Spinal Health Month October 2000 is Spinal Health Month and the American Chiropractic Association is urging you to experience the benefits of preventive chiropractic care first hand. With Americans living longer and making more of their later years, there is a quest to remain healthy and retain youthful vigor naturally -- with alternative health care, such as chiropractic. After consulting with your doctor of chiropractic, the ACA suggests the following tips, in addition to regular chiropractic care, to help maintain a healthy lifestyle: • Stretching. • Walking. • Other exercises including swimming, bicycling, and tennis. • Eating a healthy, balanced diet. • Drinking plenty of water. • Taking nutritional supplements. American Chiropractic Association Going For The Gold With Chiropractic Care Many American athletes had help striving for gold medals at this year’s Summer Olympics. Not only did athletes receive chiropractic care for rehabilitation, but also to give them an edge over their competitors. The official chiropractor for the 2000 U.S. Olympic medical staff, Andrew Klein, DC, stated that chiropractic care keeps athletes in optimal shape – all without the use of drugs. "Athletes have come to rely on manual therapy because the list of banned substances (for the Olympics) is so long, and also because they feel it enhances their performance," he said. Olympians Nicole Freedman (cycling), Marla Runyan (track and field) and Mary Beth Larsen (modern pentathlon) are just a few of the athletes who received chiropractic treatment during the games. American Chiropractic Association Back To Work With Chiropractic Did you know that if you are injured on the job, you might have the right to choose the doctor of your choice? And that should be your doctor of chiropractic. Many states have "right to choose" clauses in workers’ compensation laws that allow employees to choose their provider of care. The effectiveness of chiropractic treatment in helping reduce pain and return to work more quickly makes choosing your chiropractor a natural choice. Contact our office for details. Worker’s Comp: A Perfect Fit for Chiropractic. Journal of the American Chiropractic Association. July 2000. Treating Fibromyalgia With Spinal Manipulation A study was conducted to determine whether treatments combining ischemic compression and spinal manipulation could effectively reduce the intensity of pain, sleep disturbance, and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia. After 30 treatments, the average improvements by study participants were 77.2 percent for pain intensity, 63.5 percent for sleep quality, and 74.8 percent for fatigue level. These improvements were maintained even one month later. The findings suggest that chiropractic can play a beneficial role in the management of fibromyalgia. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 23(4): 225-230. May 2000. Car Head Restraints Can Make Whiplash Injuries More Severe Head restraints can exacerbate whiplash injuries, even though they are designed to protect riders in car accidents. The July 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association (JACA) states that studies on low-speed, rear-impact crashes show that less than 30 percent of Americans initially adjust their head restraints properly. However, even those who adjust them properly often end up with whiplash injuries brought on by the head restraint itself. Arthur Croft, DC, director of the Spine Research Institute of San Diego, Calif., stated in the article that the impact of a crash will make an occupant's head rise above a restraint - even one that's properly adjusted. The head restraint may actually intensify the injury as the head crashes down onto the restraint and hammers it into a lower position. In addition, if an occupant's head is more than two inches away from even a properly positioned, anchored restraint, the head restraint is useless. Journal of the American Chiropractic Association. July 2000. Lifting With Knees Is Better For The Back A new French study suggests that lifting with the knees takes more energy than bending at the waist, but that improper lifting can cause lower back pain. The study, published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, found that heart rates increased when subjects squatted to raise and lower a box. The extra energy demand may be why most people ignore warnings about possible back strain. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, July 2000. Chiropractic Featured On Television The Fox Cable Health Network recently featured chiropractic care on its "New Horizons in Health" show, the most recent edition of the "Cutting Edge Medical Report." Hosted by former astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, the program noted that doctors of chiropractic should be part of every patient's health care team. Among the many attributes made regarding chiropractic and other forms of alternative care were: • Primary care • Advanced education • Referral by medical doctors for multidisciplinary care • Patient use of Internet • Wellness • Alternative care is the fastest growing form of health care Dynamic Chiropractic Powered by ChiroPlanet.com™ Copyright 1999-2000 © ProfessionalPlanets.com™ All rights reserved. Unauthorized Reproduction Prohibited.