BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation will host a Northern Minnesota Safety Council presentation entitled “Everyday Ergonomics: Creating the Mindset for Back Safety and a Healthy Workplace” on Wednesday, March 19

The program will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the CRI, an off-campus facility located at 3801 Bemidji Avenue N, Bemidji, Minn. A $25 fee will be charged to cover the price of materials and lunch. Advance registration is encouraged in order to guarantee lunch and materials.

Presenting will be Dr. Lyle Erickson, chiropractic physician, Chiropractic Sport and Spinal Rehab, Bemidji, Minn.

Erickson will explain the origin of and elements that cause back pain and review the value of a corporate mindset for a safe work environment. He will then offer techniques for employers and workers to effectively ease those back pains they encounter every day. An outline of the presentation and materials will be available to those attending upon request.

“Pain in the back, neck, shoulders or hips is a symptom of a problem, not necessarily the problem itself,” Erickson said. “A healthy back results when the spine, the nerve network that stems from the spinal cord, and the muscles attached to the skeletal structure are not impeded or damaged. Misalignment or unbalance doesn’t allow the systems to work together and function properly. At times, this may bring immediate pain, while at other times it results in pain only after muscles have been tensed or nerves frayed over a long period. Either way, this pain can become incapacitating and can lead to lost time, lower productivity and serious long-term complications.”

The presentation will discuss work habits, musculoskeletal disorders, posture and other causes of back pain as well as simple exercises employees can use every day to create a healthy spine. It will contain information useful to anyone, from the manager who is responsible for workplace safety to the employee or individual who is experiencing back, neck, shoulder or other pains.

National statistics show that eight out of 10 people will eventually suffer from back pain, a condition that is the top cause of job-related disability in the United States. According to the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, back pain is the second leading cause of work absenteeism, trailing only the common cold.

Erickson is a certified chiropractic physician with nine years of clinical experience in Bemidji and Roseau, Minn. He is licensed by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners and is a graduate of the University of North Dakota and Northwestern College of Chiropractic. He and the staff at Chiropractic Sport and Spinal Rehab present a series of programs on back safety throughout the year to area businesses and organizations in an effort to educate area residents on healthy lifestyle choices.

The session is part of a monthly series sponsored by the CRI and the Northern Minnesota Safety Council and designed for those professionals who are responsible for the safety of their organizations. Offered the third Wednesday of each month, the sessions feature experts from around the state discussing a variety of topics related to safety.

Groups on the Bemidji Area Safety Council helping organize the monthly safety presentations include Bi-County CAP, Beltrami County, North Central Door Company, Potlatch and Tri-Valley.

Individuals who wish to be added to a mailing list for the series or have questions should contact the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation at (218) 755-4900; toll free, (888) 738-3224: email, cri@bemidjistate.edu; or on the Web at http://www.cri-bsu.org.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR
March 19 – 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation hosts “Everyday Ergonomics: Creating the Mindset for Back Safety and a Healthy Workplace,” a presentation of the Northern Minnesota Safety Council. Location: CRI; 3801 Bemidji Ave. N.; Bemidji, Minn. Cost: $25, includes lunch, open to the public. For information: (218) 755-4900; (888) 738-3244; http://www.cri-bsu.org.