Feature Articles:
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• Chiropractic Vying for Stamp of Approval •
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The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has officially endorsed the "Chiropractic Postage Stamp Project," sending a letter to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee urging that a chiropractic postage stamp be approved. While getting a new postage stamp suggestion accepted is a real challenge, a chiropractic stamp would be an ideal way to recognize the role of chiropractic in this country. Each year, the U.S. Postal Service receives approximately 40,000 proposals recommending subjects for stamps and these suggestions and proposals are evaluated by the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee. You can help the chiropractic postage stamp become a reality, by writing letters to: Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee, U.S. Postal Service, Stamp Development, Room 5670, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, D.C. 20260-2437.
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| SOURCE: American Chiropractic Association |
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• Avoiding the Headaches of the Season •
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With the holidays upon us, headaches become very common. To avoid headaches, the following is recommended:
- If you spend a long amount of time in one fixed position (ie in front of a computer), take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour.
- Avoid teeth clenching as this can lead to TMJ and tension headaches.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration that causes headaches.
- Engage in low impact exercise to relieve the pain associated with primary headaches.
If headaches are chronic and persist, visit your doctor of chiropractic for treatment. He or she can provide the right course of treatment through spinal adjustments, dietary changes, and give advice on exercises, posture or relaxation techniques.
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| SOURCE: American Chiropractic Association |
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• Low Back Pain Compresses the Spine •
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A study was recently conducted by the University of Chicago to determine how low back pain influences the spine while lifting. An important, yet unresolved, issue associated with low back pain is whether patients with low back pain experience spine loading that differs from that of individuals who do not have low back pain. In this study, 22 patients with low back pain and 22 asymptomatic individuals performed controlled and free-dynamic exertions. Patients with low back pain experienced 26% greater spine compression and 75% greater lateral shear (normalized to moment) than the asymptomatic group during the controlled lifting. The findings suggest a significant mechanical spine loading cost is associated with low back pain resulting from trunk muscle coactivation. This loading is further exacerbated by the increases in body weight that often accompany low back pain. Patient weight control and proper workplace design can minimize the additional spine loading associated with low back pain.
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| SOURCE: SPINE 2001;26:2566-2574 |
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• Insufficient Back Strength Puts Kids at Higher Risk for Future Problems •
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A recent study looked at whether low lumbar extension strength, high lumbar mobility, and high mobility–extension strength ratios are related to current and future low back pain in adolescents. The study looked at kids in the eighth and ninth grades during the 1996–1997 school year. 88 adolescents participated in the study, and each was given a low back pain questionnaire to determine their pain or discomfort in the low back during the preceding year. Follow-up was conducted 3 years later. Researchers found that insufficient strength and stability in the low back both serve as important factors for concurrent and future low back pain in adolescents.
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| SOURCE: SPINE 2001;26:2629-2636 |
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