Safety Saturdays: WHAT NOT TO DO

Do NOT give the bride and groom a cake with those gag candles that don't go out. If you do, do NOT follow up by squirting massive amounts of silly string at the bride and groom.

I can hear you saying: "But why, Krista? That seems like such a good idea!"

Well, here's why:



Fire Wedding - video powered by Metacafe


P.S. Does anyone have any shots of wedding pictures on foggy days or at sunset? I'm trying to find inspirational photos, things I can show my photographers that I like. I have a great idea in my head, but am not very good at articulating my ideas. Email them to me if you have any!

Safety Saturday: Back Care 2

In last week's Safety Saturday post, I told you how our spine is a natural S-curve, made up of vertebrae (the bones) and discs. The discs are made up of the annulus and a nucleus: the annulus is like a tire, and the nucleus is like a doughnut inside that tire.

One thing I didn't mention: the discs and the vertebrae are all connected to each other. Each disc is attached to each vertebra. When you twist your back, your discs twist (bones don't "twist", so the disc, specifically the "tire" (annulus), is what twists).

Have you ever been on a tire swing? They're pretty sturdy. Have you ever tried to TWIST a tire? It doesn't happen easily. But if you do it enough, what do you think will happen to the tire? Eventually, with enough twist, the tire might form little tears.

Same thing with your back.

If you twist your back, especially in an uncontrolled manner, little tears, or microdamage, can form in the "tire" (annulus) of your disc. The more you twist, especially when carrying weights, the more damage occurs.

Of course, I'm not referring to controlled twists when you're working out. I'm referring to uncontrolled lifting and twisting. For example, when you're loading the groceries into the trunk, and you're twisting back and forth from the grocery cart to the trunk.

What could you do to reduce this damage? As you "twist", move your feet, so that you're not twisting your back, but your whole body. Am I describing that right? Whenever I deliver training, I always demonstrate, so I'm not sure if I've described it right.

Safety Saturdays: Back Care

This will be a series of ... I don't know how many parts. I haven't decided. Let's talk about back safety. Remember in the last Safety Saturday Sunday post when I talked about how wearing heels can hurt your back? Well, I thought we should talk about your back. When your back hurts, your quality of life is impacted dramatically.

So let's just review some anatomy. Our back is curved into an "S" (well, sort of): the "curves" actually strengthen our back.

The top portion (roughly our neck) is the "cervical" portion of the spine. Next is the thoracic spine. Our lower back corresponds roughly to the "lumbar" spine. And the bottom is the saccral spine (also called the saccrum) and the coccyx (coccygeal spine, or the tail bone).

Our spine itself is a series of vertebrae (the bones in pink) connected by discs (purple with the blue centre). Each disc is actually made of two things: an annulus (purple - think of this as a car tire) and a nucleus (blue - think of it like a jelly doughnut).

The spine is strong when in its natural S-curve. What would happen if you twist or bend that strong "rod"? The tire is strong and somewhat flexible, but what would happen if you overstretch a car tire? And what would happen if you squish a jelly doughnut? I'll get into the relevance of why I ask those questions in future posts.

Safety Saturdays Sundays: Foot Health

Foot health is very important to our overall health. Reflexology, a concept in Eastern medicine in which our feet (and hands) have “zones” that correspond to the rest of our body. I don’t understand it, nor do I know if it works, but I do believe that our foot health can contribute to our overall health.

Here are some common medical ailments that may afflict our feet:
•Bunions -- a protrusion at the base of the big toe, which can become inflamed. Bunions often develop over time from wearing narrow-toed shoes (eww).
•Hammer toes -- toes that curl downward into a claw-like position.
•Calluses and corns -- thickened skin from friction or pressure. Calluses are on the balls of the feet or heels. Corns appear on your toes.
•Plantar warts – warts on the soles of your feet (warts are an infection).
•Fallen arches -- also called flat feet.
There are many causes of these ailments, including heredity factors (if your parents both had flat feet, you’re more likely to have flat feet), other illnesses (especially diabetes), age (our feet change as we age), weight (if you’re overweight, your feet have more weight, and thus stress, on them), and shoe choice.

Here’s some advice for wearing shoes:
•Consider shoes with cushioned soles if you wear dress shoes.
•Compare the shape of your foot and the shape of the front of the shoe. Choosing shoes that better match the shape of your foot will create less pinching.
•Lower your high heel height by even an inch.
•Do lots of stretching for your calf muscles if you’re active in sports. Lean against a wall with one foot forward and one foot back. This is especially important if you wear high heels at work, since your calf muscle undergoes shortening and will be over-stressed once it is placed in a lower sports shoe.
•Consider using insoles, which can add a lot of cushioning to your shoes. The insoles can be trimmed to fit a dress shoe and can also be shortened to reach just the ball of your foot so they don’t make the toe box area of the shoe too tight.
•Wear good quality running shoes or walking shoes; this will make shopping, prolonged walks or your journey to and from work more comfortable.

Shoes, while a common cause (or at least capable of exacerbating existing problems or triggering problems to which you are hereditarily pre-disposed) of foot problems, are not always the cause of women’s foot problems. If you have foot pain or other foot problems, you can visit your doctor or a podiatrist.

Did you know that wearing high heels can cause headaches? High heels change your posture so that you can maintain balance. Your posture (back) changes its alignment, which can stress your back and neck muscles; neck muscle stress can lead to headaches.

I am not making any of this up: I found all the above information on these two reputable medical webpages: Canadian Podiatric Medical Association and Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health

Safety Saturdays!

Women love candles.

It's true. It's such a girly thing to like candles, but yet so many non-girly women I know also like candles. Candles are a ubiquitous hostess gift. They are used to create a soft glow, a romantic ambiance, a relaxing bath, and so many other reasons.

But most of us are bad about leaving the room "for just a minute" with a candle lit.

Safety Saturdays: Holiday Safety

Most of this advice is common sense, but some of it may be new to you. And remember, common sense isn't so common anymore!

Fresh Tree Safety:
-Place the tree in a stand that will hold 2 to 3 litres of water and top it up daily
-Do not set your tree up near a heat source such as a radiator, television, fireplace or heating duct
-Make sure the tree does not block doors or windows (so it doesn't block you from an exit during an emergency)
-Never use lighted candles on the tree (honestly, that should not be a surprise)
-Remove the tree once it starts to dry out




Decorations:
-Choose decorations that are flame-retardant, non-combustible and non-conductive
-Avoid using angel hair (glass wool) together with spray-on snowflakes (this combination is highly combustible)
-Do not use metallic ornaments on the tree because if they make contact with defective wiring they could become a shock hazard (I'll be honest, I never thought of that)

Lights:
-Use properly certified light strings/sets (CSA, ULC, or other appropriately certified)
-Use the proper lights for the environment: make sure your outdoor lights are actually safe for outdoor use
-Inspect light strings/set before use: check for cracked bulbs and for frayed, broken or exposed wires, and discard if faulty
-Do not use electric light strings/sets on metallic trees (a faulty system could energize the tree and shock or electrocute anyone coming into contact)
-Turn off all tree and display lights before retiring for the night or before leaving the house

Candles:
-Place candles away from absoutely anything that could catch fire
-Never leave burning candles unattended
-Put candles in sturdy holders on a stable surface, well away from drafts, curtains, children and pets

The Fireplace:
-Never burn gift wrappings, boxes, cartons, or other types of packing in the fireplace (they burn rapidly and generate too much heat)
-Don't hang Christmas stockings from the mantel when the fireplace is in use
-Always use a screen in front of the fireplace to protect against flying sparks
-Never use gasoline or any other flammable liquids to start a fire (again, I hope this advice does not come as a surprised)
-Use only seasoned and dried wood
-Never leave the fire unattended or let it smolder
-Don't use Christmas trees for firewood

Be safe this holiday season!

Safety Saturdays: Walk Safely in the Winter

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), almost 12,000 Ontarians visited an emergency room in 2002–2003 after falling on ice. Although older individuals (over 60) were most likely to require a longer hospital stay, the majority of injuries occured to adults aged 40-59 (30%) followed by the 20-39 age group (24%).

Think about it: 1/4 of falls on snow/ice that required a visit to the emergency room happened to the 20-39 age range.

So what can you do to prevent a fall?

First, dress appropriately. When you know there is (or could be) snow or ice on the ground, you should wear appropriate shoes. Avoid smooth shoes and heels; opt for non-slip, grooved soles. You can change into your pretty shoes when you get to your destination! When the weather's bad, we understand that you'll change your shoes when you get to work.

Second, walk smart. The Canada Safety Council has this advice for walking safely on snow and ice:
-Slow down and pay attention to walking;
-Keeping your body as loose as possible, spread your feet approximately a foot apart to provide a base of support to stabilize you as you walk;
-Keep your knees loose and let them bend a bit to keep your centre of gravity lower to the ground, and further stabilizes the body;
-Keep a wide base of support - try to keep your feet spread out one foot wide;
-Turn your toes out slightly (like a penguin)
-Hold your arms out to your sides to increase your balance;
-Take small steps, placing your whole foot down at once and shifting your weight slowly/evenly.

Some people prefer to shuffle their feet, which is fine as long as you place your whole foot on the ice at once and keep your base of support one foot wide and keep your hands at your sides (not in your pockets).

Obviously the best thing is to prevent a fall. But if you do fall, try not to fall on your spine or your head. The best thing you can do is relax your muscles. Ha - easier said than done! But try to protect your back and head.



Evidently, Southern Ontario is in the middle of "snow-mageddon". Picking that name is just inciting panic. Yes, there's been more snow this year than normal (for mid-December), but we've certainly seen this much snow in past years. The trouble is that 3 pretty big snow storms in 5 days (Wednesday, Friday and tomorrow). However, driving and walking safely is possible! Just many people forget what's important when they're doing last-minute shopping or running late to a dinner party. Be safe and remember what's important! No one will mind if you're late!

Safety Saturdays: How to sit!

Here are the features what a good computer chair should have:
-Height adjustable (we're not all the same height, after all);
-5 pronged base (for stability);
-Lumbar support (lower back support) that is height adjustable (meaning you can move the back of your chair up and down);
-Arm rests that are height adjustable.

Do you have all these features? Here are a couple of good (but possibly expensive) examples:











Ideally, the seat pan (where your bum sits) is not too small nor too big (think of Goldilocks!). What's too small? If the back of your legs aren't suppported by the seat, putting pressure on the back of your legs, it's too small. What's too big? If the back of your knees are pressed into the seat, it's too big.

Ideally, your lumbar support is height adjustable. Put the lumbar support so that it's in the small of your back. Don't have a lumbar support? Put a pillow or towel or something else into the small of your back to support it.


If you don't have these features, what can you do to improve your existing chair?

If your chair looks like this: there may not be much you can do. Try adding a pillow to support your lower back.

So, now matter what your chair looks like, try to consider your body positions. Here's "ideal" body positions:



The chair in these drawings is not ideal, but it's to show your body positions. And remember, no one position is ideal if you're staying in that position for many hours. Change your position slightly! And get up and move!

I type this from the couch, with my legs crossed. Though, I'm at least sitting back in the couch! Why is sitting back group? My back muscles don't get fatigued from sitting up for an extended period of time.

Ergonomics on your computer!

Today's post is about ergonomics of your computer screen. Have you noticed that if you're on the computer for quite a while that sometimes you get a headache? That's often because of the eye strain. I'm going to review a couple common causes of eyestrain today.

If there is a window, the extra light from it can create glare (direct or indirect/reflected), which can cause eyestrain and headaches. Ideally, if you have blinds, you should shut them on bright days and on overcast days. If you don't have blinds or can't easily adjust them, you can still reduce glare by positioning your computer monitor at a 90 degree angle to the window (i.e. the window should be at your left or right).

• Try not to sit with the window directly in front of you (direct glare). It is very hard on your eyes when the computer screen is between you and the window: the pupils of your eyes should constrict (get smaller) in response to the light from outside (to let less light into your eye). However, the pupils dilate (get wider) in order to read the monitor - your eyes will to let more light in than they want.
• Also, try not to position the window behind you. The computer screen, even one with an anti-glare screen, can easily reflect light (indirect/reflected glare), which is bounced back into your eyes. The light reflecting off your computer screen should cause your pupils to constrict, but the pupils will actually dilate in order to read the monitor. Again, your eyes will let more light in than your eyes want.
• This biological response of a pupil dilating in spite of the light will let more light into your eyes than your eyes like, which could cause eye strain. Click here to read more about how your eyes respond to light (dilation / constriction responses).

And you should learn the 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes of computer work or reading on the computer screen, take a 20 second break in which you look at an object at least 20 feet away. This gives your little eye muscles a break from reading the screen. Think of it as an eye rest.

Now that you know where in the room you should position your monitor, and how to take eye breaks, I have a question for you.

Which of the following screen / font colour combinations is the best (least strenuous) for your eyes?
a. A dark background with bright colours (such as green or red)
b. A dark background with light colours (such as white, cream or yellow)
c. A white background with bright colours (such as green or red)
d. A white background with dark colours (such as black, brown or blue)

I will post the answer in the comments tomorrow. If you're not afraid, feel free to post your answer (or guess!) in the comments box. Check back tomorrow to find out the answer.

Safety Saturdays

Ergonomics is the interaction between a person and his/her environment (equipment, machinery, tools, etc.). Ergonomics is not a regulated term in Canada, and I don't believe it's regulated in the USA. I have no idea about Britain. What are the implications of an unregulated term? It means any company can make any item and call it "ergonomically correct". But in reality, ergonomically correct means something is right for you. For example, my ergonomically correct computer station will probably not be ergonomically correct for you.

Ergonomics is essential in any interaction between a person, machine, thing or the environment. Here are some examples:
-Road signs are large, with a large, clear font, and often very few words. These features ensure signs are easily visible to, and understood by, motorists (reducing distraction and making the roads safer). Road signs have been designed (ergonomically) to minimize distraction and confusion to drivers.
-In new cars, the spedometer is often higher up on the dashboard than it used to be. By being closer to the windshield, you reduce the amount of time your eyes are off the road (making you a safer driver). Dashboards are often designed to be used by the average driver with minimal distraction, reducing the time your eyes are off the road.
-Good office chairs should be adjustable: by height (for shorter/taller people); by backrest height (that bump goes in the "nook" of your back, but not everyone's "nook" is in the same spot); and even the armrest height (our arms aren't all the same length). Remember how I said the term "ergonomics" is not regulated? Anyone can make a chair and call it "ergonomically correct".
-Some power tools are designed in such a way to reduce the weight, balance, or vibration of the tool. All these factors make the tool easier to use and reduce the risk of injuries.

Next up ... Interacting with your computer! (Later today)