What Do You Know About "Non-Accidental Back Injury"?

On a recent survey of over 2,000 office workers, 70% of the poll respondents said that their backs felt significantly worse at the end of their work day as compared to the start of their day.

“It should come as no surprise that sitting for long periods in an office chair can cause low back pain. Sitting adds large amounts of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs (even more than standing), and often people with desk jobs don’t move around much and/or they slouch, causing even more strain on spinal structures,” says John Triano, DC, PhD, a chiropractor in Plano, Texas. “However, the poll results do suggest that ‘ergonomics’ is not yet well understood or applied correctly in the office environment. Just having an office chair, key board or mouse labeled as ‘ergonomic’ isn’t enough by itself to prevent low back pain.”

According to experts, what matters most when selecting an office chair isn’t price or if the chair is labeled ‘ergonomic’ but more importantly how well educated its user is about correct body position and biomechanics. When setting up an office chair, the single most important step is to support the lower back curve. Then, additional modifications can be used to adjust the office chair according to the individual’s unique physical proportions.

Throughout each work day, people with desk jobs should avoid slouching or leaning forward. This can lead to permanent changes in normal body structure.

Another important point: avoid static posture while sitting. “Even if you use your office chair properly, sitting for prolonged periods will usually cause fatigue and discomfort – especially if the person already has an unhealthy back. My best advice is to find a specialist or health care provider that can get you headed back in the right direction,” adds Dr. Triano.

Prolonged static posture is the enemy. The healthy body can only tolerate staying in one position for about 20 minutes. That is why sitting on an airplane, at a desk in an office chair, or at a movie theatre becomes uncomfortable after a short time. Standing in one place, such as standing on a concrete floor for extended periods of time tends to cause back pain. Holding the same position slowly diminishes elasticity in the soft tissues (muscles ligaments and tendons in the back). Then, stress builds up and causes back discomfort and/or leg discomfort.

An unhealthy body will begin to breakdown and fail in even less time. These changes often go unnoticed while a degenerative process continues to take place. By this point, the damage is already being done!


Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

UPCOMING EVENT!

March 23rd - April 3rd is “Healthy Back at Work – Healthy Back for Life”. Do you know someone who sits for more than 4 hours per day? Give them this newsletter. We welcome them to call us -to schedule a free 15 minute biomechanics and ergonomics consultation (free back support with every consultation).
Please, see the front desk for more details.

Degenerative Disease At An All Time High - Take Action Now!

The focus of this week’s newsletter is how unhealthy work habits can literally promote degenerative disease. The thing to know and remember is this… if you don’t know how to prevent it – you will get it!

INTRODUCTION: At one time or another, most people have experienced back pain and stiffness. People often attribute this to a "stressful day" or "sleeping wrong". Most commonly, a degenerative process or disorder of the spine is responsible. Degenerative "disease" typically refers to the bodily changes associated with excessive, unnatural wear and tear as you age.

DEFINITION: Degenerative disease of the spine refers to a breakdown of its normal shape and architecture.

THE PROBLEM: The joints, discs, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves of the body are designed to last a very long time. However, medical research is showing that degenerative disease is reaching an all time high, even in young adults and children.

THE SOLUTION: Some medical “experts” say that degenerative disease is part of getting older or is genetic. These same “experts” will say that anti-inflammatory drugs and low impact exercise are the best solution. The truth is education, detection and prevention is the best way to stop, or avoid all together, problems associated with degenerative disease.

It is a medical fact that the body responds to stress and physical demands by either building up (building muscle/bone) or breaking down (degenerative disease). Another medical fact is that the shape and condition of your spine, your “core” dictates which direction you will go.

For example, the normal curvature of the lower spine has a strong tendency to change shape when sitting for long periods of time. Most often the normal curvature is reduced. This change alters the load bearing capacity of the lower spine, i.e. its ability to handle stress while sitting, standing, lifting, playing, etc. For this reason, we are seeing a dramatic increase in back ache/pain and degenerative disease in people who sit for more than 4 hours per day – this includes sitting at work, in the car, and on the couch!

If you sit for more than 4 hours per day do not fret. You can take control of the situation. However, you must take the right steps if you are to avoid degenerative disease and enjoy a happy, active retirement.

First, you must know if your lower back curve is normal, or has already changed. Remember, your sitting habits can develop an excessive curvature just as easily as a reduced curvature – both cases can be disastrous! Then, with this understanding your sitting posture can be specifically modified to reduce, and in many cases, even correct the problem. The benefits of making such a seemingly minor change can be significant enough to help you avoid the “inevitability” of degenerative disease. According to medical research, the people who go to work without this knowledge will experience an accelerated aging process and inevitably develop degenerative disease.

This knowledge can be obtained in less than 5 minutes with a standing x-ray. The shape and condition of your low back curvature can be measured, and any signs of degenerative disease can be evaluated. Most importantly, this information will allow you to take preventative measures before it’s too late.

Know your spine, change your habits, and take control of your life! We are here to help you do just that.

Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

“As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.”

Statistics Reveal The Inherent Danger of "Sitting for a Living"

Statistics show a rise in health hazards related to a sedentary life spent at the desk, usually in front of the computer. Musculoskeletal disorders rose from 18% in 1985 to 52% in 1989 and 56% in 1991. Other studies show that 31% of medical claims made by employees pertaining to a computer environment involved neck and back. The medical compensation caused by these and other work-related health hazards exceeds $100 billion annually in the US alone.

Occupational hazards that you should be aware of and concerned about:

The eyes are the first to get affected by prolonged computing and the spinal cord is a close second. Cervical Spondylitis is a disorder pertaining to the neck - inflammation of the vertebrae manifests as pain and stiffness. This, according to medical researchers, is the most common ailment among computer users. Another common ailment is positional backache, which is also termed as Lumber Strain and is caused by both spinal misalignment and improper ergonomics.

Another persistent health hazard is Repetitive Strain/Stress Injury (RSI). PC users most commonly complain of numbness or pain, anywhere from the shoulders to the feet. RSI is a more chronic ailment caused over the years. Capillaries carry blood to muscles and tendons. As tense muscles squeeze (like when bending the finger or the wrist), blood flow to the affected area slows down. When the blood flow stops, a muscle has enough energy stored to cope with the tension for a brief while. Once this is expended, the muscle switches to an inefficient form of energy supply. Once this too is over, lactic acid builds up in the muscle, causing pain and fatigue.

In a reflex reaction called the splinting reaction, the neighboring muscles tense up, triggering a self-sustaining pain cycle. The pain can also migrate from one part of the body to another. Over time, the strained muscles turn hyper-sensitive and develop specific tender points called myofascial trigger points. The inadequate blood supply causes numbness and tingling.

On account of larger nerves being squeezed, the tingling and numbness is more defined. The tell-tale signs of RSI are pain, stiffness, swelling, numbness and tingling in the neck, back and limbs. Stressful positions of the body, as those faced by desk workers, serve only to aggravate the potential for bodily damage and a declining health status.

Denial of the early stage symptoms is one of the main causes that will aggravate the condition. Precautionary measures need to be interwoven into our daily lifestyle and methods of working. This is where we come in by offering specific medical advice to reduce stress upon the concerned body part and reduce the chances, if not prevent the possibility of any injury.

While awareness of the benefits of using, say, an ergonomic chair or mouse is common knowledge, there is much more to be concerned and educated about. For example, one precaution that is ignored as much as it is stressed upon is to develop a healthy awareness of proper body mechanics both in and out of the office.

While technology continues to open new frontiers, it brings with it newer hazards. With computers becoming an integral part of our work implements, prevention is the only course of action worth taking.

Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

“As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.”

Work Habits Linked to Abnormal Aging Process

Rachel stretched back in her chair and shut her eyes. She put down her glasses and massaged the tight muscles
in her neck. She noticed that the nagging pain in her neck had spread to the middle of her back. She sighed as another day ended with stress, soreness and fatigue.
Sound familiar? This probably describes how most of us who spend long hours sitting in front of the computer feel at the end of the day. We are slowly waking up to the fact that our stressful work habits may be the cause of the constant discomfort we feel, but can’t put our finger on.

This awareness has given rise to what we call the Work-related Physical Stress Phenomenon. In short, I am referring to one key principle: How the body can age and literally degenerate in response to unhealthy work habits.

"Health problems caused by long hours sitting in front of a computer are jeopardizing the health of the work force and affecting corporate America's ability to compete in the global economy," said Dr. Peter F. Ullrich, medical director of Spine-health and an orthopedic spine surgeon.

It is true! The body ages and degenerates in response to the stress that we consistently subject it to, i.e. work-related stress. We have medical laws that support this principle. Do a Google search for Wolff’s Law (bone), Davis’s Law (muscle), Laplace’s Law (nerve) and you will see that the human body will grow and develop normally or age and degenerate abnormally all based on the quantity and quality of physical stress.

Think about it this way. What happens when a person goes to the gym to lift weights? They stress their body in order to change it, right? When the stress is normal and healthy the body will grow and develop in a positive direction. However, when the stress is abnormal and unhealthy the body will grow and develop in a negative direction. We usually see this in the form of injury, strains and sprains, bad postures, sore muscles, flexibility problems, etc.

Do you know how to control how much abnormal, unhealthy stress your body is subjected to in any given day? If you don’t know how to calculate and control this - you better learn how to figure it out. For this could be the single largest determining factor in how healthy your body will be by this time next year, 5 years from now, and especially 10-20 years from now.

Ergonomics is more than just having a fancy chair, mouse or keyboard to play with. You must learn how to control and positively influence your body mechanics at work and at home. You can take control of your work-related stress. In fact, health statistics say you better figure it out before it is too late.

Your habits dictate how you age. Don’t let work-related physical stress affect your health and your well being any longer. Learn and share the principles and teachings we offer in this office.

NEW – COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENT:

The first 2 weeks in March (2nd - 13th) is “Healthy at Work – Healthy for Life”. Do you know someone who works at a desk all day? Give them this newsletter. Tell them to receive a free ergonomics and wellness evaluation. See the front desk for more details.

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig Burns

Weekly News Report

STUDY RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT OVER-DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER

Regular screenings for breast cancer detection have become almost as common as the twice a year visit to the dentist for an oral exam. Now, new evidence comes from a major study in Europe which suggests that an increased rate of screenings is leading to the discovery and treatment of cancers that may have spontaneously regressed had the woman not undergone a mammography.

What is most interesting about the results of this study conducted in four Norwegian countries is that breast cancer rates increased by a significant 22 percent when women began undergoing a mammography every two years. This data was recently reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a publication of the American Medical Association.

The research into the incidence of breast cancer began in 1996 at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, Norway. Between then and the year 2001, the results of 119,472 women age 50 to 64 who had 3 rounds of screenings during this time period were evaluated. The rates of cancer among this group were compared to the results of 109,784 women of the same age group who did not receive a screening but who would have, had screening existed in 1992. Cancers were tracked for 6 years with all participants undergoing a one-time screening at the end of that period.

What the researchers found was a much higher incidence of cancer in the screened group than in the control group, according to Per-Henrik Zahl, M.D., PhD of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Out of every 100,000 screened women, 1,909 had breast cancer during the six-year period. This was compared to 1,564 of every 100,000 in the control group. “The cumulative incidence of invasive breast cancer remained 22 percent higher in the screened group,” the study authors said, and screened women of every age were more likely to be told they had cancer.

This single study, of course, is not to say that women should not be screened for breast cancer or take the steps they feel necessary to be in charge of their own health and well-being. It simply points out, as did the authors of the study that much more needs to be known about how cancers develop in the body, why they develop and if some natural regression might occur.

Here is what might be the most significant statement regarding the findings, according to the authors. “Because the cumulative incidence among controls never reached that of the screened group, it appears that some breast cancers detected by repeated mammographic screening would not persist to be detectable by a single mammogram at the end of six years. This raises the possibility that the natural course of some screen-detected invasive breast cancers is to spontaneously regress.”

This evidence makes a person wonder just how many unnecessary breast cancer surgeries might be done each year in the United States. It also means that much more must be known about the different types of cancers that can develop, which ones need to be treated and which might be allowed to run their normal course and simply go away on their own.

Source: Norwegian Institute of Public Health. “Mammograms May Detect Some Cancers That Would Have Otherwise Regressed.” November 2008. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-11/jaaj-mmd112008.php


Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

“Every human being is the author of their own health or disease.” Buddha

The Coming Cancer Explosion

Cancer may surpass heart disease as the number one cause of death worldwide in 2010.

Globally, about 12.4 million people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year, and 7.6 million people will die. The global cancer burden doubled in the last 30 years of the 20th century, and it will likely double again between 2000 and 2020 and nearly triple by 2030.

By 2030, 26.4 million people a year may be diagnosed with cancer, with 17 million people dying from it. In men, lung cancer leads new cases and deaths, while among women; breast cancer leads new cases and deaths.

Of those 7.6 million people who will die of cancer this year, it has been estimated that up to 4 million could have been saved just through healthy lifestyle changes. For example, avoiding sugar and increasing your water intake.

So that would bring the number down to 3.6 million deaths each year. Want to bring that down even further; to 3, 2 or even less than a million, in just one more step? If vitamin D3 levels from sun exposure were increased among populations worldwide, doctors believe that well over two million cancers could be prevented, especially in regions far from the equator.

By now you probably realize that the dangers of sun exposure have been greatly exaggerated, and the benefits highly underestimated. Not only is sun exposure not the major reason people develop skin cancer, but it will actually lower your risks of developing 16 different types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, breast, ovarian, prostate, and colon cancers.

Those million remaining deaths could be prevented through just a few more easy steps. More deaths could be prevented by using natural health care methods, like chiropractic and a nutritional cleansing/replenishing program, instead of relying on medications and other unnecessary chemicals.

It is quite possible that a significant percentage of cancer is simply caused by physical and chemical imbalance – not a lack of prescription and over-the-counter medications. You may find that making other lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking, is easier when the body is in balance physically and chemically.

Another good way to keep yourself from getting cancer is to make sure you regularly get a good night’s sleep. And how about exercise? Over 200 studies have linked physical activities to cancer risk. There’s another big chunk of the 7.6 million deaths suddenly erased.

Do the steps outlined above sound impossible? I don’t think they do. Eat a healthy diet, exercise, get some sun, get a good night’s sleep each night, and keep your body physically aligned and tuned up. A “cure for cancer” isn’t impossible - it turns out, it’s mostly just common sense!

But right now, things are heading in exactly the wrong direction. Instead of trending down from 7.6 million to zero, the number of deaths could increase to 17 million in just two decades. Don’t let yourself, your children and other loved ones be one of those millions of people. Take responsibility for your own health.

Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

REMINDER – UPCOMING OFFICE EVENT:
The 3rd week in February (the 16th – 20th) is “Healthy Children – Healthy Future”. All children receive a free exam. See the front desk for more details.

A CBS NEWS REPORT

Next to the common cold, ear infections are the most commonly diagnosed childhood illness in the United States. More than three out of four children have had at least one ear infection by the time they're three.

For years, parents have depended on an antibiotic to cure the pain. But now doctors are warning about the overuse of antibiotics. In some cases they are advising parents to take a wait-and-see approach to find out if the infection clears on its own.

Now some parents are trying to stop the infections before they start. How? They are taking their kids to see chiropractors who specialize in children.

Dr. Peter Martone is one of those doctors. "Chiropractic care is simply the art and science of aligning the spine to take pressure off the nerve and ultimately allow the body to heal itself," he explained.

Susan Lekborg says her son Cooper suffered from chronic ear infections and traditional treatments did little to ease his suffering. "We were up all night, he was miserable, cranky," she said, remembering the long, sleepless nights. "He was on antibiotics all winter and it just wasn't helping. It would go away and come back, go away and come back," she said.

Feeling frustrated and helpless she went to a chiropractor. "I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical, nervous about a chiropractor adjusting my baby," she said. But after only one treatment he started feeling better.

Dr. Maronte says adjusting Cooper's spine helps prevent fluid from building up in his ears. "So what happens with the adjustment, it allows for those ear canals to open up and the ears will drain, preventing any ear infection," he explained.

There are some pediatricians who are skeptical about chiropractic care. Others think it may be worth a try. Pediatrician Linda Nelson said there's a lot about the body doctors just don't understand. "I'm very open to anything that's benign," she said. "And it's certainly isn't going to hurt the child."

Susan Lekborg says it's worked for her children. "This will be their third winter, no antibiotics, no Tylenol, no Motrin. They're clean. I just feel like they're healthier," she said.

REMINDER – UPCOMING OFFICE EVENT:

The 3rd week in February (the 16th – 20th) is “Healthy Children – Healthy Future”. This is a one week event where any child can receive a complimentary wellness evaluation. This is your chance. Make an appointment for your child. Tell a friend, a neighbor, a coworker about this special event. All children are welcome. Please, see the front desk for more details.


Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

MORE TO LEARN ABOUT HEALTH, DISEASE, AND A CHILD’S FUTURE:

It's All About Function

Why do millions of parents bring their children to Doctors of Chiropractic every year? Is it only for highly dramatic health conditions? Is it only for when my child is hurting? Not at all!!Chiropractic's purpose is to remove interferences to the natural healing power running through the body. When that power is unleashed the healing that results may be profound.Today we find more parents bringing their children to chiropractors for day-to-day health concerns we're all familiar with: colds, sore throats, ear infections, fevers, colic, asthma, tonsillitis, allergies, bed-wetting, infections, pains, falls, stomach-aches, and the hundred and one little and big things children go through as they grow up.

Chiropractors Do Not Treat Disease

It's most important to understand that chiropractic is not a treatment for disease. It's purpose is to reduce nerve system stress, a serious and often painless condition most children (and adults) have in their bodies. Nerve system stress interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system, can weaken internal organs and organ systems, lower resistance, reduce healing potential and set the stage for sickness and disorders of all kinds.When a chiropractor frees the nervous system from spinal stress, the healing power of the body is unleashed: the immune system works more efficiently, resistance to disease increases, and your child's body functions more efficiently. Your child can then respond to internal and external environmental stresses such as germs, changes in temperature, humidity, toxins, pollen and all the other stresses he/she comes in contact with more efficiently.
So although children with diseases are often brought to the chiropractor, the chiropractor is not treating their diseases but is instead reducing nerve system stress, thus permitting their body's natural healing potential to function at its best.

What Exactly Is Nerve System Stress?

Nerve stress is caused by vertebral subluxation. Subluxations are misalignments or distortions of the spinal column, skull, hips, and related tissues (the structural system) that irritate, stretch, impinge or otherwise interfere with the proper function of the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, spinal nerves and peripheral nerves). Since the nervous system controls all functions of the body, any interference to it can have wide-ranging effects.

How Is Nerve System Stress Caused?

Nerve system stress can be caused by physical, chemical and/or emotional stress. Physical stress may start in the womb, with the baby lying in a distorted or twisted manner. Spinal nerve stress in newborns is common today. This may be caused by a traumatic or difficult birth which can introduce great stress to the infant's skull, spinal column and pelvis. Throughout childhood, the normal childhood traumas every child experiences can be a source of spinal and cranial trauma. Most of the time, the pain from the initial injury “goes away” however the damage incurred continues to affect the future function of the child’s nerve system.

How Does the Chiropractor Correct Nerve System Stress?

This is accomplished first by analyzing the spinal column and related structures for balance and proper function. Where the spinal column is found to be functioning improperly, the Doctor of Chiropractic performs precise corrective procedures called spinal adjustments.Using his/her hands and/or specialized instruments to gently and specifically correct those abnormal areas, doctors of chiropractic assist the spine and cranium to regain their intended state of balance and the nerve system is freed from stress.


It’s All About Function!

Today's parents are informed and make their health care choices accordingly. They have become more concerned than ever about the adverse effects drugs have on their children. Parents are hesitant to merely mask symptoms with drugs and are justly worried about their numerous side effects. Parents are increasingly asking, when handed a prescription for a child's recurrent problem, "Is this really all I can do for my child? Isn't there a safer option? How can I restore health?" Today's parents desire to achieve a state of true health—This is leading them to seek health care options which support their children’s own natural ability to be healthy.Chiropractic care is one such option. All children function better with 100% nerve function. All children deserve the right to express their fullest potential. Chiropractic care for children is safe, gentle and effective. It enhances the body's inborn potential for well-being.

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig Burns

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”