Current Issue Past Issues E-Mail Monthly Issues Ask the Chiro
    Print Friendly Newletter


Current Issue

Past Issues

Request Newsletter

Ask The Chiro

HEALTH NEWS FOR MARCH 2001

ASK THE CHIRO

We've got the answers to your chiropractic-related questions:

March 2001 Feature Articles:
Chronic Pain Helped by Chiropractic
Kids Back Pain Caused by Backpacks
Foot Pain Can Cause Pain Throughout the Body
Chiropractic College Receives Second Grant




Chronic Pain Helped by Chiropractic
An article published in the Complementary & Alternative Medicine at the NIH newsletter found that complementary and alternative medicine is effective in treating chronic pain.
"Acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage all are being sought by people with chronic back pain because conventional medicine often provides no long-term solution," says Richard L. Nahin, PhD, MPH, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) division of extramural research, training, and review. Drugs have not been effective in treating back pain and can have side effects that some people cannot tolerate. Another research project currently underway by the NCCAM is looking at chiropractic for treating chronic pelvic pain in women.
SOURCE: Complementary & Alternative Medicine at the National Institute of Health – Summer 2000; Vol VII, No. 3

TOP





Kids Back Pain Caused by Backpacks
A disturbing new trend is emerging - young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), this can be attributed to the use of overweight backpacks. This trend isn’t surprising when considering the disproportionate amount of weight kids carry in their backpacks. An Italian study finds that the average child carries backpacks the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29- pound load for a 132-pound woman. Of children carrying heavy backpacks to school, 60 percent experienced back pain as a result. Other studies show that slinging a backpack over one shoulder may exacerbate the curvature of the spine in scoliosis patients.
Some helpful tips to avoid backpack-related back pain include:
• The backpack should weigh no more than five to 10 percent of the child’s weight;
• Use a backpack with adjustable shoulder straps and be sure to wear both shoulder straps;
• The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline;
• Backpacks with individualized compartments help position contents most effectively.
For more information about the proper use of backpacks, ask your chiropractor for help.
SOURCE: American Chiropractic Association

TOP





Foot Problems Can Cause Pain Throughout the Body
According to an article in the January 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association (JACA), foot imbalances can trigger problems throughout the body - even without perceptible foot pain. Doctors of chiropractic say that foot imbalances can cause structural misalignments that result in a functional "short" leg that contributes to pelvic rotation, spinal subluxations, and neuromuscular imbalances. Walking and bending the foot forward (pronation) is one of the major causes of foot injuries, with ill-fitting shoes being another source of foot problems. Home exercises and/or orthotics can be recommended by your chiropractor to help treat this kind of pain.
SOURCE: American Chiropractic Association website - www.amerchiro.org

TOP





Chiropractic College Receives Second Grant
Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, received a second federal grant to help expand its library and learning services center to serve the healthcare and educational communities. The $1.7 million grant was included in the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) Appropriations bill. United States Senator, Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), said, "There are 20 million Americans receiving chiropractic care, with half a million of those patients in Iowa. I am pleased that I was able to secure funding for expansion of this important Iowa institution."
SOURCE: Palmer College of Chiropractic

TOP




Copyright 1999-2000 © ProfessionalPlanets.com™
All rights reserved. Terms of Use