34 CORP AMERICA / FEBRUARY 2017 , Bill Landtbomdiscusses back injuries in the workplace, the #1 workers comp expense, and what can be done to significantly lower back injuries. Reducing the Cost of Back Injuries Contrary to decades of misinformation, lifting is not the #1 cause of back injuries, it’s only a contributing factor. A 1990s study (Donjowski, et al) found only 4% of back injuries were “one-event” situations. The rest acquired a certain level of “repetitive motion damage” over the years, weakening the spine to an instability level where it’s “ready to go”, and the slightest movement (sneezing, tying shoes) could cause a major injury. Another 1991 study at Ford (Punnett, Chaffin, Fine, et al, 1991) showed a distinct correlation between “non-neutral trunk postures”, bending, twisting, using the waist and lumbar spine to access the object (Remember your mother harping on that), but poor spinal mechanics have become an ingrained habit, continuing until the major injury occurs, and the payments begin. These bad “habits” must be corrected and, since they were acquired “behaviourally”, only a behavioural solution can reverse it. Whether in a preventive mode, teaching employees how to lift and move, or in a rehab mode, hoping for the earliest “return to work” outcome, one factor stands in the way – postural regression, immediately returning to the ingrained habit after either a medical appointment or a postural training session, until the habit eliminated. Most people typically use their lumbar spine as the default joint enabling us to get closer to an object. When we bend, reach, or twist, we begin with spinal flexion, rather than another joint that could allow us to reach the object without compromising correct posture. Every such repetitive motion weakens the disks, leading to ultimate failure. (The Punnett/Chaffin article explains it even better.) A Harvard Medical School paper, found that a curved, firm surface against the spine provided behavioural impetus through proprioception, to lessen postural regression. Instead of initiating movement consciously, the spinal tissues assume control, reorienting their positioning and staying within a safe range of motion, simply because it feels better that way! Proprioception is the behavioural solution. Finally, like many habits, a wearable unit with these benefits is imperative so that the behaviour continues, until new, correct muscle memory is created. What’s the point of waking up after a night on a perfect ergonomic mattress and immediately revert to old spinal habits for the rest of the day? Typically, most physicians become frustrated when several treatments do not attain the desired outcome. The reason is simple: postural regression between appointments. The solution is the same. This proprioceptive environment reinforces new and correct muscle memory behaviourally and continuously. Once that kicks in, this new habit is present whether feeling the patented “curved, firm surface” or not. If your employee stops improving, typically the pain from past damage compromises functional form in rehab exercises. Toxic pharma is one intervention for beneficial rehab, but at too high a risk. Instead, certain patented magnets have been proven to have pain- relieving benefits. Not just any magnet. Most magnets are “spot magnets” similar to refrigerator magnets, with a magnetic field the exact size/shape of the host magnet, emanating a field 90 degrees from the host. Wherever there is no magnet, there is no magnetic benefit. Our “Therapeutic” magnets cover the entire lumbar area, (1) increasing blood flow, (2) shrinking inflammation, which reduces pressure on the nerves and tissues, and (3) actually blocking most of the pain signals to the brain. Your employee performs rehab protocols with no postural regression, leading to an earlier “prognosis” where surgery becomes a poor option and, again, a faster “return -to- work” probability. Bottom line, our patented back support, containing the two components, is the only wearable unit anywhere For non-chronic patients – YET! – magnets may not be required, but any device that can correct spinal mechanics and create new muscle memory will get faster resolutions than any other protocol without those benefits. Back-A-Line has conducted 58 evaluations over a broad cross-section with over 2,000 participants with (i) never a poor result, (ii) 75% reduction in “pain at the end of the day”, the best indication of no spinal damage during the day, and (iii) one company reported a 49% reduction in OSHA-reportables in the first year. There you have it – a wearable device addressing both the cause and effect of many back conditions. The cause is poor posture; the effect is pain, both minimized, ultimately leading to more invasive procedures, and higher insurance costs.” K Company: Back-A-Line Contact: Bill Landtbom Email:
[email protected] Website: www.backaline.com Address: 644 11th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118 1702CA39