Archive for the ‘Tip o’ the Day/ B.T.T.o.D.’ Category
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
Earlier today, one of my patients without prescription drug coverage related she was filling a prescription I had written for her. The first pharmacy quoted her a price of $175.00. She was about to forgo the prescription, but decided to check with a competing pharmacy, who sold her the prescription for $46.00.
The moral of the story is this: Different pharmacies can have different relationships with manufacturers and distributors, so it pays to comparison shop. Money is tight for most of us these days, so it is clearly worth the work.
Best,
Andy
It pays to comparison shop.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, drugs, kirschner, Low Back Pain, money, Neck Pain, pharmacy, pricing, Tips
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Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
I had several visits with a patient who had neck pain which she related to computer use. If you’ve checked out my recent posts on Martha Stewart’s Whole Living Daily, you’ve seen my suggestions on making your home and workspace more back friendly. This patient had taken all of my suggestions, and modified her desk space- altering the height and position of her monitor and keyboard, optimized her chair, etc… and she still had neck pain.
I did not identify any significant mechanical problems with her neck- so I sat her down in front of my computer and had her browse the internet for a few minutes (checking out some of her favorite posts here on BackWords!) Almost immediately, I was able to see what the problem was- she was squinting at the screen, and craning her neck forward to see it better. I quickly asked her when her last eye exam was, and she told me ‘more than 4 years ago.’
She had an eye exam, got her prescription changed, and her neck pain went away.
Get regular eye exams!
-Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, eye, eye exam, eyes, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, pain, tip, tip o' the day, tip of, tip of the day, Tips
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Wednesday, June 16th, 2010
With your hectic schedule, it can be tempting to jump right into exercise rather than taking a few minutes to warm up and stretch before working out. Beginning a workout cold puts you at greater risk for injury- particularly if you are someone who exercises in the morning- the time of day you are most likely to sprain or strain your back.
Prehydrate before exercise, and continue to hydrate throughout your workout. Before you start, take a brief, brisk walk (10-15 minutes) then take a moment to stretch each of your large muscle groups. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of injuring your back or neck.
Be well,
Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, exercise, kirschner, Neck Pain, pain, stretch, stretching
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Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
I almost hate to talk about shoes in the midst of all of this Sex and the City hyperhype. If I hear the words ‘Manolo Blahnik’ one more time, I may need therapy. But the truth is, high heels get somewhat of a bad rap in discussions about back pain. You always hear about how wearing these shoes or those shoes caused back pain, but there are some things you can do to prevent this from happening to you. When you are considering how shoes might affect you, there are a few things to consider:
-If you need to wear heels for work, or an occasion- try to keep them no higher than 1 to 1.5 inches in height. Higher than this, and you will alter your pelvic tilt, and compromise your body mechanics.
-If you must wear heels higher than that, try to stick with ones that have a wider, more supportive heel (mules for example.) These will provide lateral support and put you at less risk than stiletto types.
-There are no dress shoes (for women or men) that are particularly supportive, so really try to wear them only when you need to. Good shock absorption and arch support can to a lot to protect your back from harm. I love when I see folks walking to work in a suit wearing sneakers, and changing into their shoes when they get where they are going.
As a guy who wears cowboy boots most of the time, I take my footwear seriously!
Just a few thoughts. Be Well!
-Andy
Honestly- these shoes are HEINOUS!
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, blahnik, kirschner, Low Back Pain, manolo, Neck Pain, sex and the city, shoe, shoes, tip, tip of the day, Tips
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Thursday, May 20th, 2010
My mentor was a the Yoda of Osteopathic medicine, and to his detriment, was also a gentleman. I say this not because it is a bad thing to be a gentleman, but because he was too good a guy to ask the nurses and OR staff to stand on steps when he did surgery. Instead at 6 foot 4 inches, he would lower the table, and do surgery hunched over to accommodate them. The result was that he spent the later part of his life shaped like a question mark.
If you are an Osteopathic Physician, Chiropractor, Massage Therapist, or other type of body work specialist- purchase an adjustable height table (well worth the investment), and vary the height throughout your work day. Certainly there is a range of height appropriate for the patient you have on your table, but by moving it around, you will prevent yourself from structural compromise over time.
Stop back tomorrow for tips on making commuting a back friendly endeavor!
-Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, chiropractor, kirschner, Low Back Pain, massage, Neck Pain, osteopath, osteopathic, physical therapy, therapy
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Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
Well, we are fast approaching the end of the school year, and with that comes finals season. Normally, during the rest of the year I don’t see a whole lot of teenagers with back pain, but this time of year I almost always see more high school and college age students who are hurting. As you will hear me say again and again- we simply weren’t designed to sit on our butts all day long. Watch my video tip of the day, then proceed to some other simple tips you can do to help protect yourself (or your kids!) from back pain while studying for finals.
studenttip
To prevent yourself from experiencing back pain when studying for hours & hours & hours….
1) As I said in the video, get up periodically (optimally every 45 minutes or so.)
2) Keep yourself hydrated. Avoid the temptation to use energy drinks, as they will actually leave you dehydrated. Water will help you prevent stiffness, and ultimately if you are drinking enough, it will force you to adhere to (1) above.
3) If you are seated at a computer for studying, make sure your monitor is propped up to eye level (old phone books make a great monitor stand,) and your keyboard is at a height which allows you to have a neutral wrist position (with your wrists flat.) If you are using a laptop, and external keyboard can help you to optimize your position, and they are no longer an expensive proposition.
4) Use a book stand rather than holding onto a heavy textbook which will force you into an anatomically compromised position.
5) If your chair does not have one built in, roll up a small towel or t-shirt to use as a lumbar support. Place it into the small of your back.
These few suggestions may go far in preventing you from having to take finals in pain. I hope they help. If you have any other thoughts or suggestions, please share them with us on the blog.
Best,
-Andy
Photo from in the studio during appearance on Martha Stewart Radio Tuesday.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, college, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, pain, Sciatica, student, students, study habits, teenagers, teens
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Friday, April 16th, 2010
We almost all have a tendency cross one leg predominantly over the other when we are sitting (If I don’t think about it, I almost always have my right leg crossed over my left.) Lower back pain, and sciatica can be worsened by a pelvic shift one way or the other. In much the same way I ask you to switch the side you carry your handbag or briefcase- try alternating which leg you cross, if you do cross your legs at all. This will help to even things out.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, kirschner, Low Back Pain, sciatic, Sciatica, Tips
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Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Your body mechanics are such that you place yourself at higher risk for back injury when pulling a heavy object rather than pushing. If you must pull, try to utilize the most stable base you can- utilizing your legs rather than your back.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, pain, Sciatica, tip of the day, Tips
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Thursday, March 18th, 2010
This will do several things for you: 1) It will raise the laptop, alleviating some of the flexion in your neck while trying to look down at the screen. 2) It will allow you to nudge the computer into a level position so your head isn’t cocked to the left or right while viewing. 3) It will get the hot surface of the laptop off of your lap, allowing you to work in more comfort.
I know it isn’t easy to carry around a pillow with you all the time, but you can likely leave one in the space you work in at home, and one in your workplace. Give it a try- you WILL notice a difference.
Be well!
-Andy
Howard Jones with his copy of Back Together!
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, computer, Ergonomics, laptop, Neck Pain, neck strain
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Monday, March 15th, 2010
Any time you have bodywork done, be it Osteopathic treatment, Massage, Chiropractic- it doesn’t matter what- be sure to consume plenty of water that day. Manipulation of the soft tissue can stimulate areas of the lymphatic system, releasing all sorts of cellular waste. A healthy amount of water will help flush those waste products out of your system.
Be well!
-Andy
Tags: Back Pain, body work, bodywork, chiropractic, lymphatic, massage, Neck Pain, osteopathic, tip of the day, Tips, treatment
Posted in Tip o' the Day/ B.T.T.o.D. | 1 Comment »
