SCHAUMBURG, IL (November 15, 2013)—OMRON Foundation, Inc. made a donation to the World Food Program USA in the amount of $25,000 to assist the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan. “We are deeply saddened by the devastating impact that Typhoon Haiyan has had on the Philippine people,” said Nigel Blakeway, Omron Foundation President and the CEO of Omron Management Center of America, Inc. “Omron Foundation wishes to support the efforts of the World Food Program USA to help provide immediate assistance and basic necessities to the families impacted by the storm.” In addition to this donation, U.S. Omron employees are encouraged to support local relief efforts by making individual donations, which are matched by Omron Foundation within program guidelines. About OMRON Foundation, Inc. Founded in 1989, OMRON Foundation, Inc. (OFI) coordinates the charitable efforts of all OMRON offices in the US and Canada to achieve the greatest positive social impact. The Foundation is funded by OMRON’s subsidiaries in North America, which contribute a portion of sales revenue to the Foundation. The Foundation divides its charitable resources among organizations benefiting education, people with disabilities, cultural programs, health, and other social concerns including disaster relief. For further information, contact: Kevin Bulatek, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, at Omron Foundation, Inc., 55 Commerce Drive, Schaumburg, IL 60173 U.S.A. Tel.: 1-224-520-7650 Fax: 1-224-520-7680. About OMRON Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, OMRON Corporation is a global leader in electronics manufacturing. Established in 1933 and headed by President & CEO Yoshihito Yamada, OMRON has nearly 36,000 employees around the world working to provide products and services to customers in a variety of fields, including industrial automation, safety products,...
A large percentage of people in the United States will experience back pain at some point in their lives. A percentage of those will go on to experience multiple episodes of back pain and/or chronic back pain. Consult with a healthcare provider such as a physician or physical therapist in order to have it evaluated and treated before it becomes a chronic issue. What are common types of back pain? You may notice many small episodes of back pain at first. It’s possible that the pain may then lead up to intense back pain with spasm. In some cases, back pain may be accompanied by gluteal or leg pain. This is commonly referred to as sciatic nerve pain. Any of these symptoms may occur after heavy lifting, repetitive lifting, and/or sitting for prolonged periods of time, especially with poor postural habits. Remember that there are both natural and medicinal options for back pain treatment. If you are concerned about taking too much medicine, it’s good to know that there are a number of drug-free options available. One of the most important ways to treat back pain naturally is to address your posture. Sitting upright in a chair and using a lumbar support can help to relieve back pain. Make sure that you assess your desk at work, your computer use at home, and how you sit in your car or on public transportation. It is also important to move out of the sitting position as frequently as every 15 minutes, especially if your pain is acute. Bed rest may help acute back pain, but make sure it is for...
NATIONAL PAIN MONTH BRINGS AWARENESS TO MORE THAN 100 MILLION AMERICANS WHO SUFFER FROM PAIN Costs are Staggering, but Easy Prevention and Treatment Options are Available LAKE FOREST, Ill. (September 19, 2013) –It affects more Americans than diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease combined. It can result in extremely long and costly hospital stays and a decreased ability in daily functioning. And it impacts more than 100 million people in the United States every year. Acute and chronic pain is a sad fact of life for almost one-third of the population. With September designated as National Pain Awareness Month, it is important to examine the costs, causes and possible ways to prevent acute and chronic pain. A June 2011 report on pain by the federal Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (I.O.M.) revealed that the cost of chronic pain – both in treatment and lost productivity – may be as high as $635 billion per year. The human cost of pain is just as staggering: A recent survey by Repass Partners showed that 80 percent of people have pain several days or more a week, while 85 percent have more than two areas that are causing them pain (with back pain always cited). Only 27 percent sought professional help. (1) According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 1 in 4 Americans has suffered from pain that lasts longer than 24 hours. (2) ClinicalResearch.com reported that 1 in 3 adults have trouble living independently due to pain. (3) Age-related arthritis and low back problems are big culprits, accounting for up to 60 percent of chronic...
OMRON’S LATEST ACTIVITY MONITOR IS A WEIGHT LOSS MOTIVATOR Exercise Expert Bob Greene Says the Unique Tool Helps Burn Calories & Achieve Goals LAKE FOREST, Ill. September 12, 2013 – September signals a renewed sense of routine in many households, so it’s an ideal time to take stock of your fitness regimen. Whether working to maintain muscle tone or lose weight, a little extra motivation can go a long way. Small enough to fit in your pocket, the Omron Activity Monitor with Weight Loss Tracker (HJA-312) is your “take-everywhere” fitness tool. Unique among activity monitors, this device translates your weight loss wishes into real time activity goals. Whether walking, running or simply doing housework, you will know precisely how many calories you need to burn to reach your weekly milestones. Results and progress over time can be tracked by with easy, automatic data upload to your personal dashboard at OmronFitness.com. “Setting goals, using the right tools and tracking progress are essential when establishing a fitness routine, and even more so when you’re trying to lose weight,” said Bob Greene, “20 Years Younger” author and Oprah’s personal trainer. “Staying motivated is critical to success, which is why I love the Omron activity monitor with weight loss tracker – that’s something no other brand offers.” To help your workout routine fall into place, Greene offers his advice for practicing healthy habits and setting fitness goals: Measure What Matters: Some people have a primary goal of losing weight, while others want to increase activity, tone muscle or improve heart health. If your goal is to lose weight in order to fit...
What is a TENS unit? TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, is the use of electrical impulses delivered by a TENS unit via TENS electrodes placed on the skin in order to create alterations in pain perception. A home TENS unit is easy to use for symptomatic pain relief including joint pain and muscle pain. How to use a TENS unit? Place the electrodes according to the instructions included with the unit in order to ensure safe and effective use of the TENS unit. Slowly turn the intensity up until you first feel a tingling or buzzing sensation. You can then continue to increase the intensity until it feels strong but comfortable. TENS units often have different programs that feel different (pulsing versus tingling, constant versus on and off). Trying these different programs give you the opportunity to see what feels the best and provides the most pain relief. How long do I use the TENS unit? It is a good idea to start with a 10-15 minute program to see how your body responds. In total, it is safe to use for up to 30 minutes. How does a TENS unit work to relieve my pain? The electrical impulses from the TENS unit excite the sensory nerves. This can provide varying degrees of pain relief by activating the body’s natural pain relieving system and/or the nervous system’s ability to use the electrical impulses to interfere with the pain messages being sent to the brain. Is a TENS unit ok for me to use at home? There are a number of reasons to try a home TENS unit to assist...
I had an aha moment on the subject of baby boomer pain a few years ago. My sister and brother-in-law had come to visit, and we were sitting around the living room with them, shooting the breeze. At some point the four of us decided it was time to get out and do something. We all stood up at once—and let out an impromptu collective groan that could probably be heard down the block. As a Web- and print-based journalist, I sit a lot at my computer. But it’s not like we four, now in our early 60s, were or are couch potatoes. We’re not overweight—or not much. Like a lot of pro-age baby boomers, we’re active. My husband goes to the Y pretty much every day to run on the treadmill, row on a machine, and/or do push-ups and sit-ups. My sister and I are into Zumba, hip-hop, and West African dance. And my brother-in-law—a bricklayer who’s worked in construction for nearly 40 years—relaxes by playing hockey and handball. But pain and pain management are facts of life as our bodies begin to show the wear and tear of decades of use. The precise incidence of pain among baby boomers is difficult to gauge, however.A June 2011 report on pain by the federal Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (I.O.M.) says that “reliable data are lacking on the full scope of the problem, especially among those currently under diagnosed and under treated” (a category that includes “older people”). As a result, the IOM calls for the collection of data on pain and pain management to be prioritized and...
“Instead of using a tool, I’d use my hand,” says Chicago landscape designer Suzanne Frank of her early gardening experience. “The soil is usually soft in containers, but I should have used a tool—any tool would probably have helped.” Would have helped, she means, in lessening or preventing the osteoarthritis she now has in her hands. Frank was 50 when she began as a home gardener, and approaching 60 when she startedBluestem Gardens. “If you’re not used to using your hands, to applying that kind of pressure, it will exacerbate” joint pain, she says. Not only that: injury to joints can make them more susceptible to arthritis. “Wear gloves with a good grip and a snug fit,” Frank advises. “And never, never, never kneel directly on the ground. Always use a pad.” Osteoarthritis is the most common of some 100 arthritic diseases causing joint pain (the runner-up is rheumatoid arthritis). In a helpful, basic article about arthritis, prevention.com notes that, because there’s no cure, prevention is key. Everydayhealth.com points out that two of three gardeners are baby boomers and provides common-sense advice. Even if you used to garden for four hours straight, for instance, don’t work through your pain; instead take frequent breaks. Containers allow you to garden at waist level. Overall, use the correct tools in the smartest way (see Melinda Myers’ tips). Tools should be sturdy but lightweight, to reduce strain; a small shovel might mean your task takes longer, says Frank, but will save stress on the arms and back. Make sure the handgrip is the right size. “They’re making more tools to fit women’s hands,”...
Your Steps Earn You Rewards Omron Fitness is excited to partner with Earndit to give you high value rewards for being active. To take advantage of this, be sure you have an account with Omron Fitness and then link that account to Earndit. When you sign up on OmronFitness.com and connect a pedometer or compatible product, you get full access to a comprehensive dashboard view of your activity. Your step data will then be automatically sent to your Earndit account to reward you for each step counted. Omron Fitness allows you to chart your activity, connect with friends and monitor fitness trends for the week, month or year, while also linking you to Earndit so you can be rewarded for every step you take. Tracking steps with your Omron pedometer qualifies you to earn points on Earndit that can be redeemed for prizes from quality brands. Points can only be earned by activities done using an actual tracking service linked to Earndit. Get started today at Omron Fitness and Earndit and you can start earning points towards a $20 reward towards Omron products. Media Contact: Johnna Purcell Omron Healthcare 847-247-5637...
Gardening: It’s not a contact sport. Yet it can be surprisingly hard on the body, especially in terms of producing short-lived low back pain. I consulted two medical professionals—Dr. Rajive Adlaka and physical therapist Jeffrey Mannheimer, who both have many years of experience in managing pain—for their gardening tips. Dr. Adlaka vividly describes the potential hazards. “Gardening involves a lot of bending,” he says, “and can lead to awkward positions.” Reaching, as when pruning a bush, can strain your back. Using tools, like a shovel, adds a whole new dimension to physical exertion. Moving heavy objects—like 10- to 50-pound bags of peat moss—offers unique challenges. “These are dead weight, bulky, unruly,” Dr. Adlaka says. “The weight can shift, and then you flinch and grab at it.” Physical therapist Mannheimer emphasizes the stress on the back produced by prolonged flexion of the spine—that is, bending forward, thus reversing the spine’s natural curvature and straining the ligaments, muscles, and even the discs that separate the vertebrae. Before Gardening Back Stretches These can also be done during or after gardening. Any exercise or back stretch should be done slowly and without strain; never force yourself into a position. If you feel pain, stop. 1. Dr. Adlaka recommends two warm-up exercises, both done lying on your back on the floor or on a bed. In the first, pull your knees, together, to your chest. Keep your ankles together, and lower both knees gently to one side, touching the floor if possible, then the other. This massages the muscles on either side of the spine and gently moves the joints in the lower back....
