Just weeks before World Spine Day (Oct. 16), Straighten Up, the spinal health initiative launched in 2004, announced that its three latest activity modules, "Upper Body Series," Doorway Stretch" and "Bed Backs," had been finalized following Delphi review and subsequent minor revisions. According to Ron Kirk, MA, DC, seed and Delphi panel coordinator for the Straighten Up initiative, the Dephi review process, which required a 75 percent or higher approval rating, achieved a mean approval rating of 95.8 percent, with a high score of 100 percent and a low of only 88.5 percent. According to Dr. Kirk, 61 practitioners from diverse health care disciplines and various locations worldwide participated as Delphi panelists.
In announcing completion of the new activity modules, Dr. Kirk emphasized the progressively global nature of the Straighten Up mission, which launched in the U.S. but has since spread to a number of other countries. Examples of recent actions include:
Chiropractors in Hong Kong have initiated postural awareness screenings, backpack safety education and Straighten Up exercises for kindergarten and primary school children in 100 Hong Kong schools. Recently, 3,000 people participated in Hong Kong's Chiropractic Spinal Health Day, which featured Straight-en Up and Just Start Walking for Kids Health.
In Australia, the Chiropractic Association of Australia has developed an innovative Just Start Walking app and an interactive Web site to empower chiropractors, their patients and communities toward excellent health habits. The Just Start Walking app and Web site are proving to be popular with practitioners and patients.
Dr. Kirk also emphasized the importance of these and other initiatives designed to get more patients engaged in their spinal and overall health:
"Having recently participated in the historic United Nations Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases at UN Headquarters in New York, I am convinced that it is time for lifestyle action and advocacy to reverse the sedentary malaise of lifestyle-based disorders that is sweeping the globe. Non-communicable disorders now account for 63% of global deaths and most of human disability. Thanks so much for taking action for healthy lifestyles!"
Search the DynamicChiropractic.com archives to read more about Straighten Up and its spinal health mission, along with the Just Start Walking activity module released in 2010.
