Miracle Whiplash Cure?

I was purusing WebMD the other day….last week, I think. They had a video clip about a “new” treatment for whiplash. I watched and was amazed!

They showed a steroid injection…into the facet joint, I think. The patient even reported some relief. But, how new is this? I took a quick gander at Pubmed, an archive of most all of the available medical literature. I found a dozen or so articles in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s…..this is new?

I also found an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine from 1994 which found this treatment to be ineffective.

Was any of this mentioned by WebMD? No! Be careful. Be skeptical.

Of Chairs, Posture and Pain.

A new study from Spine (the cool kids’ favorite spine journal), showed less neck/shoulder pain in sewing machine operators after they were given new ergonomic chairs. More specifically they were given “an adjustable height task chair with a curved seat pan”.

A seat pan is the part you sit on. (Click here for an example.)

My first reaction was mock applause for pointing out the obvious. But, the more I think about this, I can see some value.

When I am treating someone for neck pain or back pain or shoulder pain or whatever pain, part of my problem is to teach them how to do their normal daily activities without irritating their condition. It can be hard to get ahead if the patient spends 40 hours per week aggravating their condition.

So, I try to discuss work postures (sitting at the computer and lifting are the most common offenders) with the majority of my patients. In some cases this is as important as anything we do in the office to treat them.

Here are a few tips when troubleshooting your work postures:

1. Get some professional advice if possible.

A chiropractor, physical therapist and/or ergonomic consultant are good places to start.

2. Be persistent.

Good posture is a habit. Think of it like learning the golf swing. You can’t just do it right once and expect it to be automatic. Learning correct posture is only the starting point. You need to keep reminding yourself – you need to train, dare I say discipline (an ugly word, I know. Mea Culpa.), yourself.

3. Remember the fundamentals.

Looking at you from the side, your ears should be in line with your shoulders, which should be inline with your hips (add knees and ankles if you are standing up).

4. Don’t put a lumbar support too low.

If you use a lumbar support (a good thing), the thickest part should be three inches or so above your belt-line. It should feel like it fits naturally with your body. Remember it is a lumbar “support”, not a lumbar “force”.

5. You are not a marine or a statue.

A new posture can feel a little awkward at first, but if you feel really stiff, that is usually not right. Some movement is proof of life. It’s OK. You should be upright, but feel relatively relaxed – you should feel less pain and stress in your neck and back immediately in a correct position. (Note: If you are a marine, please disregard).

Good luck on your postural endeavors!