Time and time again, we hear the dangers of smoking - cancer, stroke and  heart disease.  But did you know that smoking also affects the health of your spine?  This spine wellness blog tip will address your spine and smoking. 

To learn the best way to stop smoking, talk to your physician.  Additionally, resources are provided on the American Cancer Society’s web site. 
 

Spine Wellness Tip #2:  Put Out the Cigarettes

The next series of blog entries will focus on a few spine wellness tips.  Simple solutions that provide health benefits to your spine. 

One popular New Year’s resolution is to go on a diet and lose weight.  Losing weight provides many health and wellness benefits, including spine wellness.  Did you know that obesity is one contributing factor to back pain? 

Spine Wellness Tip #1: Drop Some Pounds 

A recent blog entry highlighted articles about the cervical artificial disc, written by Dr. Rick Sasso  - a spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group.

In this spine wellness educational video, Dr. Sasso discusses cervical artificial disc; the indications, overview of surgical procedure and the advantages of this procedure. 

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation one in two women and one in four men will sustain an osteoporotic fracture sometime in their lives.  One of the most common fractures as a result of osteoporosis is a spinal fracture. 

In this spine wellness educational video, Dr. Kevin Macadaeg discusses osteoporosis and vertebral compression fractures.  Dr. Macadaeg is a minimally invasive spine specialist with Indiana Spine Group. 

The last few spine wellness blog entries have discussed the effects of smoking and the spine.  For example smoking can increase your risk for lower back pain, increasing healing time following spine surgery and increase your risk for osteoporosis. 

For a spine wellness fact sheet about smoking and your spine's wellness, click here.

This spine wellness blog entry will address more about the effects of smoking and your spine’s health.  In this Spine Universe article, it summarizes the negative effects of smoking and its impact on the spine surgery procedure of spinal fusions. 

A general definition of a spinal fusion is that it is a spine surgical procedure that joins bony segments of the spine (vertebrae) – this spine surgery can be performed at the lumbar, thoracic or cervical areas of the spine.  As a part of the healing / fusion process of this spine ssurgery there needs to be new bone growth.  Many factors can affect the success of a spinal fusion and can include the patient’s overall health, other medical conditions and smoking. Research has shown that habitual cigarette smoking results in less successful spinal fusions when compared to similar spine surgical procedures performed on nonsmokers.  Additionally, another study indicated that individuals that smoked had a higher post-operative infection rate than nonsmokers. 

A prior spine wellness blog entry highlighted the Great American Smokeout, held on November 19.  This spine wellness blog entry will address smoking and your spine.  Usually when you think about the health effects of smoking – you think about cancer and heart disease.  But smoking also affects your spine wellness and as a recent study indicated, can contribute to lower back pain.

Study results published on Spine-Health.com indicated that there is a link between smoking and lower back pain.  The study concluded that the development of lower back pain was linked to smoking history and hypertension.  Additionally, the development of lumbar spondylosis was also associated with smoking history and hypertension.

This spine wellness blog entry highlights, WebMD's tips for avoiding back pain: 

ü      Standing:  Keep your head and stomach pulled in.

ü      Sleeping:  Use a mattress with enough spine support.  If your mattress is too soft or too hard – it may result in back pain.

ü      Lifting:  Use proper lifting techniques.  Do not stoop over; lift with your knees and keep the object close to you. 

In October, I was a faculty member at the 8^th Annual Symposium on “Innovative Techniques in Spine Surgery.” This continuing education meeting, hosted in Phoenix, addressed the innovative and emerging technologies of spinal surgery including; arthroplasty, minimally invasive procedures, motion sparring technologies and biologics.  At this meeting I gave a talk on Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement, and presented the results of the FDA studies for the Cervical Artificial Disc.

This education program was sponsored by the Organization of Spinal Teaching and Research.  The purpose of this group is to facilitate education and discussion among spine care providers and industry and this organization includes leaders in the field of spine surgery and technology that utilize the most advanced and effective technology available for the treatment of spinal disorders.

Up to 25% of a person’s day can be spent sleeping – assuming they get eight hours of sleep. So needless to say, the importance of the quality of sleep is important, and your mattress does affect how you sleep. Your mattress is also important to your spine health. This spine wellness blog entry will address a few common questions asked by patients about mattress selection. 

How often should I change my mattress?
It is typically recommended that you change your mattress every ten years. Other signs that it is time to change your mattress are if your bed is uncomfortable, your mattress looks old/worn or your box spring squeaks. Also if you wake up tired and sore – this may be a sign that it is not providing the right amount of support.

What brand of mattress is the best? 
We do not recommend any specific brand. What is more important are the features and qualities of the mattress you are selecting. 

Do firmer mattresses offer more back and body support? 
A mattress that is too firm – may not support the body evenly and may contribute to pain in the pressure points. A mattress that is too soft – will most likely sag and not provide enough back/body support. Generally a medium mattress will provide both comfort and support.

What should I look for in a mattress? 
When selecting a mattress, it is important to choose one that allows your spine to maintain its natural alignment similar to standing. By maintaining your natural spine alignment, it allows your muscles to relax.

Should I “test” the mattress out?  
Yes! When purchasing a mattress, it is important to lie down – and turn over like you normally would during sleeping. Also, different manufactures may not use descriptive terms of the mattress consistently – so a firm mattress with one manufacture may be described as medium firmness with a different brand. So it is always good to try before you buy!

In the movie Princess Dairies there is a scene where Mia, played by Anne Hathaway, is practicing good posture with a book on her head and walking across the room. 
Although books are not required, good posture is important in preventing lower back pain. 

This spine wellness tip will highlight how to evaluate your posture. 

1. Stand with your heels against the wall.
2. Your head, shoulders, calves and buttocks should be touching the wall. (Once you do this, you should be able to place your hand behind the small of your back).
3. Now, take a step forward – this is how your posture should be.

Fall is a time for crisp cool air, football games, and the time to rake leaves. As you begin to get the outside of your house ready for winter, and do your “fall” outside chores, remember a few safety tips to prevent back pain and back injuries. This spine wellness blog entry will provide a few key tips. For a spine wellness fact sheet on preventing back injuries wile working outside click here.
 

Raking

• Stretch before you begin – raking should be viewed as exercise.
• Utilize proper body mechanics.
• Avoid twisting, and keep your back upright.
• To avoid overreaching, step side to side to move your legs instead of just moving your arms. 

 Lifting

When moving your flower pots and patio furniture remember to:

• Use proper body mechanics when lifting – squat down and use your legs to rise instead of bending over.
• Use hooks, straps or pulleys for heavy loads. 
• Do not twist while lifting. 

The Scoliosis Research Society is an excellent resource for individuals searching for information on spine wellness and education information on scoliosis. This web site provides detailed explanations of the types of scoliosis – as well as addresses the different life stages that one may have scoliosis; i.e. infants, juveniles, adolescents and adults. 

When individuals think of being healthy and wellness – they generally do not thing about spine health and wellness. This spine wellness session at Back Talk, Indiana Spine Group's continuing medical education conference, will focus on keeping a healthy spine. Presented by Adam Ebbert, PT, and Lori Petrie, RD, they will address factors that affect spinal health – both intrinsic and extrinsic. 

This session will address the assessment of patient lifestyles to determine recommended prevention and lifestyle habits that can help prevent spinal problems and improve spinal health. Additionally, health factors affecting the spine specific to various patient populations will be discussed. 

Adam Ebbert, PT, is the physical therapy coordinator with Indiana Spine Group and. Lori Petrie, RD, is a registered dietician with StVincent Hospital. 

For parents of school-aged children, school supply shopping is most likely on their “to-do” list. One item, typically purchased annually, is the backpack. Fashion, size and durability are usually key factors in selecting a backpack. But, did you know that backpacks can contribute to back pain in school-aged children?

According to Paul Kraemer, MD, a spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group – the incidence of children with back pain is rising – and sometimes it can be attributed to back packs. It is recommended that backpacks not exceed 10 to 15% of a child’s body weight.

This spine wellness fact sheet – provides tips for selecting and using backpacks and hopefully avoiding back pain. 

Paul Kraemer, MD, celebrates his one year anniversary with Indiana Spine Group. Dr. Kraemer is an orthopaedic surgeon, dedicated exclusively to surgery of the spine, caring for both adult and pediatric patients.  His special medical interests include orthopaedic spinal trauma, adult spinal deformity, and the prevention and treatment of adjacent segment disease.  

To schedule a consult with Dr. Kraemer or for more information, please call (317) 228-7000.

When people think of pool and water safety – they generally think about drowning.  

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children under the age of 15, who die of injury-related accidents. 

But did you know – that there are more than 850 diving accidents annually that result in spinal cord injuries? According to the American Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons, of these 850 accidents more than 300 occur at a home pool, and a majority of these result in paralysis of all limbs. 

This spine wellness blog entry will focus on pool safety! 

According to the medical director for Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation – diving is the most dangerous thing a person can do in the water. 

Paul Kraemer, MD, a spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group – says, “the simplest rule when swimming to avoid spinal cord injuries in the water is DO NOT DIVE!”   Diving is one of the most common causes of recreation-related quadriplegia, Kraemer adds.  

The following are a few spine wellness, water safety tips:

·     Do not swim alone. Ideally, someone trained in water safety should always be present.

·         Never dive in above-ground pools.

·         Never drink alcoholic beverages while swimming and never dive and drink. 

·         When swimming in lakes or ponds, always enter feet first.

·         When swimming in the ocean, do not dive. Tides continuously cause the ocean sands to shift. Additionally, it is difficult to see what is under the surf; rocks, sand bar etc. 

·         Only dive in areas with a designated diving area.

·         Teach children water safety at a young age. 
 

For more spine wellness water safety tips visit the following: American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

It has been said – that work can cause headaches – but it can also be said that work can be a pain in the back! Well maybe the work does not create back pain, but how you sit at your desk can result in back pain.

This spine wellness blog entry will provide a few tips for avoiding back pain, while sitting at your desk.

• Have your chair at the proper height; your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees should bend at a 90-degree angle.
• When you are talking on the phone, avoid bending your neck to cradle the phone against your shoulder.
• Avoid leaning over your desk for a long period of time.  If possible, try taking breaks and stretching.
• Sit with your back supported.

The second day of Back Talk, the continuing medical education symposium for physicians and health care practitioners, will provide a series of concurrent sessions where attendees will choose which topics they would like to attend. There are four series of sessions that will address specific diagnoses, overall spine wellness, discuss minimally invasive spine treatments including spinal cord stimulator and verteboplasty as well spine surgery treatments. Additionally, case studies will be reviewed. For a complete continuing medical education agenda, click here. 

It has been said – that work can sometimes cause headaches – but it can also be said that work can be a pain in the back! Well maybe the work does not create back pain, but how you sit at your desk can result in back pain.

This spine wellness blog entry will provide a few tips for avoiding back pain, while sitting at your desk.

• Have your chair at the proper height; your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees should bend at a 90-degree angle.
• When you are talking on the phone, avoid bending your neck to cradle the phone against your shoulder.
• Avoid leaning over your desk for a long period of time.  If possible, try taking breaks and stretching.
• Sit with your back supported.