Tidbits Blog – Page 24

Don’t overheat this summer

July 2, 2007 by Terry Weyman

It’s HOT. With the heat, talks of dehydration and heat related illness come to the headlines. Summer brings football camps (Hell week), firefighters working the fires, cycling events (inspired by the Tour de France), running events, Triathelons, motorcyle riding, hiking as well as other summer activities. To stay safe you need to understand and comprehend water intake and the requirements each body has to function on a normal level. With the fire season coming up firefighters need to maintain a high level of fluid intake to maintain body function as do people in construction or landscaping. Body water and athletic performance are directly connected, and when understood, can be the difference between a winning performance and or/ survival.

Your body needs about 1 ml of water for every calorie that you expend. For example, if you burn 4,000 to 5,000 calories per day (moderate to aggressive athletic workouts), you would need between 4 to 5 liters of fluid to replace what was lost and to keep the biochemistry in proper balance. Monitoring body weight before and after training is the best way to keep up with your body’s fluid needs, which sweating increases. If you don’t believe that hydration can affect athletic performance ask Lance Armstrong. He lost 15 lbs due to dehydration following the first time trial of the Tour de France in 2002 and suffered the next few days more than usual.

Although a 2% weight loss due to dehydration may not cause any “symptoms”, it does decrease physical and mental performance.

Water Loss as % of Body Weight
2% – Difficulty in controlling normal body temperature
3% – Reduced muscular endurance time
4%-6% – Reduced strength, power, endurance and heat cramps
6% – Severe heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke

During exercise, especially in the heat, some of the water that naturally circulates through your body is used by your sweat glands. Inadequate fluid balance can result in a chain reaction that can be severely detrimental to your health. The first step in this reaction is a decrease in blood volume, which increases the heart rate in an attempt to get the fluids to the vital organs. The body’s next reaction is to constrict the blood vessels in order to maintain proper blood pressure. However, this reaction will cause the body temperature to rise due to the heat produced by the working muscles which can’t be transported to the skin’s surface. This leads to heat illnesses such as heat cramps, exhaustion and heat stroke.

To avoid this chain reaction you must stay properly hydrated during your exercise. The recommended fluid intake for exercise or training is 8 to 12 ounces fifteen minutes before you begin your exercises. During your training, drink 4-6 ounces every 10 to 15 minutes. After you have completed your training, you should consume 16 ounces for every pound lost (weigh yourself before and after exercise to determine weight loss). If you are working out longer than 60 minutes, a sports drink may be helpful in delaying fatigue by providing additional energy for working muscles. It will also be helpful in the overall chemistry balance since it will be replacing needed electrolytes that are lost during the sweating process. A 5 to 8% concentration of carbohydrates (as seen in most sports drinks) has been shown to be absorbed quickly. The small amount of electrolytes can also aid in the absorption of water from the intestines. A great product on the market for electrolyte replacement is a powder called Endura, made by a company called Metagenics. You can find this product at some bike shops or at health care facilities (we can order it here at CSI if you want some- This is the product my family and I use). Remember, this simple equation. First hour, water only. Second hour a mix of water and sport drink, third hour sport drink (electrolyte replacement). Due to the salts and sugars in the sports drinks, drinking too early can clog the sodium and calcium channels causing the athlete to go into a state of early dehydration. You can also increase the risks of cramping by drinking a sport drink too early.

With the heat of the summer here, be smart in your training. Do not exercise during the hottest times of the day (10-3), stay hydrated and properly warm up and cool down. To avoid heat illness and decrease your overall performance, remember this: an athlete should never be thirsty!

If you are competing or working in the heat, look for products out there that will keep your heart and core at a safe temperature. There are cooling vests that can be found on the Internet as well as core coolers found in some motorcycle shops. Keep cool and hydrated and you will have a better experience outdoors.

Dr. Terry Weyman is the clinic Director for the Chiropractic Sports Institute. He specializes in the care of the active person. For further information he can be contacted at www.gotcsi.com

Omega 3’s and Womens health

May 22, 2007 by Terry Weyman

This months tid bit of health is cut from a friend of mine, Dr. Dan Murphy, who is a guru when it comes to both nutrition and dietary needs. This was so informative that I wanted to share it with all of you. Feel free to pass this valuable information on.

Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids For Women

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
January 2, 2007 [Early Epub]
Jean-Marie Bourre

ALA Alpha-linolenic acid, plant derived 18-carbon long omega-3 fatty acid. Primarily from flaxseed (linseed), walnut, and hemp oils.EPA Eicosapentaenoic acid, animal derived 20-carbon long omega-3 fatty acid. Primarily from cold-water fatty fish.DHA Docosahexaenoic acid, 22-carbon long omega-3 fatty acid. Primarily from cold-water fatty fish. There are vegetarian sources (algae) for DHA.

This article has 103 references.

FROM ABSTRACT:

This review details the specific needs of women for omega-3 fatty acids, including alpha linolenic acid (ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.]) and the very long chain fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Omega-3 fatty acid (dietary or in capsules) ensures that a woman’s adipose tissue contains a reserve of these fatty acids for the developing fetus and the breast-fed newborn infant.
This ensures the optimal cerebral and cognitive development of the infant.
The presence of large quantities of EPA and DHA in the diet slightly lengthens pregnancy, and improves its quality.

Human milk contains both ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] and DHA, unlike that of other mammals.
Conditions such as diabetes can alter the fatty acid profile of mother’s milk, while certain diets, like those of vegetarians, vegans, or even macrobiotic diets, can have the same effect, if they do not include seafood.
ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], DHA and EPA, are important for preventing ischemic cardiovascular disease in women of all ages.
Omega-3 fatty acids can help to prevent the development of certain cancers, particularly those of the breast and colon, and possibly of the uterus and the skin, and are likely to reduce the risk of postpartum depression, manic-depressive psychosis, dementias (Alzheimer’s disease and others), hypertension, toxemia, diabetes and, to a certain extent, age-related macular degeneration.
Omega-3 fatty acids could play a positive role in the prevention of menstrual syndrome and postmenopausal hot flushes.
The normal western diet contains little ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] (less than 50% of the RDA). The only adequate sources are rapeseed oil (canola), walnuts and so-called “omega-3” eggs (similar to wild-type or Cretan eggs).
The amounts of EPA and DHA in the diet vary greatly from person to person. The only good sources are fish and seafood, together with “omega-3” eggs.

THIS AUTHOR ALSO NOTES:

“Polyunsaturated fatty acids are dramatically involved in human health and pathologies.”
Both the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic (LA, 18:2(n-6)) and the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], 18:3(n-3)) are “physiologically essential.” [Important, ALA is physiologically essential]

“Not only is the intake of ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] far too low, but also its conversion to longer chain fatty acids is reduced because it has to compete with the larger quantities of LA for the same enzymes.”Dietary omega-3 fatty acids are below the recommended quantities.

Pregnant women that consume more fish oil lengthen pregnancy by about 6 days, increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the plasma phospholipids of both the mother and the baby, reducing hypertension and preeclampsia.

“Vegetarians are more prone to premature births, and that Caesarean sections are more likely. The average pregnancy is 5.6 days shorter, while the birth weights are slightly lower.”
Daily maternal supplementation of fish oil containing a DHA/EPA mixture is good for fetal development.

“There are several lines of experimental evidence showing that omega-3 fatty acids are most important as structural elements in the developing nervous systems of the fetus and newborn, and that this is linked to the mother’s food.”

“ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], is the first dietary component that experiments in a range of disciplines, including chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry, enzymology, toxicology, physiology, electrophysiology, vision and behaviour have shown to influence brain structure and function.”

“Adding omega-3 fatty acids to baby formula, to make it more like mother’s milk, influences the visual, cerebral and intellectual capacities of newborn babies.””The fetus uses most of the portion of dietary omega-3 fatty acids supplied to it for its developing brain.” [Very Important]

“A dietary supplement of DHA increases the maternal DHA and limits the decrease during the last trimester in which there is a preferential transfer from the mother to the fetus.”Maternal DHA status decreases during pregnancy, and this could be severe in a multiple pregnancy. Ingesting fish oil increases the DHA and EPA contents of adipose tissue where it is stored in reserve.”The cerebral and overall DHA status of breast-fed babies is better than that of infants fed formula lacking DHA.”

Human milk contains considerable concentrations of both DHA and ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.].
Eating fatty fish and taking fish oil capsules increases the DHA in maternal milk.
Eating eggs enriched in omega-3 fatty acids also increases the amounts of ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] and DHA in mother’s milk.

A diet containing flaxseed oil, which has a high ALA content, increases the ALA and EPA in the milk and erythrocytes of lactating women, but not DHA. [Very Important for vegan mothers]“Although the diets of vegans and vegetarians contain reasonable amounts of ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], it is unlikely that enough is converted to DHA to satisfy the needs of pregnancy and lactation, particularly as these diets contain large amounts of competing omega-6 fatty acids.” [Very Important] Women on a macrobiotic diet “should try to consume at least one serving of fatty fish per week.””Thus dietary fish or any seafood, or supplements, are advisable, and prudent for pregnant and lactating women: the mental performance of children born to mothers who take cod liver oil during these periods is above normal when measured at the age of 4 years.”

“DHA is important for the retina (the highest DHA contents of all body tissues), the brain, photoreceptors, neurotransmission, rhodopsin activity, the development of rods and cones, neuronal connections and the maturation of cerebral structures. As a result omega-3 fatty acids may well be important for preventing age-related macular degeneration, and perhaps certain retinopathies.”

“There is no doubt that supplements of omega-3 fatty acids, generally taken as fish oil, improve infant visual acuity.” [Important]

A lack of omega-3 fatty acids damages hearing and leads to premature aging of the auditory nervous system.”Omega-3 fatty acids are important dietary components for preserving hearing throughout life.”

Children given fish oil during the first year of life are less likely to develop type I diabetes, perhaps because of the anti-inflammatory action of very long chain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids influence body weight and glucose metabolism. Fish consumption reduces the risk of breast cancer by as much as 52%.”Excess omega-6 fatty acids seems to increase the risk of breast cancer metastasis, while omega-3 fatty acids have the opposite action.””There should always be a good intake of antioxidants to restrict the peroxidation of fatty acids, as these peroxide derivatives are genotoxic and cytotoxic.” [Very Important]

“People who eat the most fish are at the lowest risk of colon cancer.”

High intakes of saturated fats increase the risk of colon cancer.

The effective intake of EPA + DHA to prevent colon cancer is estimated to be about 2.5 g per day.

Omega-3 fatty acid intake reduces skin cancer and melanoma.

Omega-3 fatty acids may well be important for controlling cancer of the uterus, skin and melanoma.

“Omega-3 fatty acids if adequately preserved from oxidation,” benefit atherosclerosis, chronic hepatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of depression and the risk of postpartum depression.

“Pregnant women are invariably likely too benefit from a prophylactic treatment based on DHA and EPA.” [Very Important]

Eating fish and omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of suicide attempts, reduce the frequency of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive patients), and reduce the risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies show that ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] significantly protects against cardiovascular disease.

Patients taking ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] supplements reduce non-fatal cardiac infarctions by 340% and reduce fatal cardiac infarctions by 530%.

Dietary fish offers significant cardiovascular protection for both men and women of all ages.
The omega-3 index of EPA + DHA concentration in erythrocytes is an indicator of ardiovascular risk.”Hundreds of publications describing studies on animals and humans have shown how effective omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil [through supplementation] are at preventing ischemic cardiovascular disease and cerebral infarcts.”Assuming ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] intake is sufficient, newborn babies can only in small quantities convert ALA to DHA, and therefore DHA is considered an essential nutrient for babies.

Many adults, especially lactating women, are also poor at converting ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] to DHA, and therefore “DHA is an essential nutrient.”Optimum dietary intake of ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] cannot “adequately cover the needs of the human body for DHA.”

“The diets of women, both pregnant and women of child-bearing age, provide less than 50% of the RDA” for ALA, and a lack of dietary ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] leads to reduced DHA synthesis.
In most Western countries, 90% of the women are deficient in DHA.
People who eat no animal lipids are very deficient in DHA.

CONCLUSIONS

“Omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial in situations other than those described above. They are frequently said to help to prevent menstrual syndromes, particularly dysmenorrhea. They are believed to do this by reducing the production of eicosanoid pro-inflammatory molecules derived from omega-6 fatty acids by competing with their common metabolic enzymes. This is also why other problems, such as menopausal hot flushes, are less frequent in Japanese women who eat large amounts of fish. Bone formation and mineralization also seems to benefit from a high omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid ratio, which could reduce the risk of osteoporosis.”

“The dietary lack of ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] is readily overcome. The only rich foods are rapeseed (canola) and walnut oils (soybean oil has an imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) and omega-3 eggs.”

“Only seafood provides adequate EPA and DHA.”

Even fish with the lowest DHA content has 20 times more than red meat.

“There is practically no toxicological risk from eating too much omega-3 fatty acid.” [Important]

There is a bleeding risk if omega-3 fatty acids “are combined with certain drugs.” [Important]

“Women therefore have specific requirements for omega-3 fatty acids that should be recognized and fulfilled, either by the diet or with capsules.

KEY POINTS FROM Dr. DAN MURPHY

Adequate maternal omega-3 fatty acid intake “ensures the optimal cerebral and cognitive development of the infant.”

Human milk contains both ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] and DHA, unlike that of other mammals. [This is one of the reasons that cow’s milk is not a substitute for human milk for infants.]

Vegetarian and vegan mother’s milk have altered fatty acid profiles which impair the cerebral and cognitive development of their infants. [Very Important]

ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], DHA and EPA, are important for preventing ischemic cardiovascular disease in women of all ages.

Omega-3 fatty acids can help to prevent the development of certain cancers, particularly those of the breast and colon, and possibly of the uterus and the skin, and are likely to reduce the risk of postpartum depression, manic-depressive psychosis, dementias (Alzheimer’s disease and others), hypertension, toxemia, diabetes and, to a certain extent, age-related macular degeneration.

Omega-3 fatty acids play a positive role in the prevention of menstrual syndrome and postmenopausal hot flushes.

The normal western diet contains little ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], providing less than 50% of the RDA.

The best sources for EPA and DHA are fish, seafood and “omega-3” eggs.

Both the omega-6 fatty acid linoleic (LA, 18:2(n-6)) and the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], 18:3(n-3)) are “physiologically essential.” [Important, ALA is physiologically essential]

The intake of ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] is far too low.

Pregnant women that consume more fish oil, improve the pregnancy for both the mother and the baby, reducing prematurity and low birth weight in the infant, and reducing hypertension and pre-eclampsia in the mother.

Vegetarians are more prone to premature births and Caesarean sections.

Vegetarian mothers are more likely to have premature babies with low birth weight.

Daily maternal supplementation of fish oil containing a DHA/EPA mixture is good for fetal development.

“Omega-3 fatty acids are most important as structural elements in the developing nervous systems of the fetus and newborn, and this is linked to the mother’s food.”

ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], influences vision, behavior and brain structure and function.

“Adding omega-3 fatty acids to baby formula, to make it more like mother’s milk, influences the visual, cerebral and intellectual capacities of newborn babies.”

“The fetus uses most of the portion of dietary omega-3 fatty acids supplied to it for its developing brain.” [Very Important]

Maternal DHA status decreases during pregnancy.

“The cerebral and overall DHA status of breast-fed babies is better than that of infants fed formula lacking DHA.”

Human milk contains considerable concentrations of both DHA and ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.].
Eating fatty fish, taking fish oil capsules and eating omega-3 eggs increases the DHA in maternal milk.

A diet containing flaxseed oil, which has a high ALA content, increases the ALA and EPA in the milk and erythrocytes of lactating women, but not DHA. [Very Important for vegan mothers]

“Although the diets of vegans and vegetarians contain reasonable amounts of ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.], it is unlikely that enough is converted to DHA to satisfy the needs of pregnancy and lactation.” [Very Important]

Dietary fish, seafood or omega-3 supplements are advisable and prudent for pregnant and lactating women. [Very Important]

Omega-3 fatty acids prevent age-related macular degeneration.

“There is no doubt that supplements of omega-3 fatty acids, generally taken as fish oil, improve infant visual acuity.” [Important]

A lack of omega-3 fatty acids damages hearing and leads to premature aging of the auditory nervous system. “Omega-3 fatty acids are important dietary components for preserving hearing throughout life.”

“Excess omega-6 fatty acids seems to increase the risk of breast cancer metastasis, while omega-3 fatty acids have the opposite action.”

“There should always be a good intake of antioxidants to restrict the peroxidation of fatty acids, as these peroxide derivatives are genotoxic and cytotoxic.” [this is why Nutri-West recommends that everyone takes one of their specially formulated Complete Omega-3 Co-Factor antioxidants with each gram of fish oil: to order go to our website, www.gotcsi.com and click on online store to order the best Omega 3’s]

“Omega-3 fatty acids if adequately preserved from oxidation,” benefit atherosclerosis, chronic hepatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. [Important, again: this is why everyone should take one Nutri-West Complete Omega-3 Co-Factor antioxidants with each gram of fish oil: www.gotcsi.com]

Eating fish and omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of suicide attempts, reduces the frequency of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive patients), and reduces the risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies show that ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] significantly protects against cardiovascular disease.
Assuming ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] intake is sufficient, newborn babies can only in small quantities convert ALA to DHA, and therefore DHA is considered an essential nutrient for babies. [Important for strict vegetarians.]

Both ALA [flaxseed oil, etc.] and DHA are essential nutrients.

People who eat no animal lipids are very deficient in DHA. [Important for strict vegetarians.]

Omega-3 fatty acids help to prevent menstrual syndromes, particularly dysmenorrhea and menopausal hot flushes and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

“Women therefore have specific requirements for omega-3 fatty acids that should be recognized and fulfilled, either by the diet or with capsules.”

With so many women pregnant and with mental health problems at an all time high, I thought the information that I got needed to be shared. I know its long, but I hope it was worth the read.

In Health,

Dr.Terry Weyman

www.gotcsi.com

Is a Chiropractic Manipulation to the neck safe?

April 27, 2007 by Terry Weyman

This month, in Self magazine, an article on the safety of a “Chiropractic Cervical Manipulation” was written. It was the most bias, one sided article I have read in a long time. It was so bad, my first response was “who is behind this”. Its about a women who suffered a stroke after she had a manipulation to her neck. Though tragic, its rare. What is tragic, is to print this article. What is also tragic, now she is on a crusade to outlaw manipulations of the cervical spine.

My favorite line is “I don’t believe in Chiropractic”. Why, because I never knew I had become a religion. Doctors of Chiropractic are just that, they are Doctors. We use tools necessary to treat bio mechanical disorders. You want to describe us, call us bio mechanical neurophysiologist.

PUTTING INTO PERSPECTIVE

I have a friend who got polio from a vaccine, do we outlaw all Vaccines because of this incident. I have another patient who lost his father at the local Hospital. Their father went in for a routine procedure and was given meds, had a reaction to the drug and died. Does this mean that hospitals should be outlawed? How about the simple surgery that turns bad or the dental procedure that goes wrong, should these conditions be isolated or should they be taken to congress and banned.

TELL ME MORE REGARDING RESEARCH

The below is a response to the article from the American Chiropractic Association.

The American Chiropractic Association believes that patients have the right to know about the health risks associated with any type of treatment, including chiropractic; however, health care consumers should be aware that the risks associated with chiropractic treatment are infinitesimally small. In fact, research has shown negligible evidence to support a causal relationship between cervical spinal manipulation and vertebral artery dissection.

Medical standards dictate that a procedure with an adverse reaction less than 1 in 400,000 is considered “low risk.” According to scientific data, the odds of suffering a serious reaction from chiropractic cervical manipulation have been shown to be less than 1 in 3.8 million to 5.85 million manipulations. Studies have shown that the best estimates of the odds of suffering a serious complication from a chiropractic neck treatment are the same odds a person faces of dying in a commercial airline crash. Even so, the chiropractic profession has taken an active role in educating doctors of chiropractic to recognize possible risk factors for stroke in patients and encourages all doctors of chiropractic to immediately refer any high-risk patients to other specialists for further evaluation.

To properly assess the risks of chiropractic treatment, it must be compared against the risks of other treatments for similar conditions. Some of the most common treatments for musculoskeletal pain – including prescription and over-the-counter non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – carry risks significantly greater than those of chiropractic manipulation. For instance, a study from the New England Journal of Medicine estimated that at least 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur among patients each year. Furthermore, according to a study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, approximately one-third of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen.

Contrary to what was reported in the story, the most common adverse reaction patients experience after spinal manipulation is minor discomfort, which – according to the scientific literature – usually fades within 24 hours. Studies have also shown that the injuries mentioned in your article – joint dislocations and bone fractures – more frequently occur after visits to health care professionals who are inexperienced or inadequately trained in spinal manipulation, rather than to licensed doctors of chiropractic. Studies have also shown that a patient can have a manipulation by another health care provider and when questioned, that manipulation is called “a Chiropractic Adjustment” even when it is not performed by a licensed Chiropractor.

Moreover, it should be mentioned that the referenced study from Neurology is fraught with design flaws too numerous to detail here. But most surprising is the fact that the study excluded eight patients who had suffered “iatrogenic” vertebral artery dissection – or artery tears caused by medical doctors. Meanwhile, the study found only seven patients that supposedly suffered the same reaction after cervical spinal manipulation.

It is also unfortunate that the magazine choose not to interview a patient who has benefited from chiropractic cervical manipulation. There are tens of thousands of success stories annually of patients whose lives were positively changed because of chiropractic care. Neither did it mention one of the many studies that points to chiropractic’s effectiveness for headaches and neck pain. For any health care intervention, the issue should be appropriateness, which involves balancing effectiveness and safety. Focusing only on risk and not potential benefit demonstrates an editorial bias, a lack of understanding of the issue, or a complete disregard for the available research. Several extensive reviews of the scientific literature from leading authorities have agreed that neck manipulation is safe, effective, and appropriate for patients with a number of very common complaints like neck pain and headache.

For example, a recent study was published in 2001, when researchers at Duke University found cervical manipulation appropriate for both tension-type headache and cervicogenic headache and noted that “cervical spinal manipulation has a very low risk of serious complications,” which may be “one of its appeals over drug treatment.” For patients with many types of neck pain and headache, there is at least as much scientific evidence showing that chiropractic manipulation is an effective treatment as there is for any other medical or surgical treatment.

In closing, I have to offer this, don’t be ignorant. If your family Doctor or friends tell you “Don’t let a Chiropractor touch your neck” reply back, “which form of adjustment do you not want me to have, you know there are numerous methods and ways to adjust the neck, the safest methods do not use rotation and some are pure decompressive. Most Doctors of Chiropractic don’t use rotation in their moves which can compromise the vertebral arteries, I will be sure to make sure my Doctor of Chiropractic does not use Rotation”. Just to let you know. We at CSI use NO rotation in ANY of our techniques, the techniques we use are not only safe, there is zero risk due to the anatomical way we work. Most MDs, DOs and PTs do not know all the different techniques out there, any more than we know all the surgical techniques that are used by them. To say, “don’t go to a Chiropractor for a neck problem or a Low back problem” is as ignorant as saying “Don’t go to an MD for a cold or an injury that requires surgery”. A good Doctor, whether he is a DC or an MD knows his bounds through experience and training and when the patient does not fall with in his bounds he has a network of trusted health care providers he or she can refer to.

Fight back ignorance with knowledge, research and second opinions and don’t always believe what you read.

Until next time, be well.

How to set up your office ergonomics

March 30, 2007 by Terry Weyman

This first post on this new website comes from an article I wrote several months ago. The reason I have chosen it to be the lead off article is because of its importance. Most of us older athletes have been chained to desks and computers to get by. Does our bodies like it, NO. BUT we can fight back and make the best of it. So read, enjoy and share.

Time to make adjustments to keep the quality of your life going in the right direction. Speaking of adjusting, lets take a look at the place you spend most of your day, the office. Ask yourself, if you were to work out in the gym for 8-12 hours a day, would your musculoskeletal structure change? Of course it would. So why won’t it change if your in an office 5-6 days a week for 8-12 hours a day?

First, lets think about your posture? Are your shoulders hunched? Your wrists arched back? How about your neck: Is it craned forward? Is your back aligned with your chair back? Are your feet flat on the floor?

You will take your lifting or athletic form seriously but you forget that most of your time is spent in front of computers or sitting. Bad office ergonomics can lead to poor athletic performance. The majority of the computer-facing population, poor office ergonomics will (not can, but will) lead to repetitive stress ailments such as carpal tunnel syndrome, postural syndrome, tendinitis and eye strain. In the worst-case scenario, you could lose the ability to tell hot from cold, find yourself dropping things or develop a syndrome known as “foot drop,” in which pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause a foot to drag while you walk.

Ergonomic experts will tell you that human beings were not designed to fold themselves into computer workstations each day. However, by learning from our past, and making simple adjustments you can save yourself from a lifetime of aching backs and sore necks. “The most egregious ergonomic crimes I see include sitting without any back support for more than one hour at time; extended reaching in any direction, causing problems for the shoulders, neck and upper back area; awkward neck positioning and rotating the neck repeatedly; and people … pitch[ing] forward off their chairs,” Deborah Read, MOTR/L ergonomics consultant and president of ErgoFit Consulting in Seattle, states. “The No. 1 symptom people need to pay attention to is chronic aching. It’s the most serious but also the most ignored. People brush it off and end up getting themselves to a point of no return. If you have had aching any place—lower back, upper back, between the shoulder blades, wrists or hands—for three days, you need to have it looked at,” said Read.

Other common symptoms are aching or soreness in the tendon areas, as well as nerve symptoms such as numbness and tingling. “The early signs of repetitive strains and injury are tightness and soreness in the upper back and shoulders. People tend not to do anything about it until they have symptoms down into their wrists and elbows,” said Deidre Rogers, president of Ergovera Ergonomic Consulting in Santa Cruz, Calif.

Here are some things the experts recommend workers do to help avoid repetitive stress injuries.

Sit Better
Desk work has long been associated with an easier lifestyle than manual labor, so much so that many do not realize that an act as idle as sitting can cause injuries.
“Put it this way—sitting upright with a slight forward bend has the highest compressive force on the lumbar disc [of] any … position,” said Read. Furthermore, most people don’t sit properly in their chairs, slouching and sliding down, and then rolling their shoulders forward. “They’re stretching their muscles the in the wrong ways and end up limiting their range of motion. Slouching collapses the diaphragm, limiting the amount of oxygen you are allowing into your body to circulate,” said Wendy Young, certified ergonomist with Ergo Pro in Houston, which provides ergonomic consulting, training and products. Young does not recommend that people rely on external lumbar support except in cases where obesity or physical problems leave the individual no other options. “A lot of newer chairs were designed to support the lumbar region in the lower back. But, the body is strong enough to support itself,” said Young. Young instead, suggests that people sit all the way back in their chair so that their sacrum touches the chair’s back. “When you do this, your pelvis and back are aligned properly and it allows you to move easily in the chair,” said Young. Rogers approaches seating positions differently, dismissing the popular notion that elbows and knees should rest at 90-degree angles. “Think it terms of open angles. Instead of sitting with your legs at a 90-degree angle, try a 110-degree angle. Keep your elbow at 110-degree angle to your hand,” said Rogers. While everyone sits at a desk differently, men and women tend to fall into gender-specific posture traps. “Men tend to be low writers. They like their chairs lower, and to sit back in them, and they need to learn to sit higher. Men strain their arms and wrists when they sit too low. Women are ‘perchers‘—they sit away from the backrests and at the edge of their seats. Women tend to slouch because they’re so far away from their back support,” said Rogers.

Use Equipment Correctly
When most people think of ergonomics, they think of wrist rests. Yet, even these long pieces of padding that are nearly standard in office settings are widely misused. “Wrist rest is a very unfortunate term because the general public thinks that it means they’re supposed to rest their wrist on it. There’s no protective fat under your wrist, and resting on this unprotected area could cause contact stress. I would be happier if they were called palm rests,” said Read.
None of the specialists suggested that people throw their wrist rests out the window, however.
“Wrist rests were designed for resting between spells of typing, not during typing… The killer combination is lazy typing and cold hands, suggestive of a smaller carpal tunnel. These two factors together almost guarantee that you will get a wrist or arm injury,” said Rogers.
Each of the specialists referenced pianists when discussing the proper way to hold your hands and wrists when you type. Pianists use their fingers to hit keys, but keep their wrists raised and arms engaged, and hit the keys with their fingertips alone. “The worst setup is the keyboard on the keyboard tray [and] the mouse up on the desk surface. It leads to reaching injuries,” said Rogers.

Adjust Your Monitor
Most people have their monitor height set too high, or worse, lack the ability to lower it. Read suggested that people sit squarely in front of their computer screens with their feet flat to make adjustments. “Your horizontal line of sight should hit the first one to two inches of the screen itself. When you need to look lower, you should use your eyeballs and not your neck.”
Those that wear bifocals should keep their monitors even lower, so that they are always looking at them through the bottom of their eyeglasses, “without dropping their heads,” said Read.

Use Specialty Equipment Where Available
“Injuries tend to start with your upper back and neck,” explained Young, “and one of the worst things you can do is cradle the phone to your neck with your shoulder.” Young said that there was little excuse for workers not to use a headset these days, considering that one can be purchased inexpensively at Radio Shack or office supply stores. Rogers recommends that people who do even a little data entry or read from documents while on the computer buy an inexpensive document holder. “Remember that your eyes lead your posture, and if the objects you are looking at are out of the way, your posture will strain. Put the document holder on the side of your eye dominance.” While trading in one keyboard for another that fits the user better is not always an option, Rogers suggests that people who can, should. “A lot of narrow-shouldered women get in trouble with the standard keyboard. A keyboard should be the same width as your shoulders,” said Rogers.

Move Around
You need to break your patterns. People go to the chiropractor, acupuncturist, physical therapist and get massages and then go back to the same chair and same office set up. Unsurprisingly, your injuries will return. All of the experts emphasized the importance of moving around throughout the day, whether through simple stretches, programs that prompt people to take a break, or by refilling your water glass or standing to complete tasks when you can. A big misnomer about repetitive strain injury is that the repetitive motion is at fault. However, the real evil is the static posture or lack of change in the office setting. People have done repetitive work for hundreds of years without getting injured, the difference today is that we rarely move around when we work. Change your posture throughout the day. You can talk on phone while standing; you can stand to read a document and the change in position will also change the way you feel. “People do not take enough breaks,” said Young, who encourages her clients to drink a lot of water so, at the very least, they’ll need to rise once an hour to make the trek to the restroom. If you think of your day as a physical work out. Warm up your hands and arms for a full day of activity. Perform simple shoulder rolls or simple stretches every 20-30 minutes and walk around for five minutes every hour. Relax your eyes and focus on something far away throughout the day and stretch your upper and lower body several times during the work process. By doing this, you will keep your perspective fresh and your mind active. In the end, you’ll be more productive and have a lot less pain. You will feel younger, have more energy and be able to be that weekend warrior you have always dreamed about.

Enjoy this post, we will be sending these out bi-monthly. Some of the topics in the future will be about the use of the laser, how an H-Wave machine differs from other forms of muscle stim, why to come in for maintenance and tune ups when you feel fine and why to bring your kids for Chiropractic Care. I will also have Dr. Ed and Dr. Derek writing posts so you can gain from their knowledge as well.

Until the next thread, have a FABULOUS DAY.

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About Dr. Terry Weyman

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