My past several posts on the Whole Living Daily blog have been about ways to make your life more back-friendly. By identifying and eliminating the ‘anatomic bombs’- those lifestyle things which are likely to cause problems, you can significantly decrease your discomfort. Here is the wrap up for those posts, a list of some of the most common ones.
Enjoy!
-Andy
From the Series of 'Doors' by artist, Steve Tobin.
I’ve been doing a series of posts on the Martha Stewart Whole Living Daily blog about ways to make your home more ‘back friendly.’ Sometimes by simply rearranging a few things you can go a long way from preventing your home from causing or exacerbating back pain. The first two posts were on addressing the ergonomics of your kitchen and desk. This week’s post deals with your closet.
Do you have any thoughts or experiences with ‘anatomic bombs’ in your home? Please share them here.
Thanks for stopping by,
Andy
Everyone’s home has hidden ‘anatomic bombs’ or places where the ergonomics of their living space are compromised and may contribute to back pain. On Whole Living Daily, I am presenting a series of ways to make your home a more back friendly space. This post gives simple suggestions for making your desk safer for your back.
Stop back throughout the week for more posts from Martha Stewart’s Health & Wellness Expo in New York.
Be well,
Andy
Returning to London in 8 weeks to tell them a little about back pain…
This weeks post is the first in a series of ways to make your home more ‘back friendly.’ In this first post, I identify ways to reorganize things in your kitchen in order to minimize the likelihood of hurting your back. Look for tips for other rooms in your home over the following weeks.
This Thursday, I will be doing demonstrations at Martha headquarters in New York, as well as explaining other ways to make your home more back friendly. Wouldn’t that be a cool segment for ‘Martha’?
Enjoy!
-Andy
The marketplace area at Covent Garden
The new iPhone goes on sale next week…
So, this is the second technology review ever on BackWords, and once again for an Apple product. I know this is not a tech site, but as all of my Back Together resources are created on Apple devices, and they place a large emphasis on ergonomics and user friendliness, I didn’t think it was too off topic.
This week, I was finally able to touch an iPhone 4. I should tell you right off that my iPhone 3G NEVER leaves my side, and has been one of the most reliable and rewarding pieces of technology I have ever used- and was going to be a hard act to follow. The iPhone 4 is a tactile masterpiece- it feels more like a piece of jewelry than a phone- very solid and meticulously manufactured. We are off to a good start.
Now the ergonomics of a phone are not usually of a whole lot of concern- they all pretty much handle the same way (particularly ‘smartphones’-which are held in one hand, and operated with the other. In this case the equation changes somewhat, due to the introduction of 2 things: The iPad, and the new iPhone operating system.
I really wanted an iPad- REALLY wanted one. But as I stated in my review, I was perplexed by the absence of a front-facing camera. I understood not putting a photo or video camera on the back- the size and form factor would make operation awkward at best. A front facing camera would allow video chat and, for my purposes, the recording of video blog entries. Without the front facing camera, the iPad- while extremely cool- did not permit me to leave my notebook computer at home- and since it didn’t do anything that I needed (largely because I still needed to carry my computer and phone anyway) I did not get one. And this is where the ergonomics of the iPhone 4 come in…
The iPhone 4 has a front-facing camera, a significantly upgraded rear-facing photo and video camera, the new operating system which permits true multitasking, and most importantly for my purposes, the ability to sync with a bluetooth capable keyboard. Essentially, there is enough computing power here to allow me to leave my notebook computer home! With the iPhone 4 (and the WordPress application for example- the system which runs this very blog) I am able to do much of the work I do on my computer from a Phone instead. I can pack a lightweight keyboard with me for creating longer documents- a VIOLA- I am in business. And, with the improved email client, and other upgrades, I suspect many others will find it possible to leave their computer at home.
In short: LESS WEIGHT CARRIED AROUND = LESS BACK & NECK PAIN and LESS LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY!!!!
Now- it is not a perfect solution for not carrying around your notebook. The small screen will likely cause you to have to tilt your head/neck to accommodate its size, and as of yet there are no bluetooth keyboards with an integrated stand to make it a more user friendly package (although I suspect there may be some coming down the pike.) One thing- I understand there will be a way to output movies to a TV, but as of yet there is no way to hook the iPhone 4 up a TV or screen to run its applications- That would allow you to set up an ergonomic workstation at home or at work (or both) and still only need to carry the lightweight device around with you.
These are, in my opinion, a reasonable trade-off for not having to carry around a 6-7 pound computer.
Other than that, there’s not much to say that you don’t already know: The screen is magnificent, the A4 processor is fast, and while I couldn’t check it out- the battery life is supposed to be significantly longer. All good things. There’s still no Flash, and based upon the war-of-words going on between Apple and Adobe, I don’t suspect it’s coming any time soon.
In short, I have not been this excited about a new piece of technology since the original iPhone release. While that one was amazing- this one solves several problems for me, and will make travel to and from work, to the hospital, (or anywhere else for that matter) significantly easier. I suspect that many of you may find the same benefits. See you in line at the Apple store next week!!
Be well!
-Andy
Mom’s work harder than pretty much anyone, and their backs often pay the price. This Mother’s Day, why not do something practical for her, which will help save her back throughout the year. Here are 5 things you can do for your Mom’s back this Mother’s Day:
-Invite your mom to pick a day, and help her organize her closet- putting the most frequently used items at non-bending, non-reaching height. Get her a back-of-the-door shoe bag (Target $9) to get her shoes off the floor so she won’t have to bend all the way to the floor first thing in the AM to get at them.
-If it is geographically possible, pick one day a week when you can take a good long walk with your Mom. As always, if you rest- you rust, so getting out there will help burn a few calories, mobilize your spine and other joints, and give you an opportunity to reconnect.
-If your Mom is like mine, her refrigerator is full of all kinds of stuff she doesn’t even remember is there- forcing her to stand hunched by the fridge door hunting for what she actually needs. Grab a bag and ditch everything in there that’s not been used in more than a while, anything you cannot identify, and anything you don’t anticipate using (The folks at IKEA had you pretty well convinced that lingonberry jam would become a part of your daily breakfast!) When the stuff you don’t want is gone, give some thought to organizing what you do want in ways that make sense, and minimize the deep bending.
-One of my favorite tips- one which I cannot stress enough: If your Mom carries a briefcase, handbag or purse, encourage her to take a moment and purge the contents of anything that she doesn’t absolutely need. My briefcase routinely accumulates so much extra junk- and that junk weighs a LOT. DECLUTTER!
-If the weather is good this Sunday, take a few minutes, and wash your Mom’s car. Honestly, when is the last time she did it?
My best wishes to all of the Moms out there- I hope you all have a fantastic Mother’s Day.
-Andy
To my beautiful wife, Donna- Happy Mother's Day!
Yesterday, I had a great time being interviewed by Terri Trespicio on Martha Stewart Radio. We covered all sorts of different topics on back & neck pain from callers all around the country. I was also the butt of some pretty hardcore ribbing about the tatami mat I sleep on- but I digress. It really was a lot of fun. Terri is a great host, and the callers all had interesting questions and comments. If you missed it, it will be rebroadcast this weekend- check out the Whole Living website for more info.
Following the show, I had the chance to speak with Terri about some of the lifestyle issues which can contribute to back pain. Ironically, Terri had been dealing with some back pain this past week, and was headed to her physician’s office right after the show.
Here’s the clip:
Thanks for stopping by, and be well!
-Andy
I am pleased to be able to announce the launch of a new Back Together service- Back Together On-Site.
Back pain is one of the leading sources of worker’s compensation claims, costing companies hundreds of millions of dollars per year- not just in medical costs, but in lost productivity due to absenteeism as well as presenteeism (when an employee continues to work, with reduced productivity due to an underlying condition.) Kevin Marth and I have spent several years studying this problem, and have developed a comprehensive service to help.
Back Together On-Site is a service designed to help employers reduce the cost of back & neck pain to their companies through;
-A comprehensive on-site evaluation of their workplace ergonomics, resulting in a detailed report including highest ‘at-risk’ situations, and recommendations for ways to correct.
-In-service programs for employees designed to increase risk awareness.
-A custom web portal designed to provide employees opportunity to raise questions about back pain, get suggestions about preventive measures, and provide an educational resource BEFORE they develop back pain.
-And much more.
Companies will see reduced injury rates, reduced claims, and a happier population of employees.
For more information, please send an email to info@backtogether.org, with ‘On-Site’ in the subject line.
Best,
Andy
Donna receiving a vibration healing session via didgeridoo, administered by Didgeri-Joe.
Check out the site on the screen! Yes, I reviewed and wrote the review on the same day.
Initial Thoughts:
Up front, let me tell you I have been waiting for the iPad for a long time. I am a serious gadget fiend, and the iPad may very well turn out to be the ultimate gadget. I have been an Apple convert for the past 10 years, and with this new paradigm for computing, I suspect Apple will have a huge hit on their hands.
I spent several hours with a production unit yesterday- and it is indeed a seriously cool device.
Things I like about the iPad:
-It is seriously fast- loading applications, books & movies almost instantly.
-The screen is gorgeous- bright, crisp and with none of the artifacts you commonly find on LCD screens. There were no dead pixels on this example.
-It’s suite of applications have all been optimized to take advantage of this new form factor.
-With it’s iWork suite of applications, it can be used for productivity as well as simply for viewing. The inclusion of Keynote with the package will allow the iPad to be a serious presentation tool.
-The internet experience on this device is the best I’ve ever had (with one caveat- see below)
Things I don’t like about the iPad:
-To get the full 3G/WiFi experience, you need to spend close to 900 dollars.
-No USB or SD slot.
-No Webcam
-No Flash, which is not a big deal to me (in spite of the fact that my main website is ALL flash.) Some people will be more bothered by this than others.
Now why oh why did they not include a webcam? This one inclusion, along with iChat and a simple video trimming application would open up a world of possibilities, particularly for someone like me who uses iChat to speak with family members and maintains a video blog. I cannot imagine it would have cost too much, and it would have allowed me to leave my cumbersome laptop at home.
iPad Ergonomics:
Companies have been trying to get tablet computers to catch on for more than 15 years (I used a prototype made by NCR while I was in medical school.) With the iPad, there is the first likelihood that tablet computing may catch on to a significant, non niche market. This new form factor brings with it a whole host of new ergonomic considerations.
The iPad feels like a piece of jewelry- it is light and beautifully finished- tactilely wonderful. It weighs a hair more than a pound. If you are holding it, you would likely rest it across one forearm and type/gesture with the other. You could also conceivable hold it in your hand, but this would be precarious for something on which you’ve just dropped a significant bit of cash. Holding this way will be tiring after a while, and since it is out in front of you, will likely fatigue your upper back and neck.
At this point you would then put it down on a table or desk. Now, lying flat you would encounter a significant amount of glare off of the glossy screen, and your head would be tilted far forward to see it, and potentially further when it came time to type. In the Apple store, there are lucite displays which hold the screen at about a 30 degree angle. This is helpful, but isn’t really enough to relieve neck strain. A 45 degree stand would allow you to see the screen, prevent some of the strain on your neck, and allow you to type in relative comfort. I have seen stands for the iPad which hold it nearly straight up for viewing videos and movies, but nothing so far with this optimal 45 degree tilt. Apple will introduce (soon I think) a stand and keyboard combination which will optimize the screen and typing positions, but this combination sacrifices some of the portability which might have been the reason you wanted one in the first place.
Conclusion:
These small quibbles aside, I absolutely love this device. My problem will be holding off until a version with a webcam becomes available- MUST….USE…..FISCAL…..RESTRAINT!!!! If I couldn’t hold out- I would definitely wait for the 3G version which has an internal GPS module, to be released later this month. I can only imagine using this while traveling- access to maps and guides to the various sites- it will totally enhance the experience. If you are getting one, I urge you to consider the few ergonomic suggestions I have made.
Be well!
-Andy
Here is a fantastic post from Terri Trespicio’s blog. Terri is a writer/editor for Martha Stewart’s WholeLiving magazine, as well as the host of the Body & Soul show on Martha Stewart Radio. You should definitely check out her excellent blog and radio show.
Here is a recent post Terri did on decluttering your home. She offers some great tips and suggestions for using/reusing different common items in your home to help cut down the clutter. I know this isn’t a ‘back pain’ piece strictly speaking- but is a great entree into the concept of a back friendly home.
Look for some excellent ways to make your home more back friendly here on BackWords- The Back Together Blog.
Be Well,
Andy
One of the many, beautiful murals you may run into while strolling through Old Quebec City.
Subscribe to BackWords
