October 2006

 World Spine Day set for Oct. 16

October 16 will be a special day ‑‑ one on which the chiropractic profession and Straighten Up America celebrate World Spine Day/National Spinal Health Day. Several years ago the International Bone and Joint Decade initiated World Spine Day to call attention to the burden of spinal disability during the Decade's National Action Week.

This year, World Spine Day in America features Straighten Up America as its theme and, thanks to a special program spearheaded by Life University. According to Dr. Ron Kirk, Life University faculty member and facilitator of the multidisciplinary Seed and Delphi panels, which created Straighten Up, explained, "Straighten Up America is very simple. We envision a time when every American will take two or three minutes every day to care for their spinal health, just as they care for their dental health. The need for spinal health promotion is very great as evidenced by the billions of dollars spent each year related to spinal disabilities. Yet before now, there had not been a short, simple spinal exercise program designed to promote the public's spinal health."

Doctors are encouraged to get involved with public outreach educational events to empower their communities by teaching patients, school children, civic organizations, corporations, faith congregations and others simple enjoyable exercises to improve their spinal health.

Straighten Up is a natural fit for nationally mandated wellness programs, designed to increase students' activity and fitness levels in schools across the nation. Schools are currently searching for activity‑based programs.

Though still in its infancy as a health initiative, Straighten Up has garnered a number of accolades from health and fitness leaders including Lee Haney, past chairman of the US Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Lee describes the program as "awesome" with "vision and much promise." In Jan. 2005, Tommy Thompson, then US Secretary of Health and Human Services, commended the individuals who developed Straighten Up for their "leadership in the field of spinal health."

Straighten Up is endorsed by the World Chiropractic Association, which has published several articles on the initiative in The Chiropractic Journal during the past several months. The International Chiropractors Association, the Congress of Chiropractic State Organizations, and the American Chiropractic Association are also supporting the effort.

Complete program information and resources, including a PowerPoint presentation and patient information material can be found on the Life University website, www.life.edu.