphorous in sodas and other carbonated beverages can interfere with calcium absorption – a problem that could lead to osteoporosis down the road.

While the ACA encourages you to follow these tips for better musculoskeletal
health, remember that good spinal health is but one component in a healthy
lifestyle. Exercising, getting a good night’s sleep, drinking plenty of water and
eating a nutritious diet contribute not only to health but also to the ability to heal after an injury.

Visit us at All Injury Rehab for more information and to set up an appointment.

Cat scans are a specialized type of x-ray.  The patient lies down on a couch  which slides into a large circular opening.  The x-ray tube rotates around the patient and a computer collects the results.  These results are translated into images that look like a “slice” of the person.

Sometimes a radiologist will decide that contrast agents should be used.  Contrast agents are iodine based and are absorbed by abnormal tissues.  They make it easier for the doctor to see tumors within the brain tissue.  There are some (rare) risks associated with contrast agents and you should make sure that you discuss this with the doctor before arriving for the examination.

CT is very good for imaging bone structures.  In fact, it’s usually the imaging mode of choice when looking at the inner ears.  It can easily detect tumors within the auditory canals and  can demonstrate the entire cochlea on most patients.

After a traumatic injury, such as one that might be sustained in a vehicle accident, while playing sports, or just bending over to pull a weed, you go to your Doctor to get it checked out, or at least I hope you do.  Your Dr. will do a thorough evaluation, take X-rays, and show you the findings.  Some of the things X-rays are great for showing include the following: fractures, dislocations, misalignment, certain types of pathology, osteoporosis, and disc sizes.  When just looking at an X-ray, you are only getting about 1/3 of the big picture.  Sometimes your Physician feels that it is necessary to get a bigger picture of what’s going on and he or she will order an MRI.  There may be many reasons why it was felt that more than an X-ray was needed, weather it be positive orthopedic tests that raise a red flag, the mechanism of injury, details from the patient history, or radiating pain.  But what is an MRI, and why is it so much better than an X-ray alone?  MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging.  They show soft tissue, not just bones, so a torn ligament, a disc bulge, a torn meniscus, or a lesion can be discovered.  The possibilities are near endless when it comes to an MRI.  The procedure uses magnets, not x-rays, and is painless, safe, and has no side effects.  So the next time you get checked out after an injury, make sure that your Dr. gets the full picture when it is warranted.

Visit us at All Injury Rehab for more information and to set up an appointment.

Ways to Prevent Backpack Injury

Wear a backpack properly

·  Distribute the weight properly. Put the heavier items on the bottom and against the back to keep the weight off of your shoulders and maintain a better posture.

·  Wear both shoulder straps unless your pack is designed for use on one shoulder.  Carrying a heavy backpack using one strap can shift the weight to one side, which can lead to neck and muscles spasms, low back pain and walking improperly.

§ Choose a backpack with thickly padded shoulder straps.  Non-padded straps dig into the shoulders causing pain due to compressional loading of the acromioclavicular joints and stress on the trapezius muscles.

§ Choose a backpack with a lumbar support. The lumbar cushion will redistribute weight to the lower extremities, creating a fulcrum that facilitates an upright standing position and good posture that is essential for proper spinal health.

§ Use an ergonomic backpack. Shift the weight off the shoulders, neck and upper back to the lower back. This will prevent injury and is more comfortable.

Lift a backpack correctly.
·  Face the backpack before you lift it.
·  Bend at the knees and lift with your legs not with your back.
·  Keep the pack close to the body.

Carry only what you need.  Every extra item adds weight!

Here’s a video to sum it all up: Backpack safety video

Visit us at All Injury Rehab for more information and to set up an appointment.

Facts About Backpack Injury

·  Heavy backpacks have a destructive impact on the posture and spinal health of
children.

·  Today’s heavy loads are causing injuries that can last a lifetime.

·  55% of students carry more than the recommended national guidelines of 10-15% of body weight. (Simmons College, April , 2001)

·  The average student has a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score for pain of 5.8 (Northeastern University).  The study further showed that a good way to prevent this injury was with an AIRPACKS backpack.  Specifically, the average student wearing an AIRPACKS backpack had a 50% reduction in pain as compared to the control group and had an average VAS score of 1.8

·  66% of school nurses reported seeing students with pain or injury attributed to carrying backpacks. (AIRPACKS survey, 2000)

·  Up to 60% of children will experience back pain by the time they reach 18
years of age. (University of Michigan)

·  National Public Radio reported that 65% of adolescents’ visits to doctors are for backpack related injuries. (October, 1998)

·  The American Academy of Orthopedics stated that backpack injury is a significant problem for children.

- 58% have seen patients complaining about back or shoulder pain related to
backpacks

- 65% have recommended that a patient modify use of a backpack to improve
or correct a back problem. (October 1999)

- Medical professionals advise that individuals carry no more than 10-15% of
their body weight on their backs. Example: a child weighing:

Users’ weight Backpack weight
50 lbs. No more than 7.5 lbs.
80 lbs. No more than 12 lbs.
100 lbs. No more than 15 lbs.
130 lbs. No more than 19.5 lbs.

Many children, teens and adults are carrying up to 40 lbs. and are
potentially injuring themselves.

Visit us at All Injury Rehab for more information and to set up an appointment.

When assessing injury in patients after a MVA, should speed of the impact be considered? Here is what Arthur Croft, DC, MS, MPH, FACO of the Spine Research Institute of San Diego has to say:

“Here, the relationship between property damage and injury risk is nonlinear. In the lower velocity range, vehicles are relatively stiff, the collisions more elastic. In engineering parlance, there is a relatively higher coefficient of restitution in lower velocity crashes. Then, as crash velocity increases, so too does the amount of residual crush of the vehicle. Interestingly, though, the actual risk to the occupants decreases as this occurs. This has been demonstrated in several studies. So, over this range of crash velocities, there is no good correlation between injury risk, injury severity, or long-term outcome and property damage. This is, of course, an important distinction to understand.”

Here is an article which explains how insurance companies are perpetuating the myth that injurie are not likely at low impact:  DISPELLING THE MYTHS THAT YOU CANNOT BE INJURED IN A “LOW IMPACT” AUTO ACCIDENT

Great article laying out the truth about low impact injuries:  Soft Tissue Injuries From A Low Impact Auto Accident

The research is overwhelming in showing that injuries and even death can occur in low impact crashes.

Visit us at All Injury Rehab for more information and to set up an appointment.