Volume 124 Issue 6
kansan.com
Friday, August 26, 2011
BASKETBALL
More Legends of the Phog guests announced
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
The list of expected participants in next month's Legends of the Phog has been updated, according to KU Athletics. The list includes current and former NBA players including Paul Pierce, Mario Chalmers, Darnell jackson, Nick Collison, Cole Aldrich, Xavier Henry, Marcus
and Markieff Morris, Scot Pollard, Greg Ostertag, and Darnell Valentine. "Many others will be participating and attending the Legends of the Phog," said Greg Gurley, director of development for the Williams Educational Fund, a fundraising program for the athletics department. "The Williams Educational Fund and men's basketball office is actively working on the event with emphasis on current and past professionals along with
timeless legends such as Darnell Valentine."
The event is set to take place on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale to students for $10.
Edited by Ben Chipman
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN The Morris Twins are among other former Kansas basketball star to play in Lawrence again.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TRAVIS YOUNG/KANSAN
Photo Illustration by Travis Young
Sit tall. Slouching in while in class or studying is bad for your health
As you enter your classrooms for the first time this semester, you'll have about 15 seconds to make your first decision: which seat should you take? As you scan the room, weighing the benefits of a window view against the spot with the beautiful neighbor near the front, you should remind yourself that it's how you sit, not where you sit that affects your health.
Besides affecting the way you look, slouching contributes to poor posture, resulting in negative effects on your overall health. "Your spine is the foundation of your health," Shane Fishbin, owner of Café of Life, a chiropractic clinic located in Boulder, Co., says. "If your foundation is weak or damaged, the house will not work well and everything inside of it to take on more strain."
Think of your body as a house. Bad classroom posture can lead to the following:
POOR VENTILATION
Significant time spent performing activities with the arms raised in front of the body, such as using a computer is the leading cause of what is referred to as "rounded shoulders." When in correct position, the shoulders should align the back along the natural curves of the spine and be straight above the hips. In the world of chiropractics, this posture is referred to as "neutral spine alignment."
When the shoulders become hunched forward, it restricts the rib cage, which can reduce lung capacity up to 30 percent, according to Dr. Randall Wheeler of Westport Chiropractic and Rehab in Louisville, Ky.
SHODDY WIRING
When the head is hunched forward, the pressure applied to the c-1 vertebrae (top vertebrae) is significantly increased. "From every one inch increase in forward head posture, it results in a greater load on the muscles in the neck," Dr. Steve Agocs, associate professor at Cleveland Chiropractic College in Overand Park, says.
When the arteries and nerves at the base of the brain are compressed, it affects the body's autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating several functions of the body, including heart rate, respiration and digestion. When the bones are misaligned, it can hinder the autonomic nervous system's ability to properly function resulting in several health conditions, such as high blood pressure. After receiving a neck adjustment, participants in the study saw their blood pressure drop an average of 17 points.
ROTTING LUMBER
Poor posture puts tremendous irregular weight on the frame of the body, causing pain, soreness and aching. The added strain on your back is the result of certain muscles having to work harder to compensate for the misalignment. If not addressed, the additional strain can result in tearing of the muscle fibers.
The pinching of nerves along the spine also
In addition to muscle tearing, muscle fatigue is one of the most common effects of bad posture. "My back muscles always feel less tight, which allows me to relax," Storm Josiah Shaw, a sophomore from Olathe, says. Shaw began seeing a chiropractor two years ago for muscle tension in his back.
causes reoccurring back and neck pain. When the spine is out of alignment, nerves become irritated as a result of additional strain. If the disk between two vertebrae is forced into a position that places pressure on a spinal nerve, the result is commonly referred to as a "herniated disc."
LEAKY ATTIC
The body system and mind operate in integrated patterns, meaning the mind responds to changes to the body system, such as the tightening or relaxing of muscles. The mind associates muscle tension with feelings of anxiety, frustration and fear. Because the muscles in the back and neck are strained from poor posture, the mind produces correlating emotions to alert the body system that something is wrong. "Because the muscles are tight, the body will struggle in getting enough sleep, which adds to the feelings of stress felt by the individual," Fishbin says.
The constricting of the rib cage caused by "rounded shoulders" also contributes to the mind's emotional state. If the lungs are not capable of full expansion, it reduces oxygen levels to the brain causing symptoms associated with stress including constant worrying, depression and memory problems. "I've noticed that the weeks following an adjustment, I not only physically feel better, but more importantly, I feel happier and seem to have a better outlook on life," Shaw says.
A HOME MAKEOVER
Spinal adjustments done by a chiropractor will not only improve overall health, but will prevent avoidable future health problems. "I use chiropractic adjustments done in a very specific way to help with posture," Agocs says. "As well as stretching, strength exercises, retraining movement patterns, types of traction procedures and other supportive measures to correct postural problems."
While chiropractic treatments are typically covered by health insurance, few college students receive regular spinal adjustments. "I think people look at chiropractics as a lesser science when compared to other forms of medical treatment," Shaw says. "But it may also have to do with most people's first instinct when dealing with pain is medication, and chiropractors work to correct the problem instead of just handing out drugs."
AT HOME EXERCISES
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