Workers' Comp Information & Assistance LEGAL HELP

Did you know that if you don't have an attorney, they have a free service called the Information & Assistance Unit that has officers on hand to answer your questions pertaining to the legalities of the WC system? There are 24 offices in California and the link to those phone numbers are here.

I've posted about this before but I recently talked to another injured Californian that did not know about this FREE service. I have used it on several occasions by going to a Workshop, calling for help and even going down in person to have specific questions answered. I would advise you to have specific questions written down before talking with an officer an keep them limited to WC issues only. That's their area of expertise- not Social Security or Long Term Disability.

California Division of Workers' Compensation:
http://www.dir.ca.gov/ and Info & Assistance
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Another thing to try is contacting a lawyer with your questions, you might get a response. It a total long shot but it could work even if this lawyer knows he or she won't take the case, they could take the time to answer a question or two..... Just don't hold your breath!!

Degenerative disk disease and Pre-exisiting condition news

When I got my MRI back my QME doctor wrote a diagnosis report sating I have underlying degenerative disc disease thrown into my bilateral-repetitive-strain-injuries mix.
My MRI of the cervical spine reveals disc bulges at:

Quote:

C4-5 (1-2mm no significant central spinal stenosis), C5-6 (2-3mm left paracentral disk bulge & mild facet hypertrophy causing mild foraminal narrowing on the left, & C6-7 (3-4mm right paracentral disk protrusion, which indented the thecal sac.) There was mild uncovertebral & facet hypertrophy. Findings cause moderate lateral recess stenosis & narrowing bilaterally and a moderate to severe central spine stenosis. Options for care- Cervical epidural steroid injections

Now I really have no idea what this means but I do know that my treating doc wants me to do traction instead of surgery and I know that the QME doctor says the disc problems are preexisting.

Questions I have to find answers to:

1. Can disc degeneration be reversed or just slowed down?
2. What does an cervical epidural steroid shot do?
3. How much does that hurt???!
4. Can an MRI definately prove that this was a pre-existing condition rather than a secondary injury of Thoracic Outlet?
5. And for extra credit: What the heck does the above diagnosis say in layman's terms

I have to find out the answer to #4 particularly because it will effect my disability rating and in turn my WC payment.

Final thoughts on Feldenkrais class (ending this week)

Finally I am learning to really imagine myself going through the motions when I physically can’t and I can really see the benefits of doing so! It really seems to help when I want to correct my posture but I feel too tight to open my chest up- I am able to walk around while imagining my shoulders pulled back & feel like I’m making physical progress!! Final thoughts: Before this course I had read a LOT of books: pain management, self care for RSI, mind body stuff, posture correction stuff and tons of physical therapy exercise handouts. I have tried everything I’ve read and then find myself in pain, if not immediately, later. I am more mindful of what my body is doing when I think I’m not doing anything that requires effort. Before I was just anticipating pain when I consciously exerting effort. I think I’ve got a great combination going on now: I am practicing w/in my limits by identifying my stretchpoints (from Sharon Butler’s book: Conquering Carpal Tunnel and other Repetitive Strain Injuries) and I am incorporating some posture exercises. I am able to do these more effectively because I’ve developed my awareness of my habits and I can make choices to relax the parts that are in holding patterns, I’m asking myself if I can do X a different way that would take less effort and overall I am more aware the improvements I can make throughout the day. I wouldn’t say I’m cured but I can see how Feldenkrais has opened up new doors w/in myself and I hope to continue with these lessons.

Posture by Tim Gunn

In the book A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style, Tim Gunn discusses posture and its the first description of correct posture that I can understand without a doubt in my mind that I'm doing it right!! Between Tim Gunn and my Feldenkrais class I am becoming more aware of how I carry myself and have been working on rewiring myself to do it right. So I am quoting it here for all to learn.

"The Shoulder Fallacy
Everybody has been ordered to "Put your shoulders back" by a mother, teacher, or drill Sergent. And how do we comply? We push our shoulders back with all our might. This position is sustainable for the moment it takes to march out of sight of the authority figure.Once we are alone again, we release our shoulders to their habitually rounded position and slink away. What a tragedy! No one wants bad posture, but the idea of maintaining that uncomfortable "shoulders back" position is unrealistic and fat from pleasant." ....
Although adopting correct posture habits takes time...... The first ironclad rule may seem strange, but here it is: Forget about putting your shoulders back."

Here Tim gets into what shoulders should be doing instead of going back- however its my feeling that people with serious nerve and tendon issues that stem from their shoulder girdle should not be pulling shoulders down and opening up the collarbone. The tension that is carried there may not want to be fussed with so soon and a flare up could be inevitable. So, I'm skipping it. Sorry Tim!!

"Getting Aligned
Imagine a model skeleton hanging in a very chic laboratory. The skeleton is held together by wires and a pole that travels form its base, through the cavity between the pelvic bones, along the spine, and up into the skull. Try standing in front of a mirror and imagining yourself suspended in the same manner. Yes, it seems a bit macabre, but a helpful exercise nonetheless. Does your pole travel gracefully up into your skull? Or does it pole out of your neck because head juts forward? Is the pole knocking into the back of your pelvis because you stand with your stomach thrust out? Is the pole too long because you allow your ribs to sag into your diaphragm, shortening your torso? The best way to make sure that your skeleton is giving its all is by remembering that just as in clothing, the line is what is important. Nothing on your model skeleton is crunched together or sticking out at the side. The skeleton looks relaxed, ready to samba or hit a tennis ball.
The body is engineered to function n the most efficient manner possible. That means that aches and pains can be avoided if the skeleton is given plenty of room to work. It also means a youthful , attractive silhouette really should have little to do with age. For some reason, many American women insist on foreshortening themselves by allowing their ribs to sink into their pelvis, and their heads to hang forward heavily. ... How does one go about getting things to line up? By starting with the pelvis.
One of the most helpful pieces of advice on the subject comes from a wonderful book called Your Carriage Madam by Janet Lane. Though published in 1934, it is not in the least bit dated, perhaps because the temptation to slump is eternal. Ms. Lane suggests that in order to bring the pelvis into proper alignment, one should imagine slipping between two tables at a crowded restaurant . Instinctively, one tucks one's bottom under and draws the navel to the sine. This is the proper position for one's pelvis. Since French bistros are usually packed and their tables are only inches apart, one can think of the proper pelvic alignment as the 'bistro position'. If one is familiar with pilates, it is also immediately recognized as the 'scooped' position that is the backbone of that fitness method. This ever-so-slight pelvic tilt keeps the bottom from jutting out and flattens the stomach. Not only does it make one look slimmer and taller, it provides support for the lower back. The change it makes to one's seated posture is tremendous. Next time you are seated at a desk, try slipping into bistro posture. It naturally bring the spine into contact with the chair and makes it far easier to pull those shoulders down. All this means less fatigue..."