December 4, 2017 Community THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11 Som Subedi of PP&R named national Park Champion of the Year Chiropractic Corner Driving posture and positioning By Dr. Neal Stumpf, D.C. Special to The Asian Reporter ave you ever thought about your family’s health in relation to being in a car, a place where many people spend a good amount of time? Do you know how to maintain a healthy driving posture and reduce possible injuries in the event you might be involved in an auto collision? Proper posture and seat positioning while driving is important in trying to prevent a variety of prob- lems that can affect your body, from the neck to the feet. To adjust a seat, be sure the vehicle is parked in a safe location. After the adjustments are made and before taking to the road, check your ability to drive safely. Please note, not every car may accommodate all of the tips mentioned. The first step in adjusting a seat is to make sure your head is not too close to the ceiling. It is also important the headrest is set so the center of it is even with the middle of the head, which is where the bump farthest back on one’s head is located. It is important to not position the headrest too low — at the level of the neck — as this may increase the severity of a whiplash in an auto crash. Next, adjust the seat to sit upright without slouching. Your upper legs should be parallel to the ground and it’s important to keep the knees below the hips. The seat tilt should be positioned to avoid angling the pelvis forward or backward. This adjustment promotes a good neutral pelvis position. The steering wheel should be positioned so a driver’s elbows are comfortably at their sides, with hands gripping the wheel in the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions. Additionally, comfortably grip the steering wheel and avoid leaning forward. Keep the shoulders relaxed and try to avoid hiking them up while holding the wheel. Nowadays, most new cars have the ability to adjust the lumbar support. Changing it helps maintain a back position that curves in gently. The lumbar support height should be adjusted so it is in the small of the low back, with the lowest edge of the support approximately at the top of the pelvis. In addition, it is important to avoid putting a wallet or other items in your back pocket while sitting or driving. Keeping items in your back pocket may cause the pelvis to twist, which can lead to back pain. After checking all the seat adjustments, next is the seatbelt. When reaching for the seatbelt, drivers should use the opposite-side arm to reach for the belt and place it in the buckle. For most cars in the U.S., this would be a driver’s right arm. Using the same-side arm places one’s arm in a position that is difficult for the shoulder, which could lead to injury over time. When positioning the lap belt, be sure to place it over the bones of the pelvis and not the abdomen. During a high-impact car crash, the belt could cut a person’s flesh and internal organs. Also check that the upper strap on the belt passes over the clavicle (collarbone) and not over the shoulder or neck. Further, do not place the strap under the arm. Proper posture and seat positioning may help prevent health problems associated with driving and might reduce the severity of injuries sustained in an auto collision. If you are involved in an auto accident or have tightness or pain related to driving posture, contact a chiropractor. Drive safe and live healthy! Dr. Neal Stumpf holds a Doctorate of Chiropractic from the University of Western States and practices at Accident & Wellness Chiropractic. H Som Subedi and Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) were honored recently with the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) 2017 Park Champion of the Year Award. The award, which recognizes an employee of a park and recreation agency’s exemplary efforts to educate their members of congress or their staff on the importance of investing in local parks and recreation, was presented this fall to Som Subedi at the 2017 NRPA Annual Conference in New Orleans. Subedi, a former refugee and the coordinator of PP&R’s Parks for New Portlanders program, hosted Grace Stratton of Oregon senator Ron Wyden’s office at the bureau’s “Walk with Refugees & Immigrants” event in August, which featured approximately 1,000 partici- pants. A congratulatory letter from Wyden was read at the ceremony. Originally from Bhutan, Subedi was forced to flee his native country and spent years in a refugee camp in Nepal. He came to Portland nine years ago. Som helps create and organize numerous Parks for New Portlanders events, including the annual Portland World Cup Soccer Tournament. “This award belongs to all Portlanders, certainly not just me, because we earned it together,” said Subedi. “I want to thank parks commissioner (Amanda) Fritz and director (Mike) Abbaté for trusting in, and for mentoring, a refugee who is committed to equity and inclusion. I am very proud of the compassion, generosity, and welcoming hearts of Portlanders in general, and of Portland Parks & Recreation in particular. I’m only inspired to do more work on behalf of all of us who call the Rose City home.” “Portland Parks & Recreation embraces all Portlanders, whether we’ve been here for a week or were born and raised here,” said commissioner Fritz. “I am grateful to the NRPA for recognizing Som for his efforts. As a former refugee working to assist newcomers in an unfamiliar country, he is truly a champion who leads by example. I applaud him for his dedication to equity and inclusion, which are key values in Portland Parks & Recreation’s mission now and going forward.” In the spring of next year, Subedi will travel to Washington, D.C., to advocate for parks and recreation on Capitol Hill. Portland Parks & Recreation will also be featured in NRPA’s Parks & Recreation magazine and Open Space blog. “In this era of economic challenges, it is rare that park and recreation budgets rise to the top of anyone’s budget priorities,” Abbaté said. “The Park Champion initiative allows Portland Parks & Recreation officials to engage decision makers in a way that shines a spotlight in communities and gets attention in ways standard lobbying may not.” To learn more, visit and . PARK CHAMPION. Som Subedi and Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) were honored recently with the National Recreation and Park Association’s 2017 Park Champion of the Year Award. 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