Pilates is an activity that is quickly growing in popularity, but still relatively obscure and misunderstood regarding its benefits. Originally developed and introduced in the 1920′s by German born gymnast and boxer Joseph Pilates, it has now been adopted and adapted for use in multiple fitness arenas everywhere.  Physical therapists, Chiropractors, and strength trainers alike have found appreciation for its ability to help every day individuals find incredible core strength and balance not only at the spinal level, but in synergy with the rest of the body parts that keep us moving. Many of you have heard me refer to the use of pilates during our sessions, and one of the first things I hear asked is “Isn’t Pilates just for girls and dancers?”  My answer; definitely not! Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! Yes, it’s true that I first fell in love with Pilates years ago after a fellow dancer and physical therapist introduced me to it. I remember the day she had a Reformer delivered into our PT Clinic, and after looking at the strange contraption, saying “What is that?” I quickly learned just how awesome Pilates exercises can be for strengthening and toning the entire body. Since it’s components can be broken down simplistically and according to each personals needs, home body’s and professional athletes alike, regardless of their sport, can benefit from its practice.  My favorite aspect of the incorporation of Pilates is its ability to fine tune muscle firing patterns and coordination. Just because a muscle might be strong, doesn’t mean it’s inherently working ideally, or correctly for that matter. After all, most injuries and episodes of pain are a result of musculoskeletal imbalances that have been left to develop over time. If you’re looking for an additional way to help you recognize and correct the imbalances that exist during your own workouts and daily activities, I highly suggest you try the Classic Pilates Method. Yes, even those of you that are muscle bound and think you’re strong, even those of you that do Yoga on a regular basis, will break a sweat and can manage to feel your body working toward improvement with Pilates. However, perhaps it’s best attribute is that sessions can be adapted in a way that loses the “scary factor” that trying new workouts sometimes can have. For example, I recently connected with Pilates & Surf instructor Stefanie McNabb of La Jolla whom was able to take me back to square one of learning the moves and using the equipment, and left me feeling great, energized, and with a new appreciation of where my own imbalances needed work and some much needed adjusting!  These days, there are various types of Pilates that have stemmed from the “True Classical Method”, all for different reasons, and all with different training requirements. My personal recommendation is to find an instructor certified in the Classical Method, but a great review of a few of the different types can be found here. If you’re not as lucky as I am to be near an awesome instructor like Stef, I challenge you to find someone in your area during the week ahead, and give it a shot! See what Pilates can do to improve your core strength, pain, and postural balance!

Our activities of daily living are filled with habits, things we’ve done over and over so many times that we no longer even realize that we’re doing until someone points them out. Of course, some habits, like washing our hands after using the restroom, are good- and are (hopefully) things we don’t even need to remind ourselves to do. Unfortunately, there are also quite a number that you, like myself, may have developed over the years that might seem small and innocent, but when analyzed are habits to be fixed. Below are some of the most common BAD habits that I see contributing to pain and stress. Take a look, and if you’re guilty of them, start working toward correcting them today!  

1. The Twisted Sleeper: Right from the time we’re kids, we start to develop our sleeping habits, and most of them are not so great! A majority of people are side-sleepers, which, in itself, is not so bad. So here’s the kink (literally):  Keeping one knee bent to the chest, and one down straight in a “stork position” will create uneven tension in the hips, pelvis and a twisting of the spine which over time can turn into a lopsided motion imbalance and pain during the waking hours. If you tend to sleep on your side, be sure that you are keeping both legs parallel, and NOT uneven. Using a small pillow or rolled towel between the knees will further aid in keeping the spine as supported as possible.  If you sleep on your stomach, don’t do it anymore. Ever. It’s the very worst position for your neck to be in. Got it? Good.

2. Driving Ugly: Here are two common imbalances waiting to become injuries I see relatively often.

The Thug-life Driver:  How many times have you found yourself leaning on your car armrest while driving with the other arm straight on top of the steering wheel? Sounds like it’s an easy enough position, right? Now consider what its doing to the rest of your body:  To lean to the side the lower spine has to shift sideways on the pelvis, creating a compression on one side of the spine, and a stretching on the other. Further up the torso, one arm and shoulder is getting a constant workout, while also sitting higher than the other shoulder blade and complex. To see the road, the neck has to bend ever so slightly away from the side of your lean so that the head stays upright and can still look around.

The “I can’t sit still” Driver: We all know we have to use our right foot and leg to work the gas and break pedals, but if you’re vehicle is an automatic shift, what do you do with your left leg? For a lot of drivers, its pretty much all over the place, and commonly resting with a fully bent knee up on the side wall of the drivers door. Again, this may sound like is not a big deal, but if you’re someone that has to get in and out of a car or drives distances very often, it can be a contributer to hip, low back and knee pain. Why? Although sitting in general places the hip flexors in a shortened position, further bending up the left leg creates uneven rotation of the low back vertebrae and muscles, a shift in alignment of the pelvis and therefore compression in the SI joints, tension in the muscles of the outer hip, and other areas along the kinetic chain.

Even If you’re a distance driver, it won’t take long to connect all the areas you’ve been stiff or sore in to how you feel when driving. But, even if you only have a 5 minute commute, years of driving around in this totally twisted and bent up position can take its toll. Start to even things out, and actually follow the old standard 10:00, 2:00 steering wheel hand placement advice, and keep the your feet (and therefore hips) next to each other.

3. The Lip and Cheek Biter: This bad habit goes way beyond just looking bad. Anyone who has a habit of biting the side of their lip, cheek, pens or even chewing gum on one side of their mouth, is doing a number on their TM Joint. This little joint in the back of the jaw is so under-rated! However, the constant shift of the jaw towards one side, creates an uneven shift and compression on the disc contained within the joint. Just like the discs in your back, the repetitive stress placed upon these little tiny discs and the muscles that attach around them can contribute to huge amounts of pain in the jaw, neck, and massive headaches.

4. Irregular Eating: Ok, so I think most people know that eating irregularly is a bad habit, but it’s still worth being said if only because of how often I come across it being an issue with patients in two particular ways: Skipping Breakfast, and late night snacking. Skipping breakfast or substituting “real food” by only a cup of coffee sets up your stomach for high acidity and potential heartburn issues, but it also puts a damper on you metabolism for the day. Eating within 30 minutes of rising gives your body the message to start burning fat and energy stores FOR ENERGY. Sounds genius, doesn’t it? Unfortunately though, most people in todays society thing that skipping it will help them to lose weight, save time, and money. Wrong! You’re teaching your body to take any energy you feed it and store most of it as fat throughout the day, you’ll end up crashing with an energy low midway through your day therefore becoming less productive and probably slower in your activities, AND a lot of people end up spending the money on another cup of coffee or less healthy option later when the crash happens. (By the way, as one more reminder- sorry, but Coffee is NOT food, and doesn’t count as a serving of water.)

Late night snacking likewise creates a set up for all the food you indulge in to be stored away as fat while you sleep or sit watching TV, and also is a prime culprit for nighttime acid indigestion.

5. One-sided Carrying: Women are notorious for this one, but the bigger and bigger the purses and handbags become in today’s trends, the more of a problem it becomes. Men, however, are guilty of this one, too. Whether you’re carrying a briefcase, book-bag, diaper-bag or purse, be sure to switch up the side you carry it on before you start to develop neck and shoulder pain. The nerves that are commonly irritated in this area can create everything from arm pain and numbness, to shoulder blade pain and headaches. So, do yourself a favor, and after taking out all the unnecessary coins and random objects from your daily carry, start making the effort to change up the side you hold it on. (Oh- and btw, this includes what side you carry your kids on!)

It goes without saying that most people are aware that they have a spine and spinal discs. Most people have also heard of someone having a “disc bulge” at someone point in their lives- maybe even you’ve been told that by a doctor along the way. However, most people don’t really understand what any of it means. The following article should help to clear up some of the misconceptions about spinal discs and the misnomers that go along with them.

The intervertebral disc (also regularly referred to as IVD or just plain “discs”), is found between nearly ever segment of your spinal vertebrae. In our youth, these discs are like fresh jelly donuts- soft, mushy and moist on the inside with a strong but slightly flexibly outside layer. Their purpose is to help absorb the pressure imposed by gravity, and the shock we place on our body during everyday activities like sitting, walking, running, and all the other crazy things we put it through. When healthy, the discs also work in conjuction with the bones of our spine to provide extreme strength and protection to our spinal cord and all the nerve roots that extend from it out into our body.

However, as we begin to age, the moisture and nutrients that help to provide the integrity our discs begins to dry up. (Think day-old jelly donut at this point- still good, just not as good.) Most disc injuries actually take place between 25-45, when the disc still has a good amount of “give” but when we have the tendency to demand the most from it. Because of the way the layers of the IVD develop, rotation, flexion and sudden weight loads are the most common ways to injure the disc. Individuals that are overweight, have poor lower extremity flexibility and weak core strength are also predisposed to disc problems, since all components place an increased stress and load on them.

Now introduce poor nutrition, repetitive activities, poor body mechanics when lifting, and other areas of muscular imbalances, and you can probably guess what to expect- it’s a picture for disaster. If you’re not taking care of the health of your spine, eventually something’s got to give, and for some unlucky individuals, it’s the disc.  What I most commonly see is one of two things:  For many people disc changes and spinal changes take place over a significant amount of time. As the disc is asked to take repeated stress and activities eventually the body reaches its limit and the disc is flattened to the extent that the space it used to make for the nerves beside it starts to decrease, OR the disc gets “smooshed” in a certain direction to the degree that it starts to place pressure on the surrounding structures (nerves, ligaments, bone). The latter case is often called a “herniation” or bulge. In either case, it’s this shift from “normal” that creates irritation and thus painful inflammation.  This pain can range from brief local pain that disappears in a few days to the type that creates sharp or burning sensations in other areas of the body such as arms or legs. However, every individual is different, and not all disc issues are the same. Sure there are “text book” signs and symptoms, examinations, and personal history’s that are usually pretty common among disc pain suffers, but the degree and extent of discomfort can also differ according to whatever other issues the patient may or may not even know at the time they have.  The unfortunate truth is that although the body is an amazing structure, sometimes even picking up a shampoo bottle from the shower floor is more than it can take.

Luckily, there are ways to help prevent disc injuries, and maintain an active, pain free lifestyle even if you already have had a disc injury in the past.  Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind about spine and disc health:

1. Nutrition is Key: Even if you’re eating organic, you might not be getting enough of the nutrition you need to keep the discs hydrated, surrounding cartilage smooth, and muscles inflammation-free. Keeping a balanced, regular, whole food diet with supplementation according to your lifestyle needs is the first and best way to maintain and prevent disc irritation and flare ups. Here’s one of my favorite supplements for maintaining disc health and decreasing the pain of their injury: Disc-Flex
2. Remember to visit your Chiropractor: How often you should be seeing your Chiro is generally determined by your overall health and your ability to not only recognize but attend to issues as they begin to develop. “Regular” visits to your chiropractor helps to maintain joint fluid flow (nutrition) , remove restrictions in the nervous system that can create structural imbalances and motion restrictions, and can help maintain overall musculoskeletal and immune system health. Visiting every 3-6 weeks is generally recommended, but can vary according to your activities and stress. And YES, a chiropractor CAN help you even if you have a disc herniation.
3. Keep Stretching! Even if you can’t make it to the gym or don’t have time to go for a walk, you can ALWAYS make time to stretch. I don’t care if your butt is glued to your office chair, there are still stretches you can do right there while sitting and writing your emails.
4. If you’ve already had a spinal fusion, stretching, proper nutrition, and maintaining motion of the surrounding joins and vertebrae is absolutely imperative. when your motion has been limited in one area of your body, other areas that are still left freely moving have to make up for the motion and shock absorption that was removed during the fusion. If you don’t take the time to keep those areas healthy and free of imbalances, changes such as arthritis, ligament damage and fracture can occur in time.
5. Whenever changing position, lifting heavy objects or running, be sure to keep your abdominals tight. Without core strength, there’s nothing to help support your spine.
6. If you’re overweight, lose the weight. You might feel great right now, and diets might be tough, but no amount of difficulty can compare to what you’ll feel like down the road when spinal, hip and knee damage has happened. If you need assistance to help get you going, just ask us and we’re happy to help!

If you don’t think you have time to stretch, eat right, and take care of your body, you probably just haven’t made it a priority.  My advice? Make it one before it forces you to!

If you’re in the process of trying to build your lean muscle  mass, read on for tips on nutrient timing, types and amounts that should be taken into consideration.

First, take note of the growing trend of Pre-Workout nutrition. The fact is, it’s not just a trend, but a research backed fact that muscles can benefit almost twice as much from a pre-workout nutritional blast as compared to a post-workout supplementation alone. Why? It has to do with the “window of opportunity” if you will, when your body sets up for optimal repair and growth phase. Workouts break down muscles. Nutrition and rest phases build it back up to create mass.  

So, 1 to 2 hours before your workout, “pre-plenish” your muscles glycogen stores with high carbohydrate and protein smoothies of fruits and veggies. Keep adequate volumes of water and electrolyes on hand during your workout, and Replenish nutritional stores with protein, carbs and essential fats within 45 minutes to an hour of your workout. Just know that its not imperative that you chug your shake or inhale your meal while walking out the door of the gym.

Protein and Amino Acids:  Different sources of proteins stimulate muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercises differently. Wow, huh? Although not all that mind blowing a concept, the difference lies in the minor differences between amino acids and digestion rates between the different ingested sources. Recent studies show that the amount of these essential amino acids, and specifically leucine, may be important.The most popular of protein supplements generally contain whey or soy, but the more easily digested rice proteins, which lacks casein is quickly gaining a foothold, as are the lower-protein, higher omega content flax, almond and peanut protein products. As you may have seen in our last newsletter, I tend to be a stronger proponent of rice proteins due to their hypo-allergenic nature, but if you’re looking for a “best option”, find a supplement that combines whey, soy, and rice proteins with additional nutrient dense materials. Don’t go for those that put out promises of “massive fast weight gain” unless you want massive, fast weight loss as soon as you stop taking them. A gradual increase in your diet and muscle building workout routine will create solid, lean muscle mass that lasts, rather than mass that is created by a puffed up water content the way creatine based products can do.  In the rest of your daily diet, eggs, 2% milk, nuts, beans, lentils, quinoa, tofu, and cheese also provide great nutrition to build lean muscle mass.

Keep in mind though, contrary to current popular belief, you don’t need to use high cost, high promise meal supplements to gain muscle mass. It’s true that a quality product can help provide the additional protein you looking for, but the typical American already gets enough protein in their diet. The difference is only created in athletes who are actively and regularly working out to build muscle mass. These individuals should aim at getting an average of bout 1.6 grams of protein per day for every kilogram of their current body weight. This averages to approximately .5- .73 grams of protein per pound of weight, assuming you follow a rigorous exercise plan for building muscle. If you’re a competitive adult athlete or follow an overly intense daily workout routine, bump that number up to .6-.9g/lb.

Carbs: Carbohydrates have been shown to serve an important purpose; namely, prolonging the stimulation of protein synthesis because of the enhanced insulin release caused during its digestion.  When it comes to the carb intake, there are a few exceptions based on sport type and workout intensity: If your sport requires plyometric, speed and weight training you’ll need about 2.5 grams of daily carbs per pound of body weight. Endurance athletes on the other hand, (such as marathon runners and triathletes), need higher amounts- about 3.5-4.5 grams per pound of body weight daily in order to perform and function at their best. If you’re a light exerciser, aim for about 200g per day.   

Routine: Last but not least, make sure that you’re combining your nutrition with exercise and rest days. If you don’t give your muscles a chance to workout, and repair, you’re heading toward injury. Most studies show that a combination of essential amino acids, proteins, and carbohydrates pre- and post resistance exercise creates the greatest amounts of lean mass and Type 2 muscle fiber gains.  Remember though, if you’re spending your time and money only eating and supplementing without a regular, planned out weight training routine, you’ll soon find you’re developing a keg around your middle instead of those 6 pack abs your aiming at.

It’s pretty easy for some of us to lose track of time in today’s marketplace, but in case you missed it, a whole new group of college graduates have just entered the community! Some of you may be recent grads, some of you may have left campus years ago. Regardless of our stories, we’ve all gained a few lessons from the ups and downs that life has presented us since then. As a community, sharing our experiences, advice, and questions can help to motivate and pave the road for those we’re connected to, no matter what transition we’re going through.

To the new grads, you’ve probably heard your fair share of advice cards, lectures etc. already. Just try to keep in mind that no matter how boring, sentimental, off target, or down-right wrong the advice you receive may seem right now, the people giving it to you valued it for a reason. We don’t always see the value at the time someone gives us advice, but if we take the time to digest it before throwing it off, it just may come to be of use down the road- even if you remember it as a key reminder of what you DON’T want to do! If you’re facing the road ahead feeling overwhelmed and a little lost, remember that others have gone before you and are here to help if you have the courage to ask. And last but not least, remember that both you and those you once thought you knew will not be the same people 5 years from now. Stay in touch with them, and reach out to those you’ve lost connection with. Your worst competitor may turn out to be a great friend, and friends may one day be the driving force that pushes you to the success you never thought you could achieve on your own.

Help me in welcoming our new grads by posting what you feel are the most important professional tips and networking advice below, and post any known jobs on the group job board. Remember, transitions can occur at any time of life, you never know how far your words can reach!

Great article for new grads at: ttp://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/05/19/important-career-advice-for-new-grads

So now that we’re about to pass the mid-year mark, how’d you do with your fitness goals so far? If you fell off the boat and stopped your routine or gym membership, remember this: You don’t need to become a member of an expensive gym to go walking. And except for a good pair of walking shoes, it requires virtually no equipment.

As we all know, a sedentary lifestyle has a debilitating influence on people’s health as they age, therefore exercise is imperative. You might think you walk enough as it is during your daily routine, but making “fitness walking” a separate part of your health regimen accomplishes all of the following and more:  Improves cardiovascular endurance and reduces the risk of heart disease; Tones muscles of the lower body ; Burns calories: about 80 if walking 2 miles per hour, and about 107 if walking 4.5 miles per hour

The following tips can help you get started on your walking regimen:
· Go in the morning. This will not only kick-start your metabolism, but will likely avoid the high summer heat and humidity you’d face during later times of the day. Such conditions should always be avoided since they make it harder to motivate and make you more prone to situations like dehydration and heat related illnesses.
·  Move your arms freely, in coordination with the opposite leg. If you need to carry water, get yourself an inexpensive water belt or pack .
·  Don’t stoop your head or look down as you walk. This will challenge the normal forward curve of your neck, which, in turn, will cause you to carry your weight improperly.
·  Don’t carry weights or dumbbells while walking. They’re better used as a separate part of your exercise regimen, since they can often create stress on the upper body which leads to improper form and pain.
·  Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. If you experience more than soreness, check with your doctor of chiropractic.
·  Walk briskly and with “purpose.” Simply sauntering, while relaxing and an enjoyable form of stress release, is not an effective form of cardiovascular exercise.
·  An all-weather or rubberized track is ideal, because the cushioning of this type of track absorbs most of the impact of your walking. Many recreation centers offer this type of track free of charge. Grass is another good surface, but watch out for hidden dips or holes in the ground.
· For those of you near beaches, be aware that this surface can be a great workout, but ONLY if you’re on a level surface. Walking along sloping tide line or road makes the muscles of your legs, hips, and low back work unevenly leaving you “lop-sided”- out of balance and feeling sore.
·  Walking on a surface with no give, such as concrete or a mall floor, is not your best choice, because this type of surface will not absorb much of the impact your body will experience. If you do choose to walk on such a surface, be extra careful to select highly cushioned shoes with the proper arch support for your specific foot needs.

As with any new fitness program, if you’re a complete newbie or have significant health conditions, you may want to consider consulting your doctor before beginning regarding what activities are best for you. If you’re starting from scratch, start slowly with a walk of perhaps half of a mile at a pace that does not cause discomfort. Continue this for about two weeks, then start to increase the pace and length of time walking. Eventually – depending on your age – you can build your “target” heart rate/pulse to either 120 beats per minute or, if younger, as many as 140 beats per minute. For the average adult, a heart rate of 120 beats per minute would require walking at about 3 miles per hour, while a heart rate of 140 beats per minute would require a pace of 4  miles per hour.

Get additional Informational Resources available through the American Chiropractic Association, JACAOnline.

Beat the May Gray with these great local ideas that are sure to get you outside and enjoying your active lifestyle!

May 1st:  1st Annual San Diego Ho`olaule`a & Ikuna Koa Keiki Klasic Regatta Lei Day  If you missed our original publication where these events were posted, you may have missed the chance to enjoy the Hawaiian Lei Day Festival and canoe regatta on San Diego Mission Bay park’s De Anza Cove from 9am-5pm. This free event featured food, races, crafts, performances and more. But, you can still check out the details on future events and races, including how to give outrigger paddling a try for yourself! Check out Ikuna Koa Outrigger’s event page.

May 7&8th, 14 & 15th: Happy River Days! Take part in a river clean up, service days, a 5 mile run/walk, guided hikes, wildlife preserve open houses, plant sales, and more. This 8th Annual monthly event all culminates into the 2011 River Fest at Qualcomm. For more info visit their website at the San Diego River Park Foundation.   

May 15th: The 2011 Enicinitas Sprint Triathlon, Super Sprint Triathlon, and Duathlon, will take place in conjunction with the Encinitas Sports Festival on May 15th, 2011. Registration ends May 8th, so be sure to visit Active.com or Encinitasrace.com to get in on the action!! 

May 19th,  2011: Women On Course “Nine & Wine” Golf Event at Encinitas Ranch Country Club. Enjoy 9 holes of great golf that includes golf, cart, warm up balls and a glass of house wine afterwards. To register for this event and others in the region visit www.WomenOnCourse.com.

Need a new trail to hike or ride? Check out SDCTC for a great list of well know and little known trails around the entire county. Bonus: many reviews and directions are complete with various recent video clips from riders on the trails.

Are you a part of a team, league or group that could benefit from learning more about health, fitness and injury prevention?  Dr. Katrina is happy to provide event coverage, motivational and informational lectures, workshops and sessions for groups of any size. Contact us today to set up a time! Info@ActionSportsChiropractic.com

If you’ve ever tried protein supplementation and meal replacement programs and had difficulty with digestion “issues”, you may want to consider giving rice protein a try.

Unlike whey powder protein, which is made from dairy and not a good choice for those with lactose intolerance, or soy proteins, which can causes digestive problems for some individuals, rice protein is often more easily digested, and like soy, is completely vegan. Not only this, but it’s gluten free, is a superior quality hypoallergenic (having little likelihood of causing an allergic response) protein, and is often less expensive than other protein additives. Recent studies have also shown rice protein concentrates to be an extremely effective anti carcinogenic substance thus reducing the formation of carcinogenic cells to a great extent, and can also help reduce levels of lipid (fat) in the body when consumed regularly.

Most people think of rice as a carbohydrate, but like many other grains, it does have all 9 amino acids that make up proteins. If processed using “raw food” enzymatic methods, brown rice can then be separated between carbs and proteins. The result is usually made into rice protein powder, which may be flavored or not, and can be added to a variety of foods including smoothies, baked goods, and many nutritional products such as the Clearvite-SF supplement we use and supply here at ASC. Although the taste can differ between manufacturers, generally speaking, rice proteins can provide a great option for those that would like an extra protein boost without messing up their favorite fruit and veggie juices.
For additional great supplements that you can order right from your own home, visit our new nutritional website www.PureCapsPro.com/DrHackett, now available in partnership with Pure Encapsulation Nutritional Products.

The following article is adapted from resources provided by the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association, with additional tips from the Mayo Clinic provided at the end. Since sooo many of us decide to rededicate ourselves to our work in the new year, I thought it would be appropriate to remind us all how important it is that we take care of the body that supports those brilliant business minds!

Since ancient times, people have known that movement is an essential part of life. Today, a typical office worker sits at a desk for eight hours a day—probably with poor posture—and seldom stands up. Whenever the requirements of a job do not match the physical attributes of a worker, the worker is more prone to injury and lost productivity.

Workplace injuries, a common cause of time off, cost employers and employees billions of dollars every year.  The fact that such a large percentage of individuals are becoming work-from-home entrepreneurs, many with make-shift workstations, means the risks  are no longer only seen from factory workers and mechanics. Some of the more common workplace injuries are carpal tunnel syndrome (a nerve entrapment at the wrist seen in computer users), low-back pain, tendinitis, bursitis, and neck pain or headaches.

Many workplace injuries are called repetitive stress injuries or cumulative-trauma disorders. These injuries occur when abnormal stresses are repeatedly placed on normal joints by poor posture or poor joint position during the performance of a task. Many of these stresses are caused by poor workstation design and/or repetitive task performance. In addition, poor posture at the workstation can also be detrimental. For example, prolonged use of a computer or a mouse, particularly when the work area is not designed well, can (surprise, surprise,) lead to carpal tunnel syndrome and/or neck and arm pain.

During any work activities, people should be able to comfortably assume a number of different postures and not remain in one position for an extended time. Muscles will fatigue and be more prone to injury when assuming a particular posture, especially a poor one (e.g., partially bent forward at the waist).  As ergonomic studies increase and improve, more corporations can be seen providing exercise programs, gyms, and standing work stations for employees. Although some may see these additions as added expenses, in the long run, the benefits can far outweigh the costs of not instituting the changes;  decreased risk of injury and improved health, attitude and productivity of the employees.

Perhaps less surprising, new statistics show that at least 70 percent of America’s 30 million elementary school students use computers, according to a recent New York Times article, and the numbers have risen since its publication. As a result of this increased usage, doctors of chiropractic are treating more young patients suffering from the effects of working at computer stations that are either designed for adults or poorly designed for children. Many children are already suffering from repetitive motion injuries (RMI) such as carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic pain in the hands, back, neck and shoulders. A recently published study conducted by a team of researchers from Cornell University found that 40 percent of the elementary school children they studied used computer workstations that put them at postural risk. The remaining 60 percent scored in a range indicating “some concern.”

Dr. Scott Bautch, of the American Chiropractic Association’s Council on Occupational Health has stated, “Poor work habits and computer workstations that don’t fit a child’s body during the developing years can have harmful physical effects that can last a lifetime. Parents need to be just as concerned about their children’s interaction with their computer workstations as they are with any activities that may affect their children’s long-term health.”

So, what can you do to prevent yourself from becoming one of the injury statistics mentioned above? Plenty. The Journal of the American Chiropractic Association suggests the following tips:

When working at a desk, try these suggestions for greater comfort:

1- Choose a desk that is the proper height. All things on your desk should be within easy reach.

2- Your feet should be touching the floor, with the legs and body forming an angle of 90 to 110 degrees. There should be two inches between the front edge of the seat and the back of the knees. The chair should have arm supports so that elbows are resting within a 70- to 135-degree angle to the computer keyboard.

3- Keep your body straight with the head and neck upright and looking forward, not to the side. Do not hunch over or slouch.

4- Adjust the height of your monitor. Look forward with your head in a neutral position. Your eyes should be at the same height as the top of the monitor. Leaning your head forward can lead to headaches and neck pain.

5- When typing, keep your wrists straight, or in a “neutral” position- not angled up or down. The mousing surface should be close to the keyboard so that whomever is using the workstation doesn’t have to hold the arm out. Your shoulders should be maintained perpendicular to the floor, and your forearms parallel to the floor.

6- When reading at your desk, use a bookstand or a paper holder to keep your eyes in the same neutral position you use to read documents on your computer monitor.

7- When talking on the phone, use a headset, when possible, especially if you talk on the phone for prolonged periods. Holding the phone between your shoulder and cheek will only lead to neck pain and headaches.

8- Stand up and stretch your legs with a short walk about every 20 to 30 minutes.

9- Take micro-breaks often, stretching your neck, arms and wrists, back, and legs. Simple stretches include neck rotations, fist clenches, arm dangles, and shoulder shrugs.

10- If your eyes concentrate on a particular object for long periods, relax your eye muscles by shifting your focus from objects that are close to you to objects that are farther away. This helps reduce eye strain.

• Especially when working with children, make sure the chair at the workstation fits correctly. An ergonomic back cushion, pillow or a rolled-up towel can be placed in the small of the child’s back for added back support.

For additional tips, check out this fantastic website from the Mayo Clinic full of visual tips, videos, and checklists to help make your workstation injury free or, at least, a little more comfortable!

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, though not something many people care to talk about, is still a common hindrance to the activities and sports performance of thousands. In fact, with 1 in 5 Americans affected by IBS, chances are you or someone you know could benefit from the quick tips below.

Causes and contributors to IBS may be many, and are often determined through an Elimination Diet. The most common irritants include wheat, citrus, nuts and dairy. Such “diets” may take 2-4 weeks, depending on how many foods you’re trying to sort through. If your symptoms don’t improve during this time, you probably don’t have a dietary trigger to your IBS symptoms. However, if you’ve never tried to find out, it might be worth trying. If you missed our June Newsletter, you can still read more about how to do this in a healthy manner through the ASC Newsletter Archives on our main website.

During the winter months we tend to see a lot more peppermint products on the market. Somehow the idea of curling up with a cup of peppermint tea seems more enjoyable during cold weather, but taking the time to do so can help IBS sufferers in any season. Peppermint can help to relieve cramps, gas and bloating by normalizing the flow of certain minerals  in the gut walls that control contraction and relaxation.  If you find you tend to cramp after meals, try drinking a strong cup of peppermint tea. However, user be warned: Peppermint can instigate heartburn in some acid reflux sufferers. If you’re one of them, taking enteric coated peppermint oil capsules (.2-.4ml) a few times a day instead, can help to prevent the heartburn side effect by containing the oil until it reaches the small intestine.

Keeping a proper balance of the good and bad gut flora can occasionally be the result of antibiotics and corticosteroids. Probiotics can help to boost good bacteria, and thereby help prevent flare-ups and alleviate IBS-linked symptoms such as cramps and bloating. Keep this in mind especially during traveling and flu season, when your immune system can be overstressed even without the use of antibiotics.

To supplement your daily regimen, try taking a mixture of probiotic strains that reach at least 4-5 billion units, twice a day for one to two months.  Since different people have different needs, you may find you respond better to one combination or product line over another.  Taking a mixture, or a product that already contains a combination of  probiotic strains, helps to alleviate a variety of  symptoms.

Last but not least, keep moving! Keeping your body moving can help to stimulate the intestines in such a way that “pumps the gut”.  The more frequently your muscles move around them, the  less cramps, spasms, gas and constipation may occur.  This may sound too simple, but if you don’t already make the habit of keeping yourself active, give it try! You might be surprised how much a simple walk or swim can help keep your body and mind healthier and happier.