Ergonomically Yours

Have you ever wondered how you can develop back pain or neck pain without doing anything strenuous. It is amazing that humans don’t sustain even more back pain and neck pain, given the structure of our bodies and the physical demands. In my California chiropractic practice, I frequently treat office workers who experience chronic and severe back and neck pain tied to easy-to-fix ergonomic issues in their workspace. In my Columbus Ohio chiropractic business, I treat clients frequently who work in an office and could benefit from better ergonomics.
Anyone can experience back or neck pain at any time. I treat individuals regularly who experienced back and neck injuries from improper lifting, machinery usage, sports, falls, and auto accidents. The majority of patients think that chiropractic issues stem from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but are surprised to find that most are due to postural stress.

The “silent killer” of our spinal health is postural stress. Postural stress is experienced either while sitting or standing on one’s feet. Postural stress is felt whenever the natural curve of the spine is altered or if the spine moves past its natural balance point.
As you sit at a computer, hunched over the keyboard or peering at the screen, your neck experiences postural stress. This posture, in which your head and neck are extended in front of your body, reverses the normal curvature of your spine and neck, and shifts your head away from its balance point.

The stability that is part of our structure when our postural boundaries are respected is lost when we assume postures that cause stress to our spines. Stress from the way we hold ourselves (either sitting or standing) opens our ligaments and muscles up to long periods of being stretched (perhaps incorrectly) which leads to muscle fatigue, irritation, inflammation, back and neck pain, and even arthritis over the long run.
A combination of therapies may be required to effectively treat back pain and neck pain from postural stress. Using this method of chiropractic care in conjunction with stretching and nutritional support relieves pain and stiffness and restores normal, full joint movement.If you have endured pain for a long time or if your symptoms are particularly acute, the road to recovery will not be short or easy. Don’t expect a quick fix.

Chiropractic care alone will not alleviate the problem; you must eliminate or change the causes of the postural stress. Have your workstation analyzed to highlight any ergonomic issues that could cause postural stress. Applying ice packs for neck pain and back pain for around twenty minutes at a time is also sometimes effective for relief.
Talking to your chiropractor is the first step in starting your treatment.
Chiropractors are medically trained to deal with postural stress problems and the neck pain that occurs as a result. At our chiropractic clinic in Columbus, we treat patients with a holistic approach using chiropractic care and enhanced with a regimen of stretching and exercise.
In order to facilitate the healing process we encourage the proper nutritional support.
You need to be aware of the importance of eliminating the source of the postural stress in addition to seeking treatment, regardless of which approach you take to relieve the pain of postural stress.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Those of you have read my blog posts both here and at www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1/
know that ergonomics is the study of how we can manipulate our work environment to both improve work performance and reduce injury-causing fatigue.

Obviously, the cost of injury drives the study of ergonomics.  This is a good thing.  Most employers, especially those who run large corporations are detached from their employees – both physically and emotionally.  Were it not for the actual cost of employees’ injuries, many employers would not know or care about their workers’ ergonomic situation.

In the world of ergonomics, there are six separately identifiable variables that affect work performance and fatigue.  These six variables are:

1)    Workload
2)    Each Individuals Physiological Response to the Workload
3)    The Individuals Size & Strength Capabilities
4)    Biomechanical Variances
5)    Human Factors
6)    Work Organization

The questions that should be answered by examining the variables listed above are not limited to but include:

1)    Can You Perform a Task Once Without Injury
2)    Do You Physically Fit Your Workplace
3)    Are You Strong Enough
4)    Can You Perform the Task For Seconds to Minutes Without Fatigue or Injury
5)    Will Injury Occur if the Work is Performed Over Months or Years
6)    Do You Have the Mental Capacity to do the Work

These variables directly affect an individual’s ability to perform certain job duties with or without producing an injury.

The reason that I have decided to include this dry and academic sounding material in this blog is to help provide some very general guides that can be used to evaluate your fit for your work duties.

I have patients who were injured at work who are not good fits for their work.  They either lack the strength, the height or the endurance to effectively perform their work tasks.

If you find yourself in such a situation you should ask for or pay for an ergonomic analysis of your work environment.  Many large companies either have an ergonomics department or have access to an ergonomic specialist.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Have you ever wondered how it can be that you can sit around all day doing nothing strenuous and still develop back pain or neck pain?  Oddly enough, most of the aches and pains that we develop don’t have a clear injury associated with the onset of our symptoms.  Our spines and the muscles and ligaments that move and support them are quite durable.  Aside from severe traumatic injury like a car accident, a hard fall, etc, the pain that is most prone to troubling us is the result of the seemingly inconsequential episodes of poor lifting habits, bad posture and other forms of postural stress.
Back pain or neck pain can affect anyone at any time.  In my San Diego chiropractic clinic, I see patients that have injured their backs and necks from lifting, operating machinery, sports injuries, auto accidents and falls.
Many non-chiropractic patients or new chiropractic patients would be surprised to find that the most common type of injury that I see in my office is not from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but from the long term consequences of postural stress.
Postural stress is the “silent killer” when it comes to our spinal health.  Postural stress occurs during both seated and standing positions.  Postural stress occurs any time that your spine looses its’ natural curves and / or moves forward beyond its neutral balance point.
An example of a posturally stressful position for your neck would be when you are sitting at the computer leaning your neck and head forward while keyboarding, mousing or reading the screen.  Assuming a posture in which your head and neck are extended out in front of your body reverses the normal curve of your neck and shifts your head forward of its balance point.
When we assume postures that cause stress on our spines, the stability that is inherent in our structure when postural boundaries are respected is lost.  Postural stress exposes our ligaments and muscles to prolonged periods of stretching which results in fatigue, irritation, inflammation, back pain and neck pain.
Treating neck pain and back pain that has resulted from postural stress requires a multifaceted approach.  Chiropractic care and massage will relieve the pain and stiffness and restore normal, full joint motion.  This part of your recovery may take several treatments or several weeks of ongoing care based on the length of time that you have been in pain and the severity of your symptoms.
In addition to chiropractic care, you must eliminate or modify the causes of your postural stress.  A workstation analysis can reveal ergonomic issues that are instigators of postural stress.  Any type of treatment that you pursue will only be marginally successful if you are not able to control the source of the stress.  This doesn’t mean quitting your job as a computer operator.  However, it does mean that you may need to reposition your monitor or move your phone closer to your primary work space or purchase a keyboard tray or mouse platform in order to create a more friendly work environment.
The best way to begin your care is discuss your issues with your chiropractor.  Chiropractors are well trained in dealing with postural stress issues especially as they relate to your work environment.
Bio for Ezine, goarticle

Bio for Article city
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California.  He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.  Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.  www.JonesPainRelief.com   www.ErgoNav.com
Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.   Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.  Click the following links to find out how we can help you start feeling better today! www.JonesPainRelief.com, www.ErgoNav.com

Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.  He is certified as a Specialist in Health Ergonomics.  Dr. Jones Can be found on the web at www.JonesPainRelief.com & a

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Do you ever think about ergonomics while you are suffering at your desk?

The two primary objectives of the study and application of ergonomics are to enhance worker performance and reduce worker fatigue.

Some ergonomic analysis is very simple and can be completed from start to finish by the worker.  For instance, if reaching for your phone requires excessive and uncomfortable reaching, moving that phone to within easy reach is the fix.  This is a simple example of the analysis and application of ergonomics that will certainly reduce fatigue and stress for that particular task.

I will take this opportunity to advise everyone reading this post to take a good look at their work environment and think about what they could do to improve it.  This may mean checking to see if your keyboard is at a comfortable level, or if reaching for your mouse is aggravating your neck, shoulder or arm.  These are just a few things that you should analyze in your work area.  Just changing a few things in your work environment that cause stress or discomfort can be significant because these constant sources of low level irritation have a cumulative and compounding effect which increase the chances of injury.

Most analysis and application of ergonomics is much more complex than this prior example.  For many work stresses, an in-depth knowledge of human anatomy and biomechanics is essential to truly evaluate a work environment and then implement the necessary work station modifications.

This task is difficult enough when designing an ergonomically friendly environment for one specific worker.  However, this task is much more involved when a particular work area has to accommodate a number of different workers.  Just think about how much people vary in height, weight, strength, reach, etc.  All of these body type variations bring different ergonomic challenges.  If you have to share a desk, seat or other equipment with other people, make sure that you make any possible adjustments to limit your exposure to irritating work conditions.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

By Dr. Steve Jones
As we spend increasing amounts of time at our computer workstations, we need to be aware of how the design and arrangement of our equipment can impact our chances of injury. Computer ergonomics is the study and / or implementation of work station design with the purpose of reducing or eliminating physical stress.
My interest in repetitive stress syndromes began approximately 10 years ago when my practice started seeing a much greater number of people suffering from the effects of computer work. Despite all of my training and continuing education related to these types of injuries, I quickly realized that short of surgery and radical changes in the patient’s lifestyles, treatment for this type of injury was marginally successful at best.
The real solution had to be prevention and it was going to involve the application of basic ergonomic principals.
This article will address the specifics of injury resulting from postural stress secondary to use of the computer mouse.
Specifically, the following will be addressed:
What repetitive stress injuries are
What role do work station ergonomics play in injury
How reaching for the mouse sets the stage for injury
What are the symptoms of repetitive stress injury
How one can avoid mouse reaching injuries
What Exactly is a Repetitive Stress Injury?
Repetitive Stress Injury is a kind of catch all phrase for many conditions. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tenosynovitis / DeQuervain’s Syndrome, Tendonitis, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Trigger Finger, Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Chronic Sprain / Strain are some of the actual diagnosis that are rendered in my office. All of these conditions are serious and in many cases can cause great pain, permanent disability and sometimes loss of employment.
Repetitive Stress Injuries occur from repetitive movements involving a specific set of muscles and joints. RSI injuries are the result of an accumulation of stress and strain that causes irritation, inflammation, and eventually pain or other disability. A good analogy used to characterize the onset of RSI would be the “straws on the camels back” saying.
Initially, RSI affects the soft tissues of the involved joint(s). Soft tissues include muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons. However, if left untreated for long periods of time, the involved joint can become arthritic and form bone spurs resulting in permanent damage to the joint.
While various occupations ranging from meat cutters to construction workers develop RSIs that result from the typical duties of their professions, the most frequent cause of these injuries involve computer work. The constant demand of keyboarding and mousing combined with the postural stress of confinement in an office chair with one’s neck and back held in prolonged fixed positions has resulted in an epidemic of injuries that includes hand pain, wrist pain, arm pain, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain.
Work Station Ergonomics
The study of workstation ergonomics tells us that the objects that are used most often should be located closest to your body and accessed easily, without awkward body positions. Repeated reaching or prolonged postures that involve leaning forward from your chair are particularly stressful and fatiguing.
Many people are aware of computer ergonomics and thus have an ergonomic mouse. An ergonomic mouse is of little use if it is positioned in an area that requires reaching and stretching in order to operate it. Limiting reaching and stretching for desk items is essential to maintaining a healthy ergonomic environment.
The most frequent complaint that I have seen in my office is due to computer work is the combination of mousing and its’ inherent postural stress.
Most computer stations are designed in a way that involves the worker operating the computer mouse on a pad on the desk. Reaching to the desk for the mouse places direct stress on the joints and soft tissues of the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Additionally, reaching forward for the mouse stresses the lower and middle back.
So How Does Reaching for the Mouse Set the Stage for Injury?
Reaching for the mouse causes you to lean forward in your chair, extend your arm and support the weight of your body through your extended arm. The following section will discuss the particulars of each of these positions.
The stresses placed on the human frame when reaching for the mouse are easily explained. Contrary to popular belief, sitting, which most people believe is relaxing, is hard on the back. Sitting for long periods of time can cause increased pressure on the intervertebral discs of the spine.
In recent years, ergonomisist have told us that proper sitting posture would have us sitting upright with our hips flexed at 90 degrees. As it turns out, the most up to date studies show that a slightly reclined sitting posture with the hips flexed at 100 to 115 degrees is ideal if you have to sit at a desk. If your mouse is not positioned close enough to your body, you will have to reach for it. Reaching for your mouse stresses your back by reducing the angle of your hips.
Next, we have to look at the effects of reaching on the neck and shoulder. When the mouse is being operated at a distance that makes the operator reach, the shoulder extends forward and the shoulder blade abducts (rotates forward). This position stretches the muscle groups that connect the medial portion of your shoulder blade to your spine and the superior portion of your shoulder blade to your neck. In the short term, this stretch aggravates the affected muscle groups causing spasm, fatigue, headaches and stiffness in the neck and shoulder. In the long term, this position creates a condition called a “stretch weakness” resulting in muscular imbalance, trigger points and chronic variations of the conditions listed in the prior sentence.
Lastly, placing the mouse too far away, too low, or too much on one side can cause shoulder, wrist, elbow, and forearm discomfort. When the operator is forced to reach for the mouse, his / her body weight shifts forward and ultimately results in weight bearing stress on the extended arm. Spending prolonged periods of time leaning on an extended arm is an unnatural and destructive posture that will eventually lead to the development of a repetitive stress syndrome; likely resulting disorders would include tendonitis of the wrist, elbow or shoulder.
What are the Common Symptoms?
· Tightness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness or burning in the hands, wrists, fingers, forearms, or elbows
· Tingling, coldness, night pain or numbness in the hands, especially around the base of the thumb
· Clumsiness or loss of strength in the hands
· Pain in the neck, shoulders, wrists, hands or back that is associated with using the computer
How Can You Avoid Injuries Related to Reaching for the Mouse?
The following recommendations are applicable to both home office ergonomics as well as ergonomics in the office.
1) Placing the input device directly in your immediate reach zone offers natural comfort and maximum hand-eye coordination. The use of a platform for the mouse is preferable. Some models of mouse platforms attach directly to your chair.
2) Your chair should have arm rests that are adjustable.
3) Your wrist should be either in a neutral position or flexed slightly downward when operating both your mouse and your keyboard. For this reason, if you select a mouse platform that attaches to your chair, adjustability of the platform is of primary importance.
4) Consider using a high quality office chair with adjustable armrests and lumbar supports. It should also allow some degree of recline.
5) Make sure that the upper arm and elbow are as close to the body and as relaxed as possible for mouse use – avoid overreaching.
6) Hold the mouse lightly, don’t grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the pointing device where you don’t have to reach up or over very far to use it. The closer you can place it to your body the better.
Steve,
OK now for the Resource Box (About the author info):

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Chiropractic Care and Back Pain

Which is worse – neck pain or back pain?

I hear this question often in my San Diego chiropractic office.  Of course the answer is easy – if you have back pain, back pain is definitely worse than neck pain.  If you have neck pain, neck pain is definitely worse than back pain.

Another common question that I hear regarding low back pain is why sitting makes it hurt more than standing.

This is a good question, which can be answered through physics.  I remember seeing a diagram in one of my office ergonomic books that exposed the different stress levels on the spinal disks with various body positions.

The diagram had drawings of a person standing, lying down, sitting and then sitting while hunched forward with very poor posture.  The disk pressure differences with these different postures was given as follows:

Standing upright 100%
Lying down          24%
Sitting upright     140%
Sitting hunched   190%

The explanation of the much higher disk pressures while sitting is explained by examining the structural changes that occur when we change from a standing to a seated position.

Our spines are supposed to have curves when viewed from the side.  The neck should have a nice sweeping forward curve, the mid-back should carry a backward curve and the low back should have a sweeping forward curve.  When these curves are present, the weight of your body is carried evenly across several different structures of the spine.  These curves help provide stability for your spine.

Once we assume a seated position, the natural forward curve in our low backs reverses which increases the pressure on the disks and either increases back pain or causes back pain.  If we stay in that seated position but flex our bodies forward at the waist (think bad posture – slumping over your keyboard or desk) the pressure in the disks elevates causing more damage and more pain.

Limiting the time that you sit will help your back pain in most instances.  This is advice that I hand out to my San Diego chiropractic patients everyday of the week.  I hope that it helps you as well.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Setting up your office space correctly definitely requires some expert input. That being said, many aspects of setting up your office space are based on common sense.

We all have specific items at work that we handle more frequently than others. In my work environment for instance, I use the mouse and keyboard more than any other object on my desk. At this point I will inject a shameless plug for my Ergo Nav. Since I use my mouse most frequently, I have it perched right at the end of my chairs’ armrest. My Ergo Nav positions my mouse close enough to my body to avoid any reaching for the mouse at all. From an ergonomic standpoint, this positioning is ideal.

My keyboard is also within my immediate reach as are my writing instruments such as pens and pencils. All of the items that I have discussed so far are within my immediate reach area, which is also known as the “usual work space”.

Most people only have a handful of objects that truly belong in their “usual work space”. The actual dimensions of this space vary with the size of the worker, therefore, you have to keep the principals of good ergonomics in mind when determining the actual size of your “usual work space”. As far as placement of mice, keyboards, pens, phones etc., within your “usual work space” you have to position these items in a way that avoids or limits hunching of the shoulders, flaring out of the elbows or forward flexion of the shoulders.

The area beyond the “usual work space” is considered the “occasional work space” and should contain objects that are only occasionally used. In my circumstances, the “occasional work space” contains my cpu, monitor, printer and my phone. Most of the time I have an assistant to answer my phone and I may only make a handful of calls each day. My monitor only requires that I turn it on and off once a day – the same being the case with my printer and the computer itself. My desk space is limited so the items that I have covered are the only items in my space. Staplers, files and paper are needed infrequently enough to not deserve the chance to clutter my work area.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

This is the final installment in this series of blog posts. My next series will examine different job duties and how they lead to cumulative trauma disorders.

What are the Common Symptoms of Cumulative Trauma Disorders?

· Tightness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness or burning in the hands, wrists, fingers, forearms, or elbows

· Tingling, coldness, night pain or numbness in the hands, especially around the base of the thumb

· Clumsiness or loss of strength in the hands

· Pain in the neck, shoulders, wrists, hands or back that is associated with using the computer

How Can You Avoid Injuries Related to Reaching for the Mouse?

The following recommendations are applicable to both home office ergonomics as well as ergonomics in the office.

1) Placing the input device directly in your immediate reach zone offers natural comfort and maximum hand-eye coordination. The use of a platform for the mouse is preferable. Some models of mouse platforms attach directly to your chair.

2) Your chair should have arm rests that are adjustable.

3) Your wrist should be either in a neutral position or flexed slightly downward when operating both your mouse and your keyboard. For this reason, if you select a mouse platform that attaches to your chair, adjustability of the platform is of primary importance.

4) Consider using a high quality office chair with adjustable armrests and lumbar supports. It should also allow some degree of recline.

5) Make sure that the upper arm and elbow are as close to the body and as relaxed as possible for mouse use – avoid overreaching.

6) Hold the mouse lightly, don’t grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the pointing device where you don’t have to reach up or over very far to use it. The closer you can place it to your body the better.

These are just a few ideas that might help you to either get out of pain or be of use in your efforts to prevent the onset of cumulative trauma disorders. I hope that this information is helpful to you all. Remember – KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

More Coming Soon

Dr. Jones

Economical Adjustable Mouse Platform
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractor

Chiropractic Care and Repetitive Stress
Back in 1991 when I first earned my license to practice chiropractic, I was of the mindset that my typical patient would have complaints of low back pain, neck pain or headaches. By the mid 1990s I was a chiropractor in San Diego with an office full of people suffering from Repetitive Stress Injuries like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Instead of my original expectations of having an office full of patients with typical cases of low back pain, I was studying ergonomics and spending the bulk of my time unraveling the negative effects of Postural Stress that was accumulating in these patients secondary to computer work.
The study of workstation ergonomics tells us that the objects that we use most often should be located closest to your body and accessed easily, without awkward body positions or movements. Repeated reaching or prolonged fixed postures that involve leaning forward from your chair are stressful and fatiguing.
Some people are aware of computer ergonomics and have purchased various ergonomic devices. These devices, such as keyboard trays, gel mouse pads, and ergonomic keyboards rarely provide solutions to the big picture of computer ergonomics. These items must work with each other in order to produce a significant reduction in postural stress. For example, an ergonomic mouse is of little use if it is positioned in an area that requires reaching and stretching in order to operate it. Limiting reaching and stretching for desk items is essential to maintaining a healthy ergonomic environment.
The most frequent complaint that I have seen in my office is due to computer work is the combination of mousing and reaching to the desk for the mouse.
Most computer stations are designed in a way that involves the worker operating the computer mouse on a pad on the desk. Reaching to the desk for the mouse places direct stress on the joints and soft tissues of the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Additionally, reaching forward for the mouse stresses the lower and middle back.
So How Does Reaching for the Mouse Set the Stage for Injury?
Reaching for the mouse causes you to lean forward in your chair, extend your arm and support the weight of your body through your extended arm.
The stresses placed on the human frame when reaching for the mouse are easily identified. Contrary to popular belief, sitting, which most people believe is relaxing, is hard on the back. Sitting for long periods of time can cause increased pressure on the discs of the spine.
In recent years, studies on postural stress have indicated that we should be sitting upright with our hips flexed at 90 degrees. As it turns out, the most up to date studies show that a slightly reclined sitting posture with the hips flexed at 100 to 115 degrees is ideal if you have to sit at a desk. If your mouse is not positioned close enough to your body, you will have to reach for it. Reaching for your mouse stresses your back by reducing the angle of your hips.
Next, we have to look at the effects of reaching on the neck and shoulder. When the mouse is being operated at a distance that makes the operator reach, the shoulder extends forward and the shoulder blade abducts (rotates forward). This position stretches the muscle groups that connect the medial portion of your shoulder blade to your spine and the superior portion of your shoulder blade to your neck. In the short term, this stretch aggravates the affected muscle groups causing spasm, fatigue, headaches and stiffness in the neck and shoulder. In the long term, this position creates a condition called a “stretch weakness” resulting in muscular imbalance, trigger points and chronic variations of the conditions listed in the prior sentence.
Lastly, placing the mouse too far away, too low, or too much on one side can cause shoulder, wrist, elbow, and forearm discomfort. When the operator is forced to reach for the mouse, his / her body weight shifts forward and ultimately results in weight bearing stress on the extended arm. Spending prolonged periods of time leaning on an extended arm is an unnatural and destructive posture that will eventually lead to the development of a repetitive stress syndrome; likely resulting disorders would include tendonitis of the wrist, elbow or shoulder.
In my experience, chiropractic care can be very effective in treating Repetitive Stress Injuries. However, a large part of your recovery comes from reducing your exposure to postural stress. An important part of this involves a thorough ergonomic evaluation of your work station as well as making the correct ergonomic changes to relieve computer related postural stresses.

Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice. He is certified as a Specialist in Health Ergonomics. Dr. Jones Can be found on the web at www.JonesPainRelief.com & at www.ErgoNav.com

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Anyone who has gone to an Office Depot or Staples or any of the other countless office supply stores has seen how many different office chairs that are available.

The question is, which one should you choose? One thing is for certain, as far as your back and neck goes, the color doesn’t matter. However, plenty of other features do matter and can determine how your back feels at the end of your work day.

There are specific brand names that manufacture high end chairs that cost in the thousands of dollars. If you decide that a chair like that fits your needs by all means buy it.

On a regular basis I hear patients comment in a negative way about the expense of ergonomic office products. My response usually draws a correlation between the costs of their vehicle versus the cost of a good office chair. Very few of us spend more than 8 hours per week in our cars that we spends tens of thousands of dollars on yet we often scoff at spending more than a few hundred bucks on a good office chair that we sit in for 8 hours per day. That is some backwards logic isn’t it?

That being said, you don’t have to spend a small fortune on a good office chair. My chair fits all of my needs and I found it at Costco for about $100.

What features does a $100 chair need to have in order for it be the right chair for you?

This is a short list of general features that should be present in a good ergonomic chair.

1. It should have a high back
2. It should have arm rests
3. The backrest should recline and be slightly concave and include a 5 cm lumbar support
4. The seating surface should be able to tilt from front to back
5. The height of the chair should be adjustable
6. The armrest height should be able to adjust
7. You must be comfortable in it. A chair with all these features is worthless if you don’t find it comfortable.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Is your computer making you feel like you are losing a war?

For many of us who spend increasing amounts of time sitting at a computer, the answer to the question above is yes.

Postural stress is a major component of the cases of back pain that I see in my practice. Anyone who spends enough hours in enough days sitting in a static position at a computer station is bound to develop pain as a result of this stress.

Years ago I developed, patented and produced a mouse platform that was intended to reduce the chances of the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. Those of you who have read my previous blog posts are familiar with this story.

In a nutshell, I saw my patients struggle with many work related stresses due to computer use. Of these complaints, the most common complaint was the shoulder pain, neck pain, arm pain, wrist pain and hand pain that resulted from reaching to the desk for the mouse. I thought of an idea to eliminate the reach for the mouse and that thought resulted in the birth of my first patent, the Ergo Nav.

The Ergo Nav turned out to be very successful in reducing the stresses that it was intended to help relieve. However, there was a second positive effect that I had not really thought out prior to the initial months of testing this new way of mousing.

Click on button to buy Ergo Nav now.

By positioning the mouse next to the operator as the Ergo Nav does, postural stress on the low back was reduced thus reducing fatigue of the lower back and, hence reducing low back pain.

For years it was thought that the proper hip angle of a seating posture was 90 degrees. Now, however, that angle is known to be too small. A proper angle of the hips in a seated posture is from 95 degrees to 115 degrees. This angle has your chair back tilted slightly backward, away from your desk, keyboard and mouse.

The Ergo Nav helps the worker maintain this angle of the hips by keeping the mouse at constant distance from the operator. In other words, the Ergo Nav allows the operator to tilt the chair at the proper angle without moving away from the mouse.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Computers speed our daily tasks in ways that we could not have imagined ten years ago. That being said, most every improvement in our lives is a double edged sword (pardon the cheesy analogy).

Computer work gives me a pain in the neck! It probably gives you a pain in the neck too.

I graduated college in 1991 and at the time I can say that I made it through school without ever owning or even barely using a computer.

I bought my first computer in 1995 and didn’t really start spending more than a few hours on it daily until maybe 2003. In this relatively short period of computer use, I have developed postural stress issues despite my efforts to keep it at bay. I even developed an ergonomic mouse platform in order to help eliminate the stresses of mouse reach and I still fall victim to postural stress.

I began practicing chiropractic in San Diego in 1993 and at that time my practice consisted of patients suffering from typical complaints. It was unusual to get patients that complained of neck pain, back pain, headaches or sciatica that wasn’t a result of some specific injury, auto accident or work injury.

Now my chiropractic patients are different. I still practice in San Diego and my patients still complain of neck pain, back pain, headaches and sciatica but these symptoms begin with a different type of injury.

And it is scary!

Most of the injuries that I see today are due to sedentary tasks. Most of these tasks involve computer use and postural stress. The scary thing about these injuries is that I hear from my patients with kids that their kids are using computers both at home and in school.

I know how computer work has affected me with less than 5 years of moderate use. Students of all ages are using computers for everything.

By the time today’s’ kids are in their 30s or 40s, they will have had over 20 years of exposure to the postural stresses associated with computer use. Considering the frequency with which I see computer related stress syndromes now, it is hard to imagine how much of these disorders will be seen in another 20 years.

The health of tomorrows computer users will rely on ergonomically designed work stations combined with stretching, exercise and chiropractic therapy to help relieve the effects of computer related postural stress.

Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Have you ever wondered how it can be that you can sit around all day doing nothing strenuous and still develop back pain or neck pain?  Oddly enough, most of the aches and pains that we develop don’t have a clear injury associated with the onset of our symptoms.  Our spines and the muscles and ligaments that move and support them are quite durable.  Aside from severe traumatic injury like a car accident, a hard fall, etc, the pain that is most prone to troubling us is the result of the seemingly inconsequential episodes of poor lifting habits, bad posture and other forms of postural stress.
Back pain or neck pain can affect anyone at any time.  In my San Diego chiropractic clinic, I see patients that have injured their backs and necks from lifting, operating machinery, sports injuries, auto accidents and falls.
Many non-chiropractic patients or new chiropractic patients would be surprised to find that the most common type of injury that I see in my office is not from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but from the long term consequences of postural stress.
Postural stress is the “silent killer” when it comes to our spinal health.  Postural stress occurs during both seated and standing positions.  Postural stress occurs any time that your spine looses its’ natural curves and / or moves forward beyond its neutral balance point.
An example of a posturally stressful position for your neck would be when you are sitting at the computer leaning your neck and head forward while keyboarding, mousing or reading the screen.  Assuming a posture in which your head and neck are extended out in front of your body reverses the normal curve of your neck and shifts your head forward of its balance point.
When we assume postures that cause stress on our spines, the stability that is inherent in our structure when postural boundaries are respected is lost.  Postural stress exposes our ligaments and muscles to prolonged periods of stretching which results in fatigue, irritation, inflammation, back pain and neck pain.
Treating neck pain and back pain that has resulted from postural stress requires a multifaceted approach.  Chiropractic care and massage will relieve the pain and stiffness and restore normal, full joint motion.  This part of your recovery may take several treatments or several weeks of ongoing care based on the length of time that you have been in pain and the severity of your symptoms.
In addition to chiropractic care, you must eliminate or modify the causes of your postural stress.  A workstation analysis can reveal ergonomic issues that are instigators of postural stress.  Any type of treatment that you pursue will only be marginally successful if you are not able to control the source of the stress.  This doesn’t mean quitting your job as a computer operator.  However, it does mean that you may need to reposition your monitor or move your phone closer to your primary work space or purchase a keyboard tray or mouse platform in order to create a more friendly work environment.
The best way to begin your care is discuss your issues with your chiropractor.  Chiropractors are well trained in dealing with postural stress issues especially as they relate to your work environment.

Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.   Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.

(619) 280-0554

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

Hundreds if not thousands of books and articles have been written that deal with the short and long term negative effects of working with computers.

As a chiropractor practicing in San Diego, I see a constant flow of new patients who complain of neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, wrist pain and hand pain as a result of long work days that mostly consist of sitting at a computer. It doesn’t stop there. Because sitting is especially stressful for the lower back we see plenty of computer operators who complain of low back pain as well.

It seems that the computer spares no body part from pain, discomfort and sometimes disability.

The most damaging characteristics of computer work can be summed up in two related triggers that stimulate our bodies to react to this type of work.

The first of these triggers involves the way the muscles of our necks, upper backs, arms and hands are used during computer work.

Whenever we are working on our computers our fingers are moving a mile a minute while the rest of the muscles of our upper extremities are in a static contraction. Muscles are designed to move joints through an entire range of motion. When we work at our computers these muscles simply contract to hold joints in a fixed position. When muscles act in this way they build up lactic acid, become irritated and inflamed and eventually fatigue and become painful. The long-term effects of this process include tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, etc, etc.

The second trigger involves postural stress. It is human nature to lean forward into our work. Leaning forward improves our ability to see what we are working on. This posture typically includes bending forward at the waist, rounding our shoulders forward and craning our necks forward. Each of these body positions by themselves is capable of causing pain and discomfort. When we are doing computer work it is not unusual to have all three of these postural stresses working on us at the same time.

Controlling these stresses is of utmost importance in order to prevent injury. Taking short one or two minute stretching breaks for the arms and hands every twenty or thirty minutes is very helpful. Icing the painful areas is helpful as well. Finally, becoming aware of your posture and doing what you can to eliminate postural stress will help.

There are other articles on this topic in this blog and in my chiropractic blog that will give you more information on how to control the stresses of computer work.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Have you ever hurt your back and scratched your head wondering – how did this happen when my back has felt fine until now?

Patients present to my San Diego Chiropractic clinic on a regular basis with neck pain, back pain and other related symptoms that not only lack a history of pain in that area but have no recent injury or accident to explain their current painful symptoms.

This is frustrating for the patient yet a typical presentation for me.

When patients come in for care with this type of history recent injury, my inquiries usually lead to a situation that involves excessive postural stress for that patient.

Ongoing postural stress affects our body much like the old analogy of the straws on the camels back. Our bodies are capable of compensating for quite a bit of stress before symptoms appear. This is good and bad.

The good part of this situation is that if we didn’t compensate for all the little stresses that we are subjected to, we would be uncomfortable all the time. The bad part about compensation is that we often are not keen enough to recognize when our bodies are being exposed to ongoing low levels of stress.

Once the stress levels build to a certain point, the body part in question reacts with irritation, inflammation and muscle spasm. This combination produces pain and tightness and usually is the reason that patients call my office.

Postural stress can place an amazing amount of stress on your spine. One of my reference books has a chart that describes how different body positions affect the amount of pressure on your discs in the low back. The differences are amazing.

When standing straight up with ideal posture, the pressure in the discs of the low back is 100%. When lying flat on your back the pressure is at 24%. While sitting straight with good posture, the pressure is at 140% but when slouching forward with poor posture the disc pressure goes to a staggering 190%.

Considering that most of us sit for a good portion of the day, simply sitting becomes a significant source of stress for the lower back.

This kind of ongoing stress combined with an awkward twist or bend can generate a crisis for the low back leading the patient to wonder exactly how turning to pick that cup of coffee off the desk behind him / her lead to such a severe back spasm.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies Home of Ergo Nav

San Diego Chiropractor
(619) 280-0554

A mouse pad simply isn’t enough. Not even if it has a little gel support pad for your wrist. A mouse pad enhances the operation of the mouse but doesn’t do anything for your ergonomic situation.

I am a practicing chiropractor in San Diego California. Years ago I began to notice that most of my patients who were being treated for either Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, neck pain, shoulder pain or any of the other symptoms that are specific to stress imposed by long days at the computer had one common complaint.

That complaint was that extending their arm to reach for the mouse was one of their primary aggravating factors.

One of things that I have learned by treating injured people is that when they are in pain, activities that they perform without concern of postural stress when they are “healthy” suddenly become painful.

Reaching for the mouse is one of these activities. Reaching for your mouse in a way that forces your arm to assume any position other than hanging at your side while supported on your chairs armrest exposes your wrist, arm, shoulder, neck and upper back to postural stress.

With time, this ongoing postural stress will either cause a repetitive stress injury on its own or it will help contribute to one.

This mechanism of injury was the basis for the development of the Ergo Nav mouse platform. The Ergo Nav attaches to your chairs armrest in a way that places your mouse right at your finger tips allowing for stress free mouse operation.

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Independently performed EMG studies show significantly less muscular activity in the neck, back and shoulder girdle with use of the Ergo Nav as compared to reaching to the desk for the mouse. These same results were shown regardless of whether or not the desk placed mouse pad had a gel pad wrist rest or not.

While there were mouse platforms already available, they were either non-adjustable (read not ergonomic) or they were adjustable and very expensive with bulky, impractical chair attachments.

The Ergo Nav allows for adjustment of the platform in several planes for true ergonomic adaptability while maintaining exceptionally low pricing compared to other mouse platforms.

Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies (Home of Ergo Nav)

San Diego Chiropractor
(619) 280-0554

Those of you have read my blog posts both here and at www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1 know that ergonomics is the study of how we can manipulate our work environment to both improve work performance and reduce injury-causing fatigue.

Obviously, the cost of injury drives the study of ergonomics. This is a good thing. Most employers, especially those who run large corporations are detached from their employees – both physically and emotionally. Were it not for the actual cost of employees’ injuries, many employers would not know or care about their workers’ ergonomic situation.

In the world of ergonomics, there are six separately identifiable variables that affect work performance and fatigue. These six variables are:

1) Workload

2) Each Individuals Physiological Response to the Workload

3) The Individuals Size & Strength Capabilities

4) Biomechanical Variances

5) Human Factors

6) Work Organization

The questions that should be answered by examining the variables listed above are not limited to but include:

1) Can You Perform a Task Once Without Injury

2) Do You Physically Fit Your Workplace

3) Are You Strong Enough

4) Can You Perform the Task For Seconds to Minutes Without Fatigue or Injury

5) Will Injury Occur if the Work is Performed Over Months or Years

6) Do You Have the Mental Capacity to do the Work

These variables directly affect an individual’s ability to perform certain job duties with or without producing an injury.

The reason that I have decided to include this dry and academic sounding material in this blog is to help provide some very general guides that can be used to evaluate your fit for your work duties.

I have patients who were injured at work who are not good fits for their work. They either lack the strength, the height or the endurance to effectively perform their work tasks.

If you find yourself in such a situation you should ask for or pay for an ergonomic analysis of your work environment. Many large companies either have an ergonomics department or have access to an ergonomic specialist. If so, you should take advantage of these services.

Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies (Home of Ergo Nav)

San Diego Chiropractor
(619) 280-0554

By nature, I am a do-it-yourselfer. I like to think that I have the ability to examine a set of circumstances – especially my own – evaluate them and make any necessary changes or improvements.

Back during the late 90s, I was applying everything I knew about treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that was within my scope of practice as a chiropractor in order to heal my patients. This was a frustrating experience. Along with the classic symptoms of wrist pain and hand pain, many CTS patients get neck pain, shoulder pain and upper back pain. My treatment was partially successful on each of these symptoms.

The sticking point of my care was the fact that I was trying to unravel symptoms that were being generated / exacerbated during the course of a 40 + hour work week with treatments that were only being delivered three times weekly in half hour sessions. I am not implying that my care wasn’t helpful, what I am saying is that I knew that in order for my patients to recover that they needed more help. In this case, the help had to come from them. Somehow they needed to help minimize the stresses that they were subjected to during the day.

Part of this exercise involved my patients keeping pain diaries. Basically, over the course of one month, I asked them to write down everything that they could identify as a source of their pain.

A quick examination of my patients’ pain diaries revealed that there were three basic aggravating work duties that 90% of them shared. Reaching for the mouse, reaching for the phone and having to rotate their heads in order to see their monitor were the most common aggravating work duties.

Obviously it doesn’t take a degree in ergonomics to solve these kind of issues. Many of us go through our days numb to the factors that affect our well being. The conscious application of situational awareness can provide us with obvious problems and simple solutions to many work place ergonomic issues.

Look at your work environment today. If your body does not feel centered and balanced as you perform your work duties, chances are that you can make some modifications or at least identify some modifications that could be made to improve your ergonomics.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Chiropractic, Neck Pain, Chiropractor, Back Pain, San Diego, Ergonomic

Computer work gives me a pain in the neck!  It probably gives you a pain in the neck too.  Being a San Diego based chiropractor, I see plenty of patients suffering from neck pain as a result of poor ergonomic set-ups of their computers.  My work as a chiropractor provides a unique insight into the stresses of computer work that few people outside of my profession have the opportunity to see.

I graduated in 1991 and at the time I can say that I made it through school without ever owning a computer.  I bought my first computer in 1995 and didn’t really start spending more than a few hours on it daily until maybe 2003.  In this relatively short period of computer use, I have developed postural stress issues despite my efforts to keep it at bay.

I began practicing chiropractic in San Diego in 1993 and at that time my practice consisted of patients suffering from typical complaints.  It was unusual to get patients that complained of neck pain, back pain, headaches or sciatica that wasn’t a result of some specific injury, auto accident or work injury.

Now my chiropractic patients are different.  I still practice in San Diego and my patients still complain of neck pain, back pain, headaches and sciatica but these symptoms begin with a different type of injury.

And it is scary!

Most of the injuries that I see today are due to sedentary tasks.  Most of these tasks involve computer use and postural stress.  The scary thing about these injuries is that I hear from my patients with kids that their kids are using computers both at home and in school.

I know how computer work has affected me with less than 5 years of moderate use.  Students of all ages are using computers for everything including school work, socializing and gaming.

By the time today’s’ kids are in their 30s or 40s, they will have had over 20 years of exposure to the postural stresses associated with computer use.   Considering the frequency with which I see computer related stress syndromes now, it is hard to imagine how much of these disorders will be seen in another 20 years.

The health of tomorrows (and todays) computer users will rely on ergonomically designed work stations combined with stretching, exercise and chiropractic therapy to help relieve the effects of computer related postural stress.  A little planning in your work area can go a long way in helping to prevent neck pain, back pain and other issues related to postural stress of computer work.

Writer Bio

Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego.  Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.  He is certified as a Specialist in Health Ergonomics.  ———————————————————————————–

Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

Did you ever question why you can sit down all day long and don’t do any hard work and still your back or neck hurts? ? A chiropractor can diagnose neck pain, postural stress, back pain and suggest ergonomic solutions. With closer examination of the structure of our bodies and some simple physics principles, it is a wonder that humans do not suffer from more frequent and intense back and neck pain.
Anyone can experience back or neck pain at any time. I treat individuals regularly who experienced back and neck injuries from improper lifting, machinery usage, sports, falls, and auto accidents. The majority of patients think that chiropractic issues stem from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but are surprised to find that most are due to postural stress.
Spinal health can be jeopardized slowly and insidiously due to postural stress. Regardless of whether you sit or stand, postural trauma can ensue. Any time your spine is not in its natural curves or moves forward beyond its neutral balance point, you can risk postural stress
As you sit at a computer, hunched over the keyboard or peering at the screen, your neck experiences postural stress. This posture, in which your head and neck are extended in front of your body, reverses the normal curvature of your spine and neck, and shifts your head away from its balance point.
If our posture puts pressure on our spines, the security that controls our structures when postural limitations are concerned is gone. Back and neck pain is often a result of poor posture, which also causes fatigue, irritability, and inflammation of muscles and connecting ligatures due to extended pressure.
A combination of therapies may be required to effectively treat back pain and neck pain from postural stress. Using this method of chiropractic care in conjunction with stretching and nutritional support relieves pain and stiffness and restores normal, full joint movement.If you have endured pain for a long time or if your symptoms are particularly acute, the road to recovery will not be short or easy. Don’t expect a quick fix.
Along with chiropractic treatment, it is important to address origins of postural stress. Ergonomic problems that lead to postural stress can be identified using workstation analysis. An ice pack placed on the affected area for twenty minutes can relieve neck pain and back pain.
Talking to your chiropractor is the first step in starting your treatment.
Chiropractors are medically trained to deal with postural stress problems and the neck pain that occurs as a result. At our chiropractic clinic in San Diego, we treat patients with a holistic approach using chiropractic care and enhanced with a regimen of stretching and exercise.
In order to facilitate the healing process we encourage the proper nutritional support.
You need to be aware of the importance of eliminating the source of the postural stress in addition to seeking treatment, regardless of which approach you take to relieve the pain of postural stress.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Do you ever think about ergonomics while you are suffering at your desk?

The two primary objectives of the study and application of ergonomics are to enhance worker performance and reduce worker fatigue.

Some ergonomic analysis is very simple and can be completed from start to finish by the worker. For instance, if reaching for your phone requires excessive and uncomfortable reaching, moving that phone to within easy reach is the fix. This is a simple example of the analysis and application of ergonomics that will certainly reduce fatigue and stress for that particular task.

I will take this opportunity to advise everyone reading this post to take a good look at their work environment and think about what they could do to improve it. This may mean checking to see if your keyboard is at a comfortable level, or if reaching for your mouse is aggravating your neck, shoulder or arm. These are just a few things that you should analyze in your work area. Just changing a few things in your work environment that cause stress or discomfort can be significant because these constant sources of low level irritation have a cumulative and compounding effect which increase the chances of injury.

Most analysis and application of ergonomics is much more complex than this prior example. For many work stresses, an in-depth knowledge of human anatomy and biomechanics is essential to truly evaluate a work environment and then implement the necessary work station modifications.

This task is difficult enough when designing an ergonomically friendly environment for one specific worker. However, this task is much more involved when a particular work area has to accommodate a number of different workers. Just think about how much people vary in height, weight, strength, reach, etc. If you have to share a desk, seat or other equipment with other people, make sure that you make any possible adjustments to limit your exposure to irritating work conditions.

Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

One of the more common stress related conditions that we see in my Chiropractic / Wellness center is headaches. As with many injuries that I see in my office, poor ergonomics is a major contributing factor with headaches. While there are many different work related factors that contribute to the development of headaches, I will address the four most common instigators in this post.

The most obvious type of stress that contributes to the onset of headaches is postural stress. A poorly designed computer work station causes the PC operator to keep their neck in flexion, extension or rotation for extended periods of time.

These prolonged fixed positions are due in part to the computer monitor sitting too low, too high or un-centered relative the level of the operator’s eyes. Prolonged fixed positions of the neck causes muscle tension in the neck and can easily trigger the development of a muscle tension headache.

In order to relieve this stress, make sure that your monitor sits directly in front of you and that the top 1/3 of your monitors viewing area is level with your eyes when you are gazing straight forward.

Another important contributing factor in the development of headaches is dehydration. Statistics indicate that upwards of 75% of us suffer some level of dehydration. Statistics also indicate that we tend to consume less water while we are at work. This is a straight forward problem.

Considering that dehydration causes headaches and as a population we tend to run on the dehydrated side and we tend to drink less water while at work, you can see how this is a perfect formula for the development of a headache.

Improper positioning of either your keyboard or mouse can also cause muscular strain leading to the formation of a headache. If your keyboard or mouse is positioned in a way that causes your elbows to be extended beyond 99 degrees, you are over-stressing your shoulders and neck. On-going stress of the muscles in the shoulders and neck will result in muscle tension headaches.

One last headache instigator that we will discuss here is related to lighting of your work space. Ideally, lighting should come directly from your left and right sides and overhead. This lighting set-up prevents shadows in your work space and reflections off of your monitor. Eye strain and fatigue are major contributors to headaches and must be addressed. Proper lighting can reduce eye strain which often leads to muscle tension headaches.

More Coming Soon

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

What is Cumulative Trauma? A Chiropractic Perspective

Cumulative Trauma or CTDs is a wear and tear of the bony and soft tissue components of a joint because of overuse. In my San Diego based chiropractic clinic, I treat people on a daily basis who suffer from CTDs. CTDs can result from poor lifting habits, straining the neck, long hours of light force repetition without adequate rest time, awkward reaching, etc.

The irritation that results in Cumulative Trauma disorders accumulates over time, eventually resulting in a breakdown of the involved joint or joints and its muscles and ligaments. Symptoms from CTDs include soreness, pain, restricted range of motion, numbness, cracking noises in joints, weakness and clumsiness.

The potential end result of cumulative trauma disorders can be hand pain, wrist pain, neck pain, back pain, elbow pain, shoulder pain and leg pain.

What is the best cure for CTDs? Prevention. Application of good ergonomic principles to your work environment as well as tasks that you undertake outside of work is vital. A CTD may takes years to start causing symptoms and can also take a prolonged period of care to resolve. CTDs that go untreated can potentially cause permanent disability or symptoms that never completely resolve.

CTDs are serious and should be treated that way.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

As we spend increasing amounts of time at our computer workstations, we need to be aware of how the design and arrangement of our equipment can impact our chances of injury.   Computer ergonomics is the study and / or implementation of work station design with the purpose of reducing or eliminating physical stress.

My interest in repetitive stress syndromes began approximately 10 years ago when my practice started seeing a much greater number of people suffering from the effects of computer work.  Despite all of my training and continuing education related to these types of injuries, I quickly realized that short of surgery and radical changes in the patient’s lifestyles, treatment for this type of injury was marginally successful at best.

The real solution had to be prevention and it was going to involve the application of basic ergonomic principals.

This article will address the specifics of injury resulting from postural stress secondary to use of the computer mouse.
Specifically, the following will be addressed:

1. What repetitive stress injuries are
2. What role do work station ergonomics play in injury
3. How reaching for the mouse sets the stage for injury
4. What are the symptoms of repetitive stress injury
5. How one can avoid mouse reaching injuries

What Exactly is a Repetitive Stress Injury?

Repetitive Stress Injury is a kind of catch all phrase for many conditions.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tenosynovitis / DeQuervain’s Syndrome, Tendonitis, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Trigger Finger, Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Chronic Sprain / Strain are some of the actual diagnosis that are rendered in my office.  All of these conditions are serious and in many cases can cause great pain, permanent disability and sometimes loss of employment.

Repetitive Stress Injuries occur from repetitive movements involving a specific set of muscles and joints.  RSI injuries are the result of an accumulation of stress and strain that causes irritation, inflammation, and eventually pain or other disability.  A good analogy used to characterize the onset of RSI would be the “straws on the camels back” saying.

Initially, RSI affects the soft tissues of the involved joint(s).  Soft tissues include muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons.  However, if left untreated for long periods of time, the involved joint can become arthritic and form bone spurs resulting in permanent damage to the joint.

While various occupations ranging from meat cutters to construction workers develop RSIs that result from the typical duties of their professions, the most frequent cause of these injuries involve computer work.  The constant demand of keyboarding and mousing combined with the postural stress of confinement in an office chair with one’s neck and back held in prolonged fixed positions has resulted in an epidemic of injuries that includes hand pain, wrist pain, arm pain, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain.
Work Station Ergonomics

The study of workstation ergonomics tells us that the objects that are used most often should be located closest to your body and accessed easily, without awkward body positions.  Repeated reaching or prolonged postures that involve leaning forward from your chair are particularly stressful and fatiguing.
Many people are aware of computer ergonomics and thus have an ergonomic mouse.  An ergonomic mouse is of little use if it is positioned in an area that requires reaching and stretching in order to operate it.   Limiting reaching and stretching for desk items is essential to maintaining a healthy ergonomic environment.

The most frequent complaint that I have seen in my office is due to computer work is the combination of mousing and its’ inherent postural stress.
Most computer stations are designed in a way that involves the worker operating the computer mouse on a pad on the desk.  Reaching to the desk for the mouse places direct stress on the joints and soft tissues of the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.  Additionally, reaching forward for the mouse stresses the lower and middle back.

So How Does Reaching for the Mouse Set the Stage for Injury?

Reaching for the mouse causes you to lean forward in your chair, extend your arm and support the weight of your body through your extended arm.  The following section will discuss the particulars of each of these positions.
The stresses placed on the human frame when reaching for the mouse are easily explained.  Contrary to popular belief, sitting, which most people believe is relaxing, is hard on the back. Sitting for long periods of time can cause increased pressure on the intervertebral discs of the spine.

In recent years, ergonomisist have told us that proper sitting posture would have us sitting upright with our hips flexed at 90 degrees.  As it turns out, the most up to date studies show that a slightly reclined sitting posture with the hips flexed at 100 to 115 degrees is ideal if you have to sit at a desk.  If your mouse is not positioned close enough to your body, you will have to reach for it.  Reaching for your mouse stresses your back by reducing the angle of your hips.

Next, we have to look at the effects of reaching on the neck and shoulder.  When the mouse is being operated at a distance that makes the operator reach, the shoulder extends forward and the shoulder blade abducts (rotates forward).  This position stretches the muscle groups that connect the medial portion of your shoulder blade to your spine and the superior portion of your shoulder blade to your neck.  In the short term, this stretch aggravates the affected muscle groups causing spasm, fatigue, headaches and stiffness in the neck and shoulder.  In the long term, this position creates a condition called a “stretch weakness” resulting in muscular imbalance, trigger points and chronic variations of the conditions listed in the prior sentence.

Lastly, placing the mouse too far away, too low, or too much on one side can cause shoulder, wrist, elbow, and forearm discomfort. When the operator is forced to reach for the mouse, his / her body weight shifts forward and ultimately results in weight bearing stress on the extended arm.  Spending prolonged periods of time leaning on an extended arm is an unnatural and destructive posture that will eventually lead to the development of a repetitive stress syndrome; likely resulting disorders would include tendonitis of the wrist, elbow or shoulder.

What are the Common Symptoms?

• Tightness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness or burning in the hands, wrists, fingers, forearms, or elbows
• Tingling, coldness, night pain or numbness in the hands, especially around the base of the thumb
• Clumsiness or loss of strength in the hands
• Pain in the neck, shoulders, wrists, hands or back that is associated with using the computer

How Can You Avoid Injuries Related to Reaching for the Mouse?

The following recommendations are applicable to both home office ergonomics as well as ergonomics in the office.

1. Placing the input device directly in your immediate reach zone offers natural comfort and maximum hand-eye coordination.  The use of a platform for the mouse is preferable.  Some models of mouse platforms attach directly to your chair.
2. Your chair should have arm rests that are adjustable.
3. Your wrist should be either in a neutral position or flexed slightly downward when operating both your mouse and your keyboard.   For this reason, if you select a mouse platform that attaches to your chair, adjustability of the platform is of primary importance.
4. Consider using a high quality office chair with adjustable armrests and lumbar supports.  It should also allow some degree of recline.
5. Make sure that the upper arm and elbow are as close to the body and as relaxed as possible for mouse use – avoid overreaching.
6. Hold the mouse lightly, don’t grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the pointing device where you don’t have to reach up or over very far to use it.  The closer you can place it to your body the better.

Steve,

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Platform Ergo Nav
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

My San Diego chiropractic office sees a regular flow of patients with neck pain.  I use a variety of chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy modalities to help relieve the pain and stiffness that accompanies neck pathologies.  In addition to treatment that I perform here in the office for neck pain, there are many steps and procedures that can be taken by the patient outside of my direct care.

Here is a list of four pro-active steps that you can take to avoid neck pain.

1)    Avoid activities that instigate neck pain
2)    Stretch
3)    Exercise
4)    Watch Your Posture

Let’s begin with number one.  This sounds simple, but avoiding activities that instigate neck pain seems to skirt peoples’ minds.  It is kind of like that old doctors’ saying, “if it hurts don’t do it!”  You would be surprised by how many of my patients come in with neck pain, or hip, arm, back, etc pain and say, “you know doc, every time I do (fill in the blank) I hurt my neck.”  It is the strangest thing but it happens over and over.

Stretching is also very important in relieving neck pain.  With stretching, it should be done as a prevention, not a cure.  This means that by stretching daily, you can help prevent a neck pain crisis.  Usually, stretching during a neck pain crisis will aggravate your symptoms rather than relieve them.  Stretching on a consistent basis can go a long way towards improving your health.  I recommend / hand out specific exercises to my patients on a regular basis.  The patients who do their exercises seem to do much better than those who don’t.

Exercise is also very important.  By the time we reach adult years, we have usually suffered at least one significant sprain / strain type injury.  These injuries happen as a result of falls, whiplash, heavy lifting and various sports injuries.  Sprain / strain type injuries can damage the ligaments in the neck resulting in a weak link.  For many people, the only way to add stability to their necks is with exercise.  Just like stretching, however, exercise must be habit that is begun for an episode of pain.  Exercising muscles that span a dysfunctional joint is a sure fire recipe for further aggravation.

One of the more difficult ways to prevent neck pain is by watching your posture.  Posture is a difficult thing to control because we tend to do our work in front of us which makes it easy to tilt our heads down and round our shoulders forward.  This posture causes anterior weight bearing and creates a tremendous amount of stress on the neck and upper back.  Proper ergonomic set ups at both work and home do a great deal to help us with posture.  The most important item concerning posture is to simply be aware of it and to straighten up whenever we think of it.

More coming soon!

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Picture this; you are just finishing a grueling work week. Your neck hurts and your shoulders are tight. It feels as though your shoulders a drawn up around your ears.

Does all this sound familiar? It should. Stress affects us everyday. The pressures of work and personal relationships can make us feel like a giant knot all by themselves. For most of us, however, this is just the beginning of our stress. Physical ailments that exist because of current conditions and those that continue to haunt us from the past i.e. old auto accident injuries, falls off our bicycles, years of postural stress etc. also contribute directly to our general tension level.

I am sure that most of my readers can recall a time when they went to work with some kind of neck pain or other body ache that made them much less amicable.

The process that takes place is simple and much more damaging then you might think. Our bodies are very good at compensating for stresses whether they are physical or emotional. However, if the stresses exist for a long enough period of time or if they are compounded by other stresses, our bodies start to express this build up of stress in various ways. For some people, stress and tension will generate headaches. For others the continued stress will trigger episodes of neck or back pain.

For either of the above examples, the process that takes place involves the body responding to stress with muscle tension. More often than not, our physical response to stress involves a tightening of the muscles in the shoulders and upper back. In addition to this tightening of muscles causing neck and back pain, it also raises blood pressure, burns energy causing physical fatigue and in some people causes mental fatigue.

Unfortunately, we are probably stuck with our jobs and although stressful, we elect to keep our relationships. These things are pieces of our lives that many of us have no choice but to accept (we could if we really wanted).

We can more easily take better care of our bodies. Proper ergonomics at work and home, breathing techniques, yoga, exercise, massage and of course chiropractic treatment can go a long way in counteracting stress and general tension.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Can Chiropractic Care Save Our Students

Computer work gives me a pain in the neck!  It probably gives you a pain in the neck too.

I graduated in 1991 and at the time I can say that I made it through school without ever owning a computer.  I bought my first computer in 1995 and didn’t really start spending more than a few hours on it daily until maybe 2003.  In this relatively short period of computer use, I have developed postural stress issues despite my efforts to keep it at bay.

I began practicing chiropractic in San Diego in 1993 and at that time my practice consisted of patients suffering from typical complaints.  It was unusual to get patients that complained of neck pain, back pain, headaches or sciatica that wasn’t a result of some specific injury, auto accident or work injury.

Now my chiropractic patients are different.  I still practice in San Diego and my patients still complain of neck pain, back pain, headaches and sciatica but these symptoms begin with a different type of injury.

And it is scary!

Most of the injuries that I see today are due to sedentary tasks.  Most of these tasks involve computer use and postural stress.  The scary thing about these injuries is that I hear from my patients with kids that their kids are using computers both at home and in school.

I know how computer work has affected me with less than 5 years of moderate use.  Students of all ages are using computers for everything.

By the time today’s’ kids are in their 30s or 40s, they will have had over 20 years of exposure to the postural stresses associated with computer use.   Considering the frequency with which I see computer related stress syndromes now, it is hard to imagine how much of these disorders will be seen in another 20 years.

The health of tomorrows computer users will rely on ergonomically designed work stations combined with stretching, exercise and chiropractic therapy to help relieve the effects of computer related postural stress.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Sitting and reaching have a profound impact on your posture. Both sitting and reaching stress the spine. Reaching stresses both the spine, shoulder, elbow and wrist. Sitting and reaching contribute to poor posture that can cause neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and wrist pain.

Sitting has a negative impact on your back for several reasons. Since our spines were made to move, it should come as no surprise that hours on end of sitting in a static position leads to injury.

In addition to a lack of movement, the sitting posture itself is structurally stressful to the spine. When we are standing upright, the lower back should have a sweeping forward curve which promotes stability by reducing pressure on the discs that separate our vertebra. Sitting reverses the normal curve in our lower backs and increases the pressure on the discs leading to an increased chance of injury.

From a postural standpoint, the sitting position can promote rounded shoulders, slumping forward of the upper back and jutting forward of the jaw. Not only are these postures unattractive but they contribute to the development of tendonitis and result in stretch weakness of the involved muscles.

There are volumes of information regarding ideal sitting postures both on the web and within other posts on this site. Sorting out your posture with the use of a good ergonomic chair will help you maintain good posture and spinal health.

Reaching at or beyond your normal arc of motion also contributes to poor posture and cumulative trauma type injuries, especially of the neck and shoulder. It is vitally important to the health of your frame to keep objects that you use on a regular basis within easy reach. Your phone, the mouse, stapler, etc., if used frequently through the course of your day, should be within your immediate reach. Objects that are used less frequently can be kept farther away, closer to the edge of your comfortable reach.

Take a good look at your work space. Making a few simple changes will help save your posture and your spinal health.

From a postural standpoint, one of the worst things that we can do to our bodies is slouch while we sit. Sitting seems like such an innocent, non-injurious activity. This is far from the case.

I have been practicing chiropractic in San Diego for the last 15 years and what I have seen in practice regarding back injuries would be surprising to most people in non-medical careers. The average person that I speak with regarding back pain and injuries is of the mind set that low back pain is the result of jobs that require heavy lifting or contact sports, golfing or car accidents.

In reality, it is the constant stress and strain of postural stress that is the biggest burden on our spines. The postural stress of sitting for hours on end in a task chair in front of a computer can become overwhelming. When our bodies are exposed to a specific stress over a long period of time, the effects that the stress places on our bodies has a cumulative effect. Over the course of months or years that cumulative stress expresses itself as pain, stiffness or more serious symptoms.

When I am explaining the ongoing cumulative effects of postural stress to my chiropractic patients I like to use the classic example of the Chinese water torture. Those first couple hundred drops of water on the forehead aren’t bothersome – but a few hundred drops more will make you truly miserable. The same process happens to your low back as the minutes, hours, days, months and years pass with you sitting in a computer chair.

There is a chart floating around that I have come across in several texts that relates your bodies posture with the amount of stress that each particular posture generates on the discs in the lower back. As the chart demonstrates, the level of stress increases as the subject transitions from a prone position to a standing position to seated position to a slumped forward seated position. The chart shows the pressure in the discs to equal 100% of your body weight while standing, approximately 125% of your bodies weight while sitting and over 140% of your body weight when sitting in a forward slumped position.

The reason that sitting is so hard on your back from a postural standpoint is due to the anatomy of the lower back vertebra. When we are standing, your lower back naturally has a forward sweeping curve with the concavity of that curve facing rearward. That curve acts to efficiently divide the weight of your body between the discs that separate your vertebra and the joints that run down the back of your spine. When you assume a seated position, that curve straightens out transferring some of your weight from the posterior joints to the discs. Slumping forward transfers even more weight resulting in more compression of the discs and more stress on the low backs discs.

As time passes, this increase pressure causes irritation of the overloaded spinal structures eventually leading to inflammation, spasm and pain. This is the basic process with many injuries to the body that result from ongoing exposure to some irritating or stressful activity.

How is this postural stress negated? Well, unfortunately, all if it can’t be. But it can be limited by practicing good posture and the right ergonomic principals. A brief ergonomic evaluation of your work area can give you loads of valuable information that will help minimize the effects of your work environment on your body.

Sitting is a sedentary task but like most things in life, if you don’t do it properly there will be undesirable consequences.

Work Safe!

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Keywords: chiropractic, ergonomic principals, postural stress, posture, work safe

Repetitive Stress Trauma or RST is described entirely by the words that make up the phrase.  Repetition implies that the injury is the result of more than one exposure.  Typical RSTs result from weeks, months or years of performance of a repetitive task with a specific body part.  Stress is the result of inadequate recovery time in between exposures to the repetitious task.  Trauma, of course signifies bodily injury as a result of the repetitive stress.

Health care workers primarily view Repetitive Stress Trauma as an occupational or work injury.  This thought is based on government statistics which indicate that those who work are more likely to develop an RST injury.  While these statistics can’t be denied, they also need to be taken into proper context.  In my San Diego based chiropractic clinic, we see many patients with RST injuries.  Most of the time, most of the trauma is related to work, more specifically to computer work.  Additionally, many of these injured people spend upwards of six hours per day on their computers while at work only to come home, eat dinner, and then sit at their own computers for hours on end as well.  It doesn’t matter where the stress comes from, the injury remains the same.  That being said, in my 15 years of experience in dealing with RSTs I have found the primary source of irritation to be the work environment.

At this point I will go off on a tangent for just a moment … or more.  One of the services that my office offers is ergonomic evaluations.  Since most of my patients are in computer related occupations, most of my evaluations are on computer set-ups.  Typically, when I question my patients about their work stations I hear the following, “Well, it is pretty good except for FILL IN THE BLANK.”  At this point I usually suggest that I come to their place of work and evaluate their work station.  They are usually way out of the ideal ergonomic set-up.  I see keyboards, mice, monitors and phones positioned in ways that will certainly lead to a worsening of their condition.

RSTs, ergonomics and permanent disability are important topics.  As such, I will end this article at this point and be back tomorrow or Tuesday with a continuation of what I have started.  This topic will be covered over the next three or four posts.  Stay tuned.

Doc

Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Platform Ergo Nav
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

As a practicing San Diego Chiropractor who has concerns for my patients’ well being, I get out of my office frequently in order to check up on my patients, ergonomic situations.

Poor computer ergonomics account for a substantial percentage of the conditions that my patients complain of.

The typical patient that presents to my office with neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, elbow pain or carpal tunnel syndrome has a poor ergonomic set up that is fueling their symptoms. Often times, there are easy or inexpensive “fixes” for these ergonomic issues.

If your monitor is too low for example, you have the option of very inexpensive fixes as well as very expensive fixes. For a cheap fix that is actually free, you could raise your monitor on a stack of phone books. On the other hand, you could purchase a wall or desk mounted monitor arm and spend hundreds of dollars.

The same is true for keyboard tray solutions. I bought my keyboard tray from Fry’s for about $20.00. It works great for my application. There are keyboard trays, however, that cost hundreds of dollars. Some inexpensive computer desks with keyboard trays only cost a few hundred dollars.

Another example of ergonomic solutions is my Ergo Nav mouse pad. A regular mouse pad that sits on your desk and is not ergonomic may cost $5 to $20. My Ergo Nav, that mounts to your computer chairs armrest retails between $40 and $70 while some mouse platforms sell for well over $100.

Ergonomic solutions are not always expensive but can save you a great deal in future medical costs if implemented sooner rather than later.

Here’s To Your Health

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Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones

Ergonomic Office Supplies

San Diego Chiropractor

Keywords: back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, chiropractor, computer ergonomics, elbow pain, ergonomic solutions, ergonomics, monitor, neck pain

The study of workstation ergonomics tells us that the objects that we use most often should be located closest to your body and accessed easily, without awkward body positions or movements. Repeated reaching or prolonged fixed postures that involve leaning forward from your chair are stressful and fatiguing.

Some people are aware of computer ergonomics and have purchased various ergonomic devices. These devices, such as keyboard trays, gel mouse pads, and ergonomic keyboards rarely provide solutions to the big picture of computer ergonomics. These items must work with each other in order to produce a significant reduction in postural stress. For example, an ergonomic mouse is of little use if it is positioned in an area that requires reaching and stretching in order to operate it. Limiting reaching and stretching for desk items is essential to maintaining a healthy ergonomic environment.

The most frequent complaint that I have seen in my office is due to computer work is the combination of mousing and reaching to the desk for the mouse.

Most computer stations are designed in a way that involves the worker operating the computer mouse on a pad on the desk. Reaching to the desk for the mouse places direct stress on the joints and soft tissues of the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Additionally, reaching forward for the mouse stresses the lower and middle back.

So How Does Reaching for the Mouse Set the Stage for Injury?

Reaching for the mouse causes you to lean forward in your chair, extend your arm and support the weight of your body through your extended arm.

The stresses placed on the human frame when reaching for the mouse are easily identified. Contrary to popular belief, sitting, which most people believe is relaxing, is hard on the back. Sitting for long periods of time can cause increased pressure on the discs of the spine.

In recent years, studies on postural stress have indicated that we should be sitting upright with our hips flexed at 90 degrees. As it turns out, the most up to date studies show that a slightly reclined sitting posture with the hips flexed at 100 to 115 degrees is ideal if you have to sit at a desk. If your mouse is not positioned close enough to your body, you will have to reach for it. Reaching for your mouse stresses your back by reducing the angle of your hips.

Next, we have to look at the effects of reaching on the neck and shoulder. When the mouse is being operated at a distance that makes the operator reach, the shoulder extends forward and the shoulder blade abducts (rotates forward). This position stretches the muscle groups that connect the medial portion of your shoulder blade to your spine and the superior portion of your shoulder blade to your neck. In the short term, this stretch aggravates the affected muscle groups causing spasm, fatigue, headaches and stiffness in the neck and shoulder. In the long term, this position creates a condition called a “stretch weakness” resulting in muscular imbalance, trigger points and chronic variations of the conditions listed in the prior sentence.

Lastly, placing the mouse too far away, too low, or too much on one side can cause shoulder, wrist, elbow, and forearm discomfort. When the operator is forced to reach for the mouse, his / her body weight shifts forward and ultimately results in weight bearing stress on the extended arm. Spending prolonged periods of time leaning on an extended arm is an unnatural and destructive posture that will eventually lead to the development of a repetitive stress syndrome; likely resulting disorders would include tendonitis of the wrist, elbow or shoulder.

Here’s To Your Health

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Platform Ergo Nav
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

What Exactly is a Repetitive Stress Injury?

In addition to neck pain, back pain and headaches, my San Diego chiropractic office provides treatment for many patients with various types of repetitive stress injuries.  This post will carry on from the prior post and will describe what repetitive stress injuries are.
A Repetitive Stress Injury is a kind of catch all phrase for many conditions.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tenosynovitis / DeQuervain’s Syndrome, Tendonitis, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Trigger Finger, Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Chronic Sprain / Strain are some of the actual diagnosis that are rendered in my office.  All of these conditions are serious and in many cases can cause great pain, permanent disability and sometimes loss of employment.
Repetitive Stress Injuries occur from repetitive movements involving a specific set of muscles and joints.  RSI injuries are the result of an accumulation of stress and strain that causes irritation, inflammation, and eventually pain or other disability.  A good analogy used to characterize the onset of RSI would be the “straws on the camels back” saying.
Initially, RSI affects the soft tissues of the involved joint(s).  Soft tissues include muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons.  However, if left untreated for long periods of time, the involved joint can become arthritic and form bone spurs resulting in permanent damage to the joint.
While various occupations ranging from meat cutters to construction workers develop RSIs that result from the typical duties of their professions, the most frequent cause of these injuries involve computer work.  The constant demand of keyboarding and mousing combined with the postural stress of confinement in an office chair with one’s neck and back held in prolonged fixed positions has resulted in an epidemic of injuries that includes hand pain, wrist pain, arm pain, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain.
I hope that you are finding this information helpful.  My next post will continue this series and will describe the basics of workstation ergonomic set-ups.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

A mouse pad simply isn’t enough. Not even if it has a little gel support pad for your wrist. A mouse pad enhances the operation of the mouse but doesn’t do anything for your ergonomic situation.

I am a practicing chiropractor in San Diego California. Years ago I began to notice that most of my patients who were being treated for either Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, neck pain, shoulder pain or any of the other symptoms that are specific to stress imposed by long days at the computer had one common complaint.

That complaint was that extending their arm to reach for the mouse was one of their primary aggravating factors.

One of things that I have learned by treating injured people is that when they are in pain, activities that they perform without concern of postural stress when they are “healthy” suddenly become painful.

Reaching for the mouse is one of these activities. Reaching for your mouse in a way that forces your arm to assume any position other than hanging at your side while supported on your chairs armrest exposes your wrist, arm, shoulder, neck and upper back to postural stress.

With time, this ongoing postural stress will either cause a repetitive stress injury on its own or it will help contribute to one.

This mechanism of injury was the basis for the development of the Ergo Nav mouse platform. The Ergo Nav attaches to your chairs armrest in a way that places your mouse right at your finger tips allowing for stress free mouse operation.

Independently performed EMG studies show significantly less muscular activity in the neck, back and shoulder girdle with use of the Ergo Nav as compared to reaching to the desk for the mouse. These same results were shown regardless of whether or not the desk placed mouse pad had a gel pad wrist rest or not.

While there were mouse platforms already available, they were either non-adjustable (read not ergonomic) or they were adjustable and very expensive with bulky, impractical chair attachments.

The Ergo Nav allows for adjustment of the platform in several planes for true ergonomic adaptability while maintaining exceptionally low pricing compared to other mouse platforms.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

My Chiropractic office is among the many all over the US that offers therapy for back pain and neck pain. More than just a solution for back and neck pain, chiropractic care may alleviate symptoms or improve many ailments.

Because back pain and neck pain can be early signs of a severe problem, you should see a medical professional quickly. Ignoring the discomfort in your neck and back might make for more complex medical problems.

There are a host of reasons people experience back pain and neck pain, including injuries, infections, accidents, and sometimes even turning or twisting. Muscles, joints, ligaments, and vertebrae can undergo considerable trauma and resulting injury from auto and other types of accidents.

When back pain occurs as a tight feeling along the spine or muscle spasms, overuse or lack of use of the back muscles is the most likely culprit. As we grow older, inflammation and swelling often develop in our joints and ligaments, especially in the cervical and lumbar areas.

When someone has a herniated disc, it is a result of the inner covering, the nuclear pulposus, emerging through a damaged area of the annulus fibrosis, which is the outer covering of the disc; this leads to compression of the nerve root. Because the cervical and lumbar areas of the spine have the greatest range of motion, the discs here have a greater exposure to injury and repeated stress. The lower two lumbar vertebrae is where ninety percent of disc herniations occur.

When the spinal canal becomes narrow, spinal stenosis can occur, making the spinal cord irritated and injured. Narrowing of the spinal canal, known as spinal stenosis, can result in damage or irritation of the spinal cord. As people age, some vertebral degeneration occurs, sometimes leading to spinal stenosis.

When something grinds or touches a nerve, causing irritation or the area to be inflamed, it is called radiculopathy, also known as a pinched nerve. Some causes of radiculopathy are bone spurs, herniated discs, fractures of the vertebrae, tumors, and a host of other diseases and conditions.

The specific type of radiculopathy that irritates the sciatic nerve is known as sciatica. The pain is felt along the big sciatic nerve, which goes from the lower back to the behind area and down the back of the leg.

A tumor that starts in the spine (primary tumor) or reaches the spine from a different part of the body (metastatic tumor) can press on the spine’s nerve roots and be very painful.

Ailments of the vertebrae (vertebral osteomyelitis), disc problems, spinal meningitis, or cerebrospinal liquid can put pressure on the spinal cord and cause severe neurological deterioration, if there isn’t a diagnosis or it isn’t treated quickly.

Facet joints exist where two vertebra abut to direct or guide spinal movements and are likely candidates for arthritis. As the joints deteriorate, they get out of alignment, and the cartilage and fluid that should keep our joints “greased” may deteriorate as well. It can be extremely painful when the bone rubs against another bone.

These are among the many causes for back pain and neck pain. Due mainly to mechanical causes, which can be readily addressed by a chiropractor, most cases of back and neck pain may be helped this way. This is the point; do not ignore the warning signal that is head and back pain.

Stand Up Straight – How Your Posture Affects Back Pain and Neck Pain

Chiropractor, neck pain, posture, chiropractic, back pain, ergonomic

Did you ever question why you can sit down all day long and don’t do any hard work and still your back or neck hurts? It is amazing that humans don’t sustain even more back pain and neck pain, given the structure of our bodies and the physical demands. In my California chiropractic practice, I frequently treat office workers who experience chronic and severe back and neck pain tied to easy-to-fix ergonomic issues in their workspace.

Anyone can experience back or neck pain at any time. I treat individuals regularly who experienced back and neck injuries from improper lifting, machinery usage, sports, falls, and auto accidents. These injuries would be classified by me as expected or typical types of injuries. Most people would be astonished to know that the most frequently seen injury in a chiropractic office does not result from a single, dramatic incident; it is instead the cumulative effects of long-term postural stress.

Spinal health can be jeopardized slowly and insidiously due to postural stress. Regardless of whether you sit or stand, postural trauma can ensue. Postural stress is felt whenever the natural curve of the spine is altered or if the spine moves past its natural balance point.

As you sit at a computer, hunched over the keyboard or peering at the screen, your neck experiences postural stress. Your body is reversed from the typical curve of your neck, as you extend your neck to the front of your body and forces your head forward of the normal balance.

If our posture puts pressure on our spines, the security that controls our structures when postural limitations are concerned is gone. Stress from the way we hold ourselves (either sitting or standing) opens our ligaments and muscles up to long periods of being stretched (perhaps incorrectly) which leads to muscle fatigue, irritation, inflammation, back and neck pain, and even arthritis over the long run.

A combination of therapies may be required to effectively treat back pain and neck pain from postural stress. When chiropractic treatment is combined with proper stretching and nutritional supplementation, full and smooth joint motion can replace the pain and stiffness. If you have endured pain for a long time or if your symptoms are particularly acute, the road to recovery will not be short or easy. Don’t expect a quick fix.

Along with chiropractic treatment, it is important to address origins of postural stress. Have your workstation analyzed to highlight any ergonomic issues that could cause postural stress. An ice pack placed on the affected area for twenty minutes can relieve neck pain and back pain.

Talking to your chiropractor is the first step in starting your treatment. Postural stress issues and the related neck and back pain that result from it are best dealt with by chiropractors, who are well trained in that area. At our chiropractic clinic in San Diego, we treat patients with a holistic approach using chiropractic care and enhanced with a regimen of stretching and exercise. Encouragement of the proper diet is made to facilitate the process of healing. You need to be aware of the importance of eliminating the source of the postural stress in addition to seeking treatment, regardless of which approach you take to relieve the pain of postural stress.

Applying Chiropractic and Exercise to Make Your Spine Healthy

I offer remedies for a lot of various injuries. Common injuries that cause neck pain, back pain, bad headaches and sciatica among other things, consist of vehicle accidents, injuries connected to work, being hurt while performing household chores, and occasionally just sleeping in a weird position.

I would estimate that over half of my patients suffering from back pain and neck pain have the same question, “What changes can I make to prevent this from occurring again?” Their concerns led to the development of this article and the points I address in my posting.

There’s nothing like intense back pain or neck pain to induce someone to take action about their health.

People in pain normally start being proactive about their health. It is common for people to ask what exercises or stretches they can begin to relieve symptoms. Many people are disappointed to learn that the best remedy for a new injury is the use of ice packs along with rest for the injured body area.

During more than 15 years of chiropractic experience, I have seen many clients not heed my advice, and wind up worsening their condition. Most of us should begin exercising and stretching our backs when it is not in acute pain.

The hardest thing I face in my practice is getting my patients to exercise and change their eating habits. In order to help to prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain, exercise is one of those things a patient can do at home without seeking chiropractic care.

You should engage in exercise cautiously following an injury, making sure you feel absolutely no pain. You should start slowly with low intensity exercises, and gradually build up to more resistance only when you feel absolutely no pain.

You must keep in mind that your exercise routine needs to be sensible if you are recovering from a back injury. Make sure you stretch and exercise under the supervision of a health care expert. Necessary stability is provided to your spine by flexible and strong muscles which then support to your spine.

A routine of stretching and targeted exercises is almost always one of my first recommendations to a new patient. When you combine chiropractic care with stretching and exercising, you will have faster and more complete healing.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Dr. Steve Jones practices in San Diego, California.  This article will relate his struggles to find appropriate and effective treatment for repetitive stress injuries (such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and symptoms including hand pain, wrist pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and elbow pain that were not extensive enough to warrant a specific diagnosis) and why his efforts eventually led prevention vs. treatment.

Back in the middle part of the 1990’s, his practice started undergoing an unexpected  transformation.  He started seeing a tremendous number of people complaining of upper extremity pain that was obviously related to long hours of computer work.

While he had studied carpal tunnel syndrome in school and had seen these patients in the past, the overwhelming numbers of these patients that were presenting to his office inspired a desire to learn more about these injuries.

Standard conservative treatment for most types of repetitive stress injuries of the upper extremity involved some combination of wrist splints, elbow straps, massage, joint manipulations, ultrasound therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, trigger point therapy and icing.  Treatment for more advanced or debilitating cases could include cortisone injections and various types of nerve decompression surgeries.

These treatments worked some of the time.  Most of the time treatment would provide temporary relief for short periods.  Many of those who would obtain relief from treatment would have periods of relief that would be punctuated by seemingly unprovoked exacerbations that would cause anger, frustration and depression in both the patient and Dr. Jones (I am sure that he was not the only doctor who was frustrated by treating these conditions).

For many of those patients who suffered with repetitive stress injuries, the end result of treatment was some level of disability followed by the loss of their employment.

Carpal tunnel surgery is questionable, statistics that show that approximately 95% of all carpal tunnel surgeries are reauthorized one year after the initial surgery date.  How hopeless does that sound?

Dr. Jones had always been a compassionate, attentive doctor who listened to his patients.  He would pay careful attention to their complaints and as a result he started to notice certain common threads that linked his repetitive stress patients.

Most of these complaints involved ergonomic issues that were easily fixed.  Some of these things included: having the computer monitor off to one side instead of placed in front of the patient, using the key board at the wrong height, and having a chair without armrests or postural correct supports.  Most of these issues were easy enough to fix.  The most common source of irritation that he was told of, however, was the neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist pain associated with mousing.

After carefully examining his treatment protocols for repetitive stress injuries, he came to an eye opening conclusion.  That conclusion was that there was no way to cure his patients with an hour per week of therapy (at the most) while they were spending upwards of 40 hours per week at work and many more hours per week at home doing computer work at ergonomically challenging work stations.  Something had to be done.

Dr. Jones’ knowledge of ergonomics told him that in order to eliminate the stress that mousing placed on the body that the mouse had to be placed as close as possible to the operator.  He looked into the various mouse platforms that were available online.  Some attached to keyboard trays, others attached to the desk, some attached to the chair and one even attached to your leg.

Dr. Jones liked the concept of a mouse platform that attached to the chair.  There are several benefits to this type of design.  First of all, a mouse platform that attaches to the armrest of the chair is natural and provides a constant distance between the mouse and the user.  With this design, the mouse is at your finger tips while your forearm comfortably rests on the armrest.  The other important feature of this design is that it allows the operator to sit back in his / her chair which allows for much needed low back and neck support.

He purchased many of the mouse platforms that attach to the chair and started his evaluations of the available products.  This seemed like such a reasonable solution to such a common problem yet these products were not readily available.  He soon realized why.  Many were expensive and had complex attachment procedures.  Furthermore, they were big.  It was difficult to get close to your desk because they protruded off the end of your armrest by 8 to 10 inches.  Lastly, they were not adjustable.  How could these platforms be considered ergonomic without the ability to rotate or tilt the platform itself?

After two years of development design and many different prototypes, he felt as though he had a solution.  Dr. Jones had developed a mouse platform that had a flexible attachment to the armrest of the chair, a smaller platform that didn’t intrude on the operator’s workspace and a platform that would not only laterally shift side to side, tilt side to side and tilt forward, but it would also tilt down and out of the way when having an attached product at the end of your armrest was not convenient.

While he recognizes that this product is not a solution for all ergonomic issues for everybody, it is a valuable component of an ergonomically friendly work environment.

When combined with a keyboard tray and a supportive chair with armrests that adjust up and down, this product makes for a very comfortable computer posture.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Did you ever question why you can sit down all day long and don’t do any hard work and still your back or neck hurts? It is amazing that humans don’t sustain even more back pain and neck pain, given the structure of our bodies and the physical demands. In my California chiropractic practice, I frequently treat office workers who experience chronic and severe back and neck pain tied to easy-to-fix ergonomic issues in their workspace.
Anyone at any time can have back or neck pain. Lifting, operating machinery, sports, auto accidents, and falls are some of the most common injuries I see in my office. These kind of injuries are typical or expected injuries. The majority of patients think that chiropractic issues stem from lifting heavy sacks of concrete but are surprised to find that most are due to postural stress.
Spinal health can be jeopardized slowly and insidiously due to postural stress. Regardless of whether you sit or stand, postural trauma can ensue. Postural stress is felt whenever the natural curve of the spine is altered or if the spine moves past its natural balance point.
One of the various postural stressful positions is sitting at the computer leaning forward with your neck and head while typing or mousing or viewing the screen. This posture, in which your head and neck are extended in front of your body, reverses the normal curvature of your spine and neck, and shifts your head away from its balance point.
If our posture puts pressure on our spines, the security that controls our structures when postural limitations are concerned is gone. Stress from the way we hold ourselves (either sitting or standing) opens our ligaments and muscles up to long periods of being stretched (perhaps incorrectly) which leads to muscle fatigue, irritation, inflammation, back and neck pain, and even arthritis over the long run.
To treat neck and back pain caused by postural stress, one must undertake a multifaceted plan. Using this method of chiropractic care in conjunction with stretching and nutritional support relieves pain and stiffness and restores normal, full joint movement. Depending on the length of time that you have been in pain or the severity of your symptoms, this part of your recovery may take several treatments or a lengthy treatment program.
Along with chiropractic treatment, it is important to address origins of postural stress. Have your workstation analyzed to highlight any ergonomic issues that could cause postural stress. An ice pack placed on the affected area for twenty minutes can relieve neck pain and back pain.

Start treatment by talking to your chiropractor. Chiropractors are medically trained to deal with postural stress problems and the neck pain that occurs as a result. Our San Diego based chiropractic clinic employs a complete approach to rehabilitation using chiropractic care supported by stretches and exercises. In order to facilitate the healing process we encourage the proper nutritional support. It is just as important to understand and correct the cause of poor posture, which causes pain, as it is to seek treatment to relieve the pain.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554

Have you ever wondered how you can develop back pain or neck pain without doing anything strenuous? A chiropractor can diagnose neck pain, postural stress, back pain and suggest ergonomic solutions. With closer examination of the structure of our bodies and some simple physics principles, it is a wonder that humans do not suffer from more frequent and intense back and neck pain. In my California chiropractic business, I treat clients frequently who work in an office and could benefit from better ergonomics.

Anyone can experience back or neck pain at any time. I treat individuals regularly who experienced back and neck injuries from improper lifting, machinery usage, sports, falls, and auto accidents. These injuries would be classified by me as expected or typical types of injuries. Most people would be astonished to know that the most frequently seen injury in a chiropractic office does not result from a single, dramatic incident; it is instead the cumulative effects of long-term postural stress.

The “silent killer” of our spinal health is postural stress. Postural stress is experienced either while sitting or standing on one’s feet. Any time your spine is not in its natural curves or moves forward beyond its neutral balance point, you can risk postural stress.

As you sit at a computer, hunched over the keyboard or peering at the screen, your neck experiences postural stress. Your body is reversed from the typical curve of your neck, as you extend your neck to the front of your body and forces your head forward of the normal balance.

The stability that is part of our structure when our postural boundaries are respected is lost when we assume postures that cause stress to our spines. Back and neck pain is often a result of poor posture, which also causes fatigue, irritability, and inflammation of muscles and connecting ligatures due to extended pressure.

A combination of therapies may be required to effectively treat back pain and neck pain from postural stress. When chiropractic treatment is combined with proper stretching and nutritional supplementation, full and smooth joint motion can replace the pain and stiffness. If you have endured pain for a long time or if your symptoms are particularly acute, the road to recovery will not be short or easy. Don’t expect a quick fix.

Chiropractic care alone will not alleviate the problem; you must eliminate or change the causes of the postural stress. Ergonomic problems that lead to postural stress can be identified using workstation analysis. Applying ice packs for neck pain and back pain for around twenty minutes at a time is also sometimes effective for relief.

Talking to your chiropractor is the first step in starting your treatment. Postural stress issues and the related neck and back pain that result from it are best dealt with by chiropractors, who are well trained in that area. At our chiropractic clinic in San Diego, we treat patients with a holistic approach using chiropractic care and enhanced with a regimen of stretching and exercise. Encouragement of the proper diet is made to facilitate the process of healing. You need to be aware of the importance of eliminating the source of the postural stress in addition to seeking treatment, regardless of which approach you take to relieve the pain of postural stress.

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Here’s To Your Health

Yours Ergonomically,

Dr. Jones

Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic

(619) 280-0554