Is Your Desk Job Damaging Your Back?

Does your typical work day consist of eight, nine, or even more hours sitting at your office desk? Do you sandwich this time between a lengthy commute to and from work? If so, you need to think about your spine and the effects this idle time is likely having on your back.

First, Look at the Spine

To better understand what goes on in your spine while you sit for long periods, let’s first look at the spine itself.

The spine has four main parts, including the vertebrae, discs, joints, and nerves. Each vertebra is a separate bone that attaches to another vertebral bone, forming a protective column around the spinal cord. At each vertebra is a joint and between each vertebra is a disc, which acts as a cushion to keep the bones from rubbing together.

Discs tend to be the first part of the spine to show damage from wear and tear over the years. As noted in an article found on the Cleveland Clinic’s website, with age the gelatin-like substance that makes up the center of each disc can dry up, thus hindering the disc’s ability to absorb shock and cushion the spinal bones and joints. This condition is referred to as disc degeneration.

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According to the Cleveland Clinic, most people beyond age 40 will experience some degree of disc degeneration due to overuse of and/or strains and sprains in the back. Often people are affected by a specific type of disc degeneration in which the normal water content within the discs is lost. This loss then diminishes the effectiveness of the discs to do their job of absorbing pressure and shock from our movements.

Additionally, sitting still for lengthy periods causes the fluid to wring out of the discs. Couple this with the natural drying of the discs’ gelatin-like center and you have a recipe for back pain and potentially further resulting complications.

“Most patients who have sedentary jobs don’t have the core muscle strength to support their spine properly,” says Scott Goldberg, chiropractor with 212 Chiropractic in Sunrise, Fla. “They end up slouching, which overtime curves the spine like a ‘C’ shape and speeds up the arthritic process.”

Sitting Pretty

To help combat the effects of prolonged sitting, Robin Thompson, OTR, LAP, Florida-based occupational therapist, recommends getting up and stretching every half hour for a few minutes during the work day. If that’s not possible, shoot for every hour, she urges. In addition to moving around regularly, make sure your working environment is ergonomically sound, meaning that your desk, computer, and other tools are fitting to your body’s posture and range of motion.

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“As an occupational therapist, part of my job is to evaluate the ergonomics of the office space,” says Thompson. “A desk should not be too high, as to cause you to strain your back, or be too low as to allow you to hunch. Desks are not one size fits all.”

Thompson (email her) also suggests using a lumbar support pillow to significantly help reduce strain in your low back.

Build a Stronger Core

While making sure your office space is ergonomically fit, you can further help your spine fight the effects of hours of sitting still by strengthening your core muscles—the muscles in your abdomen, back, and buttocks. By strengthening your core muscles you can help your back become more resistant to injury and pain.

Not sure how to exercise these oh-so important muscles?

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“I recommend doing specific core workouts twice a week,” says Goldberg. “The most basic exercises for this are ‘supermans’ and planks. Moreover, during every activity always draw your belly button into your spine, pull your shoulders back and down, and pull your butt in so it is in line with the rest of your body.”

Goldberg also suggests bringing a stability ball to the office and sitting on it rather than your office chair for periods during the day as a way to promote core strength. Because the ball inherently rolls, you have to use your core muscles to stabilize and balance. For those readers who are just starting to exercise, consider saving this tip for a later date when you’re a bit stronger as to avoid any potential workplace accidents.

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Address the Pain

If you find your desk-bound job has already caused you to suffer from low back pain, first consult your physician. He or she can determine the source of your pain and recommend the best options for pain management, recovery, and/or prevention of future injury. Your doctor will likely address the topics of office ergonomics and core strengthening. You may also choose to ask your physician about chiropractic care and acupuncture, as both can be a beneficial element of spinal care and well-being.

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“Acupuncture can help by alleviating pain and tightness caused by prolonged sitting, especially when used in conjunction with therapies such as electro stimulation; Tui-na, a Chinese massage technique; moxibustion, heat with the Chinese herb mugwort; and cupping,” says Thompson. “Acupuncture helps to restore the energy flow by stimulating the points in the meridian of the body that are blocked by stagnation, or no movement of blood flow.”

While acupuncturists often utilize thin, metallic needles to stimulate points on the body, chiropractors use hands-on manipulation of the spine to correct the misalignments responsible for the pain. At 212 Chiropractic, Dr. Goldberg often incorporates new, advanced therapies with these traditional spinal adjustments to bring patients optimal pain relief and well-being. Among these technologies are cold laser therapy, decompression therapy, and the Graston instrument. (Learn more about these services on the practice’s website at www.212Chiropractic.com and click here to read about Ion Detoxification Foot Baths)

“We’re all about wellness,” adds Dr. Goldberg. “We have many patients who come to us regularly for preventive care. So often, people wait until their backs hurt before they take care of it. Just like you get your teeth cleaned regularly to avoid cavities and other problems, it’s important to take care of your back.”

Robin Thompson can be reached at (786) 351-5218.

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Check out Steve Cabeza's award-winning video health commentary for M.D. News.

Goodbye Toxins, Hello Energy!

How detox treatment helps one executive power through her routine.

Ask yourself a question. Do you have the energy you need to get through your day, or could you use a little boost? If you’re willing to admit you could use a little more energy, ion detoxification footbaths may be just what your body ordered.

“This is one of the least invasive forms of detox that is available anywhere,” says Dr. Scott Goldberg of 212 Chiropractic in Sunrise, Florida. “All you do is put your feet in and watch what comes out.”

Looking at Toxins

What comes out, as many can attest, changes depending on what you’ve been putting in your mouth and how you’ve been taxing your body. With ion detox, a device is placed in water that switches the polarity of your body’s cells. When this happens, toxins that normally cling to the cells are released. They are then forced out of your body and seep out of the bottom of your feet. White fragments floating in the water could indicate yeast infection, black indicates the presence of heavy metals, and yellow or orange is an indication of muscle breakdown.

Sound a bit gross to have gunk seeping out of your feet? Dr. Goldberg admits it can be unpleasant. But the end results negate any nastiness during the process.

“You can’t hide what’s coming out of you,” Dr. Goldberg says. Yet as exciting as it is to watch toxins escape your body, Dr. Goldberg says, “This treatment doesn’t do any good if you’re not going to make lifestyle changes that help you avoid the same toxins in the future.”

Getting a Boost

After being referred to Dr. Goldberg following leg surgery and back problems, Lucy Lanzar, who is an avid runner and the President and COO of Fusion Group in Fort Lauderdale, decided to give ion detox a try. Following the first treatment, she had an unexpected result: she was tired.

Instead of giving up on the treatment, she kept it up and began undergoing detox once a week. Per Dr. Goldberg’s recommendations, she also began paying more attention to how she treats her body and what she eats. While these lifestyle changes may be enough to provide good health, Lucy insists she isn’t quite herself when she goes for more than a couple of weeks without detox. During a month-long trip to the West Coast, her body craved the detox it has come to expect, and she didn’t have the extra pep in her step.

As a result, she keeps to her detox routine and enjoys increased energy that gives her that extra oomph she needs, whether she’s pushing through a long-distance race or consulting with a new client. She’s such a firm believer that she convinced a fellow runner to begin treatment and the two compare the benefits regularly.

“It’s hard to quantify how much better I feel after a detox treatment,” Lucy says, “but it gives me a sense that my body doesn’t have as much to contend with.”

Want to give your body less to contend with each and every day? Kick back and let ion detoxification footbath treatments do the work for you. To learn more or to schedule your first treatment, contact Dr. Scott Goldberg at (954) 397-7700 or visit www.212Chiropractic.com. [ Find 212 on Facebook and Twitter ]

Does your company’s sales team need some help with your company’s message? Contact Lucy Lanzar at The Fusion Group at (954) 377-1550 or visit www.TheFusionGroup.com.

This article was written by the best-looking freelance writer on the web.: Daniel K. Brantley. Check him out online (danielkbrantley.com) or follow his good-looking life on Twitter (twitter.com/danielkbrantley.com).

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Behold the power of location-based marketing!

With your marketing dollars having to do more than ever, you need to stretch your dollars a little bit further. And you may be surprised to find out that the best way to do that is to keep them closer to home.

“The old ways of marketing are going the way of the dinosaur,” says Steve Cabeza, Marketing Ninja at Amplification, Inc. [www.AmplificationInc.com / Facebook / Twitter] “Businesses used to have to spray their messages to the masses and hope to get some sort of return, but that’s antiquated and has been replaced with more effective and efficient methods. One of the most exciting is location-based marketing.”

The Case for Local 

Use direct mail to grow your business? Wish it was working a little better? You and everyone else. That’s because direct mail coupons, which cost money to print (and are not eco-friendly) and more money to ship, have a single-digit redemption rate. That’s right. Spend all the time you want on them, and you’ll still get less than a 10% return on your investment.

On the other hand, location-based SMS (short message service) coupons consistently generate double-digit redemption rates if used properly. How do they work? Through the power of social media and smart phones. Via platforms such as Foursquare and Facebook Places / Deals, social media-savvy customers (which is a much higher percentage of folks than you may realize) can instantly see what deals are being run by businesses in their vicinity. There’s no coupon to lose, no need to cut anything out of a magazine. Instead, the customer shows their phone to the cashier and gets a discount. And it’s happening all the time and all around you.

“I was unsure about location-based marketing until Amplification, Inc. convinced me to run a Facebook Deal,” says Scott Goldberg, chiropractor with 212 Chiropractic [www.212Chiropractic.com / Facebook / Twitter ] in Sunrise, Florida. “Since starting to use Facebook Deals, I’ve had an incredible number of people check in when they come for treatment. And every time someone does, all their friends know where they are. So while my clients are getting a discount, I’m getting free social media exposure which equates to free advertising.” 


A great example of a business doing location-based marketing the right way is the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, click here to visit their fan page. With one Facebook check-in for every three people who “like” their Facebook page (132,590 fans at the time this was written) and near constant interaction with fans, the Bellagio promotes their sophisticated message of the good life, while their clients are voluntarily interacting, providing unparalleled marketing that enlivens the Bellagio brand and keeps the conversation alive—even amongst those who are thousands of miles away. And it’s all courtesy of location-based marketing.

Bigger than a Single Platform

But Facebook Deals isn’t the only way to encourage and enliven this win-win situation. Foursquare, Gowalla, and other platforms do the same thing. The trick is figuring out which your clientele use and calibrating your efforts accordingly. Since some folks would much rather be part of the Foursquare community as-well-as or versus Facebook, and some others would use another platform altogether, representing your business in as many as possible ensures the greatest likelihood of success. The first step to increased sales is increasing the awareness of your brand.

Sully Dawson, owner of Eco-Friendly Auto Center [www.EcoFriendlyAutoCenter.com / Facebook ] in Oakland Park, Florida, has his hands in a few location-based marketing pots. Each takes effort to maintain, but the dividends are well worth it.

“I’ve found that my customer base is very plugged into social media, so location-based marketing is an essential,” Sully says. “It’s a fun way to engage customers, and it’s the best way to interact with them in a way they appreciate and relate to.”

More SMS coupons are being created and redeemed each day, and as more people are turning to social media, the numbers will only increase. Pile onto this the fact that consumers are approximately five times more likely to trust their friends’ recommendations than advertising, and it becomes clear that if you haven't 'claimed' your burgeoning social media presence and started promoting your goods and services via location-based marketing, you’re missing a big chunk of business.

“By adding relevancy and context to your customer social media engagement, the result is enhanced customer service, stronger loyalty, and increased credibility,” says Marnie Goldberg, Social Medium at Amplification, Inc. “In an economy that is markedly more competitive and relies on constant, honest communication, the business that does this best is the business that wins and retains new customers.”

Want to find out how to make location-based marketing work for you? Need to out-communicate your competition? Forget about your next direct mail piece or print ad and e-mail Amplification, the window decals (thanks to Davie SIGNARAMA!) are included!

Thanks to our freelance writing resource, Daniel K. Brantley [www.DanielKBrantley.com ] for another fabulous article. Contact Daniel via email, or follow his chicken-loving life on Twitter.