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Conversation with the Chiropractors
What are some of the most common work related injuries you see? And how do you treat them?
As chiropractors we see a lot of patients present to the clinic with neck, shoulders and low back complaints associated with work. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic has initiated long periods of work-from-home, we have noticed a surge in such patient profiles.
Such complaints usually arise from poor posture and desk/chair ergonomics causing strain of the body; even more so at home for many people, as the home desk setup is simply not ideal for long term use.
At My Spine Centre we utilize a variety of therapies to help guide patients towards a pain free, optimal functioning spine and joints. Treatment will be customized for each individual patient as per their condition. Therapies available includes chiropractic adjustments, Power Plate rehabilitation programmes, Electro-muscle stimulation, Therapeutic ultrasound, Spinal Decompression Therapy(Traction), cryotherapy and heat therapy.
What are the common spine related problems for children among your patients? And is there some advice you can give to concerned parents?
There are 2 common spinal conditions in children that we observed at My Spine Centre; scoliosis and kyphosis.
Scoliosis is a sideways bend and twist to the spine that affects roughly 2-4% of adolescents. Idiopathic (unknown cause) scoliosis is the most common form observed, and requires regular monitoring and assessment to ensure spinal curvature does not develop/progress rapidly during their growth spurts. Severe cases might require bracing or surgical intervention.
Kyphosis is a term used to describe excessive forward hunch of the upper to mid back(thoracic) part of the spine. Most of the time the presentation is postural of nature (postural/functional kyphosis) and can be managed by suitable stretching/exercise as well as treatment. However, in some cases, such round back can be a result of spinal pathology (eg Scheuermann's Disease).
As the Malaysian education system does not provide children with spinal screening, parents are highly encouraged to bring their school age children periodically for spinal assessment by qualified professionals (pediatrician, gp, chiropractor).
We also strongly advise parents to heed the importance of not placing unnecessary extra stress on a developing spine and therefore always seek proper ergonomics on their children's backpacks/study desk setup etc.
How do you feel about the awareness of ergonomics here in Malaysia?
We feel through the prevalence of educational information on the web as well as social media. Many Malaysians; individuals and parents alike, are gradually acknowledging the importance of proper ergonomics on posture and well-being, and are willing to invest in order to prevent long term health consequences. As chiropractors, we are always doing our part in actively educating our patients about spinal health!
Why do you recommend using ergonomic furniture?
A well designed ergonomical furniture will not only provide the necessary comfort and support to offload the pressures on the body, it can also improve one's postural awareness when sitting such that the individual will be more aware of their body positioning in the future regardless of which furniture they use.
All these will contribute greatly in preventing postural ailments for our patients!
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