YOUR 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER
puts on her swimsuit
and you see it: Her shoulders, waist and hips look uneven.
It might be just a preteen pose with attitude—or it could
be more serious. ese may be signs of scoliosis, a spine
problem that a ects about percent of people in the U.S.
SPINE OUT OF LINE
e word
scoliosis
comes from the
Greek word for crookedness, which is an apt description
of a scoliotic spine. All spines have slight natural curves
from front to back. But scoliosis causes the spine to curve
from side to side in an S or C shape. Other signs include
jutting shoulder blades or leaning to one side.
In most cases, scoliosis has no clear cause, but it can
run in families and is more common in girls than boys.
Although scoliosis usually develops before puberty, people
of any age can have it.
At rst it may be painless, but over time scoliosis can
lead to severe back pain, deformity and trouble breathing.
GETTING STRAIGHT
O en, scoliosis doesn’t require
treatment, and your child’s doctor will check every four to
six months to make sure the curve isn’t worsening. More
serious cases may require an orthopedic brace or surgery.
Talk with your doctor if your child is or older and
has signs of scoliosis.
Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
KEEPING
EMPLOYEES
SAFE AND
HEALTHY
AT WORK
GLENDALE ADVENTIST
Medical Center’s (GAMC)
Occupational Medicine Center knows that employers
want rst-rate care for their employees when they get
injured. We also understand that employers want their
employees to be able to go back to work as quickly as
possible. Our professional sta delivers prompt, e cient,
high-quality care with many resources.
e Occupational Medicine Center, located in Glen-
dale, o ers a full range of competitively priced services
to employers in the Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena and
Los Angeles communities. Combined with a er-hours
service in the GAMC Emergency Department, employees
have access to health care hours a day, days a week.
Matthew Chan, MD, MPH, medical director of GAMC’s
Occupational Medical Center, recommends six tried-and-
true ways to reduce the risk of common workplace injuries
and illnesses. Please share the following with employees
at your place of business:
1
Fight colds and the flu.
To help stop the spread of
germs at work:
Sneeze and cough into a tissue, then throw the tis-
sue away.
Wash your hands o en, or use gel or disposable wipes
that sanitize the hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Get an annual u shot. It protects against three of the
main strains of in uenza.
If you do get sick, do your colleagues a favor: Stay
home to avoid spreading germs to others.
2
Learn to lift correctly.
To help avoid hurting your
back:
Kneel down on one knee as near as possible to the
object you’re li ing. Plant the other foot at on the oor.
Use both hands to li the object, and li with your
legs—not your back—as you stand up.
Always keep the object close to your body, and don’t
bend at the waist.
3
Sit properly at your desk.
To help reduce strain on
your back, neck and shoulders:
Place your computer monitor directly in front of you,
with the top tilted back to degrees. e top of the
viewing screen should be at eye level when you’re seated.
Position the computer’s keyboard and mouse at the
same height. ey should be next to each other and close
to your body.
Adjust your chair’s backrest so that it supports the
natural curve of the lower back.
Rest your feet at on the oor or on a footrest. Your
thighs should be parallel to the oor and your knees at
about hip level.
4
Protect your wrists.
To help prevent carpal tunnel
syndrome:
Stretch your wrists. With your arm outstretched, use
one hand to pull the other hand back; hold for seconds,
then pull the hand downward and hold for seconds.
Relax. Repeat three times for each hand.
Don’t rest your wrists on hard surfaces for long peri-
ods of time.
Switch hands during work tasks.
Adjust the height of your chair so that your forearms
are level with your computer keyboard.
5
Protect your vision from computer-related problems.
To help reduce the dry eyes, eyestrain, headaches, neck
and shoulder pain, and blurred vision that are hallmarks
of computer vision syndrome:
Reduce the glare on your computer screen. Close win-
dow blinds, shield the computer from overhead lights and
use low-wattage bulbs in desk lamps.
Position the screen to inches from your eyes.
Correct vision problems. Prescription eyewear designed
for computer use and eye-coordination exercises may help.
6
Protect your hearing.
Workplace machinery—such
as sanders, saws and routers—can produce noise above
the -decibel level that may lead to gradual hearing loss.
Noise-induced hearing loss is
percent preventable.
e best way to shield your ears is to always wear hearing
protectors around loud noises. ere are many types of
earplugs and earmu s that can do the job.
Do you need more information for your
employees? Call the Occupational Medicine
Center at GAMC at
( )
-
or visit
GlendaleAdventist.com/occmed
to learn more
about services o ered.
Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American Optometric Association; Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institutes of Health; North American Spine
Society
SERIOUS
CURVES
UP
AHEAD
Both labor and
leisure are a ected
when a hard day’s work
produces a bad back,
stressed shoulders
or blurry vision.
SCOLIOSIS
H Q
•
W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
( 8 5 5 ) 3 6 0 -
G A M C
7
F
E A T U R E