A recent issue of the ACA News, the journal
for the American Chiropractic Association, displayed the headline "Chiropractors Are Uniquely Qualified to Advance Public
Health Objectives by Preventing and Treating Workplace Injuries, Encouraging Wellness."
This headline says it all. Many health care disciplines work with occupational injuries but the
chiropractic, musculoskeletal, perspective is unique in the health care indurstry. By looking at the biomechanics
of the spine, natural, low cost approaches to treatment, and changes in the work place, chiropractors can help prevent injuries,
lower costs per injury, and often times get the worker back on the job sooner with less cost to the employer.
“Eighty percent of all health problems come from the work
environment. It's a matter of addressing what's causing these problems in the industry -- whether
it be nutritional, physical or emotional -- and changing the environment, not just changing the injury rates."
Dr.
Scott Bautch, DC, DACBOH
"Involvement in occupational health is important
because of the current crisis in health care. We
offer practical solutions to employers."
Joseph Sweere, DC, DACBOH, DABCO
"No one is better suited than chiropractors to specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of neuromusculoskeletal
injuries. These problems make up 60 to 70 percent of workplace injuries."
David Thorpe, DC, DACBOH, President of
the ACA Council on Occupational Health
Prevention Program
Preventing injuries on the job is our number one priority.
When we come in to your business, we will spend some time watching your employees work and getting an idea of the types
of jobs they do. As we are doing this, we will make notes of how that employee can change their routines
or positioning to make the job easier on their joints, ligaments, and backs. When the job is easier, the
worker is usually more productive and has fewer days missed due to injuries.
We won't ask you
to make large, expensive changes in the set-up that will take thousands of dollars in re-manufacture of production lines.
We will ask if the worker can change a position or use an assistive device. We may make recommendations
that you won't like. It's entirely up to you and your company managers what protocols are implemented.
The prevention program is available
to your company on request. We seek to serve the needs of the employer and the employee.
What is a Spinal Screening?
A Spinal Screening takes between three to five minutes to complete per patient.
We start with a brief history of physical complaints, surgeries, etc. Then we place the employee on the Spinal Analysis
Machine and check for postural changes. With the results of this analysis and the history, we are then
able to make some preliminary diagnostic suppositions. Using this information, we can make some recommendations
for additional tests or for a follow-up visit in the office. If there are no problems observed in the posture
of the employee, it would be reasonable to assume the employee would have fewer health related absenses from work and the
potential for fewer worker comp type injuries.
