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Hi 'April 1989 Page 3 ' Protect Your Back From Injury By ELLEN SCOTT, R.N. Your back is an extremely important part of your body but too often we don’t do what we should to protect it from injury. In fact, based on 1988 accident figures, back injuries are the second most frequent type of injury recorded by Adams-Millis employees. Our back allows us to walk, sit, stand, lift, bend, work, play and sleep. But if we neglect our back the resulting problems can mean pain (lots of it), lost time from work, expense, inconven ience and disability. However, most people suffer back pain at some time in their lives. Billions of dollars are spent each year on occupational back injuries. Men, women, desk workers, laborers, young and old are affected. Preventing back injuries is much easier that correcting them. The back is made up of four primary parts: the spine, spinal cord, nerves and muscles. The spine includes 33 bones or vertabrae with the upper 24 being separated by discs that act as cushions. The spinal cord is a half-inch thick “cable” of nerves about 18 inches long that con trols activities below the neck. Thirty-one pairs of nerves branch out from the spinal cord, sending information to the brain and orders to the muscles. The back’s 400 muscles produce motion in ail directions and are attached to the bones by about 1,000 tendons. Some common problems af fecting the back include strain and fatigue, fractured vertebra, ruptured or “slipped” disc and disease. One contributing factor to back injury is poor physical con dition that results from poor posture, lack of exercise or excess weight. Poor posture such as slouch ing, rounded shoulders, one hip higher than the other, etc., can cause swayback — excess for ward curve in the lower back. Most back pain is due to underexercise. Weak abdominal and back muscles can’t support the spine, leading to swayback and weakened joints. As for excess weight, a pot belly exerts a constant forward pull on the back muscles and stretches and weakens muscles in the abdomen — a major cause of swayback posture and result ing back problems. A solution to these problems is to have a checkup and get your physician’s advice on how to improve your posture, get in shape and watch your weight. As for posture, keep your head up, stomach in and hips forward to avoid swayback problems. To 'shape up try running, swim- ling, etc. Take it easy and increase exercise gradually, slow down or stop if it hurts. Eat a balanced, varied diet. Woid big, heavy meals and cut |down on fats and sweets. Three simple exercises can be \ a great benefit to your back. THE PELVIC TILT: Lie on [your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Tense your stomach [so that the small of your back presses against the floor. Squeeze your buttocks together and lift your hips. Hold for a 10 count, relax and repeat. KNEE-TO-CHEST: Lie flat on your back, legs straight. Grasp one knee and bring it as close to your chest as possible. Hold for a count of 10 then relax and repeat. For a more difficult exer cise, draw both legs up at once. BENT-LEG SIT-UPS: Lie flat on the floor, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Arms may be at your sides or folded across your chest. Raise your heat, chest and shoulders off the floor. Relax and repeat. Another cause of back prob lems is chronic strain due to work position that can weaken your back. Any job that requires sitting or standing partly bent over for long periods can cause excess stress on muscles, less resistance to strain as well as general fatigue, tension and weakness. The solution is to prevent or Ellen Scott relieve fatigue and strain with some simple procedures. Change position frequently, if possible. Shift weight by alter nating feet on a footrest during standing jobs. Stretch. Clasp hands behind your head, bring elbows back, then bend forward until back is horizontal. Adjust working heights to prevent slumping or excess reaching. Relax. Let shoulders and neck muscles go limp. Swivel head and let it droop all the way forward. Learn to rest your muscles while you stand, sit or sleep. While standing, stand tall, head held high, chin tucked in, abdo men flat, hips tucked under, chest slightly up and forward. When leaning forward, bend knees slightly. Keep knees higher than hips while sitting. Use a low stool to slightly raise feet. Cross knees for temporary relief (alternate often). Keep lower back flat against firm backrest. Sleep on a firm mattress or use a bedboard between springs and mattress. Lie on your side with hips and knees bent, or lie on your back with a pillow under knees or lower legs. Avoid sleep ing on your stomach. An extremely important thing to know to protect your back is how to lift things safely. Remember to stand close to the object and have a firm footing. Squat down and straddle the load somewhat. Keep back straight and bend the knees. Promotions Harold Mooney has been pro moted to Industrial Engineer Manager at Plant 3. Most recently he was Standards Man ager for Plants 2,11 and 12. Joe Smith, Project Engineer for Adams-Millis, has assumed responsibilities for Plant 10 and implementation of material handling, bar coding and new packing requirements related to the new K mart distribution system. Lori Browning has been pro moted from Standards Techni cian to Plant Industrial Engi neering Standards Manager for Plant 6. Mark Hutton has been pro moted to Sample Departm.ent Manager. Previously he was Sample, Shipping and Receiving Clerk. He and his wife, Susan, live in Trinity. Nancy Bethea, formerly Sheer Division Sample Lady, has been promoted to replace Hutton as Sample, Shipping Receiving Clerk. Gail R. Hogan, formerly Assistant Shipping Manager at Plant 3, has been promoted to Traffic Manager, reporting to Customer Service Manager Carol Upton. Linda Autry has been ap pointed Manager of Administra tion, reporting to M. Neel Harrison, Senior Vice President- Finance. Her duties include managing the Thomasville office, including coordinating the United Way campaign and other employee activities. Autry also will be responsbile Pack Your Camera It’s time to dust off your camera and make sure you take it with you on vacation this year. The photos you shoot could win a prize in the third annual Amco News Vacation Photo Contest. Enter your best photo shot during your 1989 vacation and submit it for consideration. Top prize will be a $150 gift certificate from Belk’s. Second prize will be a $100 gift certifi cate from Belk’s and third place will receive a $50 gift certificate. Photos can be of scenery or activities you enjoy during your vacation. Just share your vaca tion with us through your photos. Submit your photos to Linda Leach, P.O. Box 2650, High Point, N.C. 27261 or through company mail. Entry deadline is August 15, 1989. Cindy Cline’s shot of Magnolia Gardens in Charleston, S.C., won the top prize last year. Entries should include a brief description of the photo as well as your name, plant and department. As many of the entries as pos sible will be published in the October 1989 issue of Amco News. Have a good vacation and Happy Shooting! Sara Lee Acquires Champion Products Sara Lee Corporation, Adams- Millis’ parent company, has acquired Champion Products, Inc., a Rochester, N.Y., manu facturer of athletic, recreational and leisure wear. Sara Lee paid $77 per share in cash. Champion will continue as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sara Lee. In addition to its own brand of apparel which is sold nat mally in department, sporting goods and specialty stores. Champion also sells to educational institu tions including college txx’k stores and other organizations. The company reported saies of $219 million in 1988. Champion employs approxi mately 4,000 in facilities in Weaverville, Asheville, Clayton and Wendell, N.C., Genesco, Livonia and Norwich, N.Y., and Fitzgerald, Ga. It operates dis tribution and imprinting centers in Clayton, Perry, N.Y., and Los Angeles. Grasp object firmly and be sure your grip won’t slip. Lift with your legs — slowly straighten them. After legs are straight, bring back to a vertical position. Hold object firmly and close to your body. Always remember to lift smoothly, avoiding jerky mo tions. Turn with your feet instead of twisting your back. A basic lifting rule is to USE YOUR HEAD! Think things through before you start. — Examine the object to decide where and how to hold it. Check for grease, oil, moisture or sharp edges. — Clear your path of obstruc tions or tripping hazards. — Know where and how you will let the object down. — Get help if you have any doubts about lifting the object. Always remember to protect your back. Treat it right and use it right to avoid pain, incon- vience and expense. You will feel better for it. for cash management and for company wide coordination with the travel agency. She has been administrative assistant and cash manager. Lynda Lamb has been ap pointed Financial Planning Manager for Adams-Millis Cor poration, responsible for coordi nating and assisting in develop ment of financial plans required by Sara Lee. Frances Saintsing will assume Lamb’s responsibilities as Pay roll Manager. Top Collector Jason Hoyle, 8, son of Carroll Hoyle, Division Quality Manager at Silver Knit, was one of the top collectors during a recent paper drive for his school. Liberty Drive Elementary School. Funds raise from the project will benefit the school and the medical fund of Curtis Blevins, a young cancer victim.
Amco News (High Point, N.C.)
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April 1, 1989, edition 1
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