When work is a pain in the neck

Peter Tuchin works on student Clinton Rotondo.

Those who feel pain in their necks and shoulders after a day at work are costing the Australian economy billions of dollars annually in lost productivity and treatment costs. Ever considered a career as a chiropractor?

It is the third largest healing profession, and involves spinal adjustment and manipulation, as well as measures to treat abnormalities of structure and function.

Dr Peter Tuchin, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health and Chiropractic at Macquarie University, says that poor posture at our desks, in front of our computers, is a major problem facing practitioners.

Avoid the pain

Many spinal problems, including neck and upper back strains, are the result of gradual accumulation over time. The incident that triggers major pain can be trivial - bending down to pick up a pen, for instance, or even sneezing.

The earlier problems are detected, the easier and cheaper they are to treat. Chiropractic has proved a safe and effective treatment for low back pain, neck pain and headache.

“There are still many common misconceptions about chiropractic treatment, which mean people who could benefit are missing out on relief,” says Tuchin.

Tuchin knows what he’s talking about: he’s worked in private practice; was the first chiropractor to work at the WorkCover Authority of NSW; and has also advised many companies as an Occupational Health and Safety consultant.

A career in chiropractic

There is a shortage of chiropractors, with those already in practice looking for co-workers. With the ageing of Australia’s population, degenerative conditions such as arthritis will require increasing numbers of qualified people.

Macquarie University offers both Masters and Doctoral programs in chiropractic, using three out-patient clinics, at Eastwood, Epping and Summer Hill. There students complete a minimum of 250 patient treatments, supervised by registered chiropractors or academic staff.

The Masters program is for those who want to become registered practitioners. To enter, students must have completed a Bachelor of Chiropractic Science degree, or a Bachelor of Science or other health-related degree, plus the Postgraduate Qualifying Program for the Master of Chiropractic, which can take 1-2 years.

Take action now

Tuchin has some simple advice for all desk-bound workers to follow, if they want to stay healthy:

• Sit tall, with your lower back pressed firmly against the back of your seat
• Your keyboard and screen should be positioned squarely, to avoid upper back and neck twisting
• The top of the screen should be at eye level or higher
• You should not need to lift your shoulders when typing
• Your elbow should not bend more than 75-90 degrees
• Your knees should not be higher than your hips, and your feet should touch the floor
• Have a stretch break every 45 minutes, to exercise spine and arms, following the “stretch against stress” exercise plan

For further information, contact Dr Peter Tuchin at peter.tuchin@mq.edu.au

The Department of Health and Chiropractic website is at www.chiro.mq.edu.au

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