Safe Lifting Makes Sense
Safe lifting techniques keep your back in balance and can protect you and your back from accidental strain and overload. It makes sense — to keep your back working smoothly and problem-free, lift right!

1. Visualize the Lift –
The first step In safe lifting is thinking. “Can I lift it by myself?” “Can I hold it close to my body?” If the load is manageable, follow the remaining tips.

2. Tuck Your Pelvis –
By tightening your stomach muscles, you can “tuck” your pelvis to keep your back’s three curves In balance.

3. Bend Your Knees –
Bend your knees instead of your waist. Let the large muscles in your legs support your back and carry the weight

4. “Hug” The Load –
Try to hold the object you’re lifting as close to your body as possible, as you gradually straighten your legs to a standing position.

5. Avoid Twisting –
Twisting while you lift or carry increases the load on your spine and can lead to serious injury. To avoid twisting, be sure that your knees and torso are moving in the same direction when lifting.

1. Heat cramps: When you sweat a lot, you lose electrolytes, which leads to cramping. These muscle spasms usually hit the arms, legs, or stomach a few hours after running around in hot, sticky weather.

Tips: ? Drink lots of water, but also replace electrolytes by grabbing a replenishing drink like Gatorade. ? Limit salt intake, since salt exacerbates dehydration. ? Get rest.

2. Heat exhaustion: As your body works to cool you down, the surface blood vessels that enlarge to try to cool the blood may collapse from a lack of body fluid and lost minerals. You can start to feel weak, anxious, or dizzy. You lose coordination and sweat a lot, and you may lose consciousness.

Tips: ? Move to a cool, shaded area, lie down and elevate your feet. This helps restore normal blood volumes. ? Make sure your clothes are loose enough so your body can “breathe,” place a wet cloth on your forehead, and fan yourself. ? Down more electrolyte-replacing liquids.

3. Heat Stroke: The most serious of heat illnesses, heat strokes occur when the body’s supply of fluids and salt is depleted and the body temp rises to a deadly level. Symptoms include a 103-degree or higher body temperature; a lack of sweat; hot, red, dry skin; a rapid pulse; difficulty breathing, and constricted pupils.

Treatment: ? Call 911. ? You must cool down as quickly as possible. Wrap a potential heat stroke victim in wet blankets or clothes, immerse them in cool water, or pour water
over their body. Use ice.

“We used to believe that occupations like construction caused most on-the-job injuries,” said Dr. West, Dr. Maybee & Dr. Myers. “However, someone who works at a computer is putting considerable stress on their wrists, shoulders, neck and spine, and this can cause some really painful work-place injuries.”
Repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, as more and more people spend long hours in front of a computer screen.

“Today, it’s not just the administrative assistant who uses a computer,” said Dr. West, Dr. Maybee & Dr. Myers. “Most corporate executives spend their work day in front of a computer, too. When the work day ends, many people go home and ‘surf the net’ for hours on their own PC’s.” Carpal tunnel syndrome alone affects approximately 230,000 people every year and accounts for nearly half of all workplace illnesses, costing the country nearly $800 million in health care benefits and rehabilitation. Other injuries include low back pain, postural and spinal stress, and tendinitis—conditions that can affect a person’s work, as well as make life painful.

To reduce the possibility of suffering one of these painful and possibly disabling injuries, Dr. West, Dr. Maybee & Dr. Myers suggest:

?Make sure your chair fits correctly. There should be 2 inches between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees. Ideally, the chair should tilt back so you can rest while you’re reading what’s on the screen.

?Sit with your knees at approximately a 90 to 120-degree angle. Using an angled foot rest to support your feet may help you sit more comfortably.

?Position your computer monitor so the top of the screen is at or below eye level, with adequate lighting and no glare.

?Keep your wrists in the neutral position, not angled up or down, while you type. A wrist rest can help.

?Take periodic stretch breaks.

“If you do suffer from strains or injuries on the job, see a doctor of chiropractic,” urges Dr. West , Dr. Maybee & Dr. Myers.

1. Allergies, including allergies to food or medication.
2. Major medical problems.
3. Medications.
4. Date of your last tetanus booster.
5. Date of your last influenza vaccine.
6. Date of your last pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine.
7. Date of your last haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine.
8. Date of your hepatitis B vaccine.
9. Date of your polio vaccine.
10. Date of your diptheria-tetanus-pertussis (DPT) vaccine.
11. Date of your measles, mumps, rubella vaccine.
12. Notes about any other relevant medical information.

—adapted from the American Medical Association Handbook of First Aid & Emergency Care (Random House)

Hip and leg problems can occur in many painful ways. The miseries of such conditions as lumbago, rheumatism, neuritis, and sciatica are infamous, indeed. Lumbago and rheumatism both have their effect in the muscles. The hips and lower back (part of the hips) are particularly susceptible to these alignments. Irritation to the nerves which carry vital nerve energy to the hips and legs is the main cause of neuritis. Sciatica is a condition affecting the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body, which controls movement as well as the sensory functions of the hips and legs. Sciatica is an excruciatingly painful condition.

YOUR PAIN MAY START WITH COMMON ACTIVITIES

It should come as no surprise that pain so often strikes in the hip and leg areas when you consider the myriad of tasks that these body parts are called upon to perform. Lifting, pulling, pushing, straining, accidents, etc., can cause injury to nerves resulting in pain in the hips and legs.
Most of us have experienced some degree of hip and leg discomfort due to being forced to sit in a cramped position for a prolonged period of time, perhaps during a long auto or bus trip. This discomfort – if not outright pain – is usually short-lived. But can you imagine having to endure this – or worse – as a constant pain? Many thousands of people do, usually as a result of one or more of the above mentioned situations.
A fast pace and working long hours – even mental exhaustion – can result in spinal stress which may irritate nerves. This can produce an almost unbearable pain in the hips, thighs, and lower legs. And severe irritation due to misaligned vertebrae and discs may even cause paralysis.
No wonder thousands of people take tons of dangerous pain-killing drugs each year!

HOW CHIROPRACTIC CAN HELP?

Chiropractors are concerned with the effects of spinal misalignment on the nerves that carry health-giving energy to every cell of the body. If vertebrae and the discs between them are misaligned, they can pinch and irritate the nerves that branch out from the spinal structures; which can then cause radiating pain to hip and leg.

In specific problems with hips and legs, the nerve pressure is often found in the lower back, Dr. Daniel T. West, Dr. Matthew A. Myers and Dr. Daniel Maybee have had specialized training and over 40 years of combined practical experience.

CHIROPRACTIC HELPS NATURE IN RELIEVING AND HEALING HIP AND LEG PAIN

Dr. West, Dr. Myers and Dr. Maybee have had years of specialized college training plus valuable practical experience. A thorough knowledge of the spinal column and the body’s nervous system enables them to examine and locate the exact point of nerve impingement. Proper adjustments can relieve the nerve pressure and return the normal flow of nerve energy to the affected areas. Thus nature’s wondrous healing process can begin and blessed relief from hip and leg pain follows.

DELAY MAY MAKE HIP AND LEG PAIN BECOME WORSE

If you suffer from lumbago, rheumatism, neuritis, sciatica, or any other hip or leg problems, ask Dr. West, Dr. Myers or Dr. Maybee to examine your spine and nervous system. If indicated, he will provide spinal adjustments which can restore vital nerve energy to those affected parts. Once the nerve interference has been removed and the normal flow of nerve energy has been restored, nature can go to work and promote healing from within.

Legs are “tools,” a near-necessity in the routine of living and making a living. Legs do a tremendous job of functioning as extra doors, moving, pushing, pulling, and picking up objects, plus a thousand-and-one other actions and gestures. And what directs our legs to do all of these things – and more? Nerve impulses emanating from our brains!

If vertebrae and the discs between them are misaligned they can pinch and irritate the nerves that branch out from the spinal structures; which can then cause radiating pain to hips and legs.

With our hips and legs we crawl, walk, ride a bicycle, drive a car, swim, leap and climb. From the beginning of man’s history, his hips and legs have been a major key to his survival, even affording him protection as they permit him to run from impending danger.

EVERY DAY, IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS, WE DEPEND UPON OUR HIPS AND LEGS

We depend upon our hips and legs throughout our daily routine – throughout life – more than most of us realize. Millions of individuals must depend upon their hips and legs for many miles of walking each day. Mail carriers; police officers; office, store, and factory employees; housewives; and students are but a few. The value of these important limbs functioning properly and pain-free is even more pronounced for such people.

This offer is not good with any other offer. Bowlers must receive a spinal health screening to receive the special offer for bowling. Shoe rental is not included in this special price. Please call 717.354.5555 or 717.354.2332 for more details. We hope to see you there!