Stars and Stripes: Clinic’s message: Maintain your body

Here’s a repost in Dr. Phil’s Article in 2004.

Clinic’s message: Maintain your body

By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, November 3, 2004

The following clarification to this story ran in the Nov. 6 edition of Stars and Stripes: “A Nov. 3 article about a Yongsan Garrison preventive medicine clinic included a photograph and quotations from Dr. Phillip Yoo, a chiropractor. Dr. Yoo runs a private clinic in Seoul and was at the 121st General Hospital as an invited practitioner.”

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — Soldiers constantly are performing preventative maintenance on their vehicles and weapons to ensure they’re in top working order. There’s no reason they shouldn’t do the same to their own bodies.

That was the message medical officials imparted at the 121st General Hospital’s first Total Fitness Clinic, held last week at the Yongsan Garrison hospital.

More than 100 soldiers and civilians signed up for appointments, at which health professionals conducted a free battery of diagnostic tests designed to help prevent injuries before they happen.

“The whole point of this is to assess now, and prevent problems later,” said Maj. Erica Clarkson, chief of physical therapy at the 121.

By giving feedback on things that could help or hinder future health — such as posture, running form, balance — medical officials say they can help prevent unnecessary injuries or help cure chronic pains.

And many of the free tests offered during the clinic are simple ways to diagnose what could be a more serious problem, Clarkson said.

Take, for instance, the balance test. Participants were challenged to stand one-legged on an extremely unstable, discus-shaped rubber pad. The challenge was to see if they could hold their balance for 10 seconds. Just 10 percent of people can keep their balance for the full 10 seconds, the physical therapists said, but even those who don’t succeed can be given feedback.

A complete lack of balance could indicate a problem with their equilibrium or, simply a lack of natural balance.

At another clinic station, Dr. Phillip Yoo was offering posture analysis with a digital camera and a computer. The charts, compiled by comparing the slope of certain areas of the body (shoulders, hips, head), are intended to help participants improve their posture and prevent muscular or nervous-system injuries.

The most common posture problems, Yoo said, include a slight tilting forward of the head and shoulders, frequently found among people who work on computers or in offices. That particular form of bad posture can lead to back and neck problems.

To help prevent it, people should “imagine a helium balloon attached directly above their heads,” Yoo said.

By holding the head upright and keeping the spine as straight as possible, many common maladies can be avoided, Yoo said.

Other tests during the free clinic analyzed flexibility; “gait analysis” to see how peoples’ strides, when walking and running, might hinder their muscles and bones; and foot analysis to recommend appropriate athletic shoes.

Other health clinic stations analyzed simple data directly tied to health: body fat, blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation and strength. Taken in totality and with the other measures, clinicians said, participants got a complete picture of their health.

Medical officials say awareness of these health factors has benefits down the road.

“If we see something wrong, if we recognize the symptoms of something larger, we can recommend a course of treatment,” said Clarkson. “It’s always better to catch something before it becomes a serious problem.”

Joseph Giordono / S&S  Dr. Phillip Yoo, a chiropractor, uses a computer modeling program to analyze participants’ posture at the Total Fitness Clinic last week on Yongsan Garrison.

Popularity: 6% [?]

DR. PHIL BACK STAGE WITH BEYONCE

I have been in the U.S. for the past few weeks and upon my return visit to Korea I had gotten an email asking me

if I could treat the Beyonce crew and staff backstage during her tour in Seoul.

This wasn’t the first time I was offered to treat a world famous musical group.

A few months ago I was asked to treat the Pussy Cat Doll’s at their Hotel and at that time refused as it was a friday night

and I had a long week and was eager to get home to spend time with the wife and kids.

However, the next day I read in the paper that 2 of the Dolls could not even perform due to severe back and knee pain.

I felt guilty that I didn’t use my God given treatment skills that might have been used to get these girls functional and on stage.  Just like what was said in the movie spiderman, “with great power comes great responsibility.”

So when I was asked to be the backstage therapist for the Beyonce tour, I didn’t hesitate a second and decided to go with it.

The first day I arrived I got hassled by security for not having an official ID, which the security staff eventually got me.

Because it was the first day nobody seemed to know I was available so I had to hang up some signs to let the crew know that I was available.

After a while  I finally treated some of the sound and stage crew who mostly had lower back pains, and the drummer, who was suffering from tight shoulders.  I asked her how she positioned her drum set, and recommended that they be put in a more ergonomic position to take some stress of her shoulders.

The next day I was alot busier as word got out

that I was available. My first patient was one of Beyonce’s main backup dancers who complained of a misaligned hip. After examining her I discovered that one of her legs was about an inch shorter than the other, and that she would need to wear a heel lift would help even out her balance and hips.

I also treated Beyonce’s production manager, and even the head of security.  The funny thing is that the bodyguard was complaining of having severe muscle spasms in his triceps from overtraining his arms in the gym.  He said he often overdoes it in the gym because he doesn’t want anyone to overpower him in a rumble but ironically he could not even flex or extend his arm against gravity due to the spams!  I had to work about 30 mintues on each arm just to calm down his muscle spasms, and he finally was able to move his arms again without the excruciating pain.  Treating the head of security was the key to getting unlimited access

and the best view in the concert hall which was the side of the stage where you can see everything up close without anyone blocking your view.  I ended up going back and forth between my treatment area and the concert without any hassle from security, as I was now their knew friend. I did eventually get to see Beyonce backstage. When she walked out of her dressing room I thought I was seeing an Angel as she was dressed in a bright white robe and had long wavy hair with a million dollar smile on her face. For some reason they did not allow any reporters

or photographers backstage so it was hard for me to get any good photos, although I did convice one of the bodyguards to take some for me.

There were more crew and performers who needed treatment but as it was getting past my bedtime I quietly slipped out of the back entrance and drove home.  All and all the experience went well. All who were treated seemed to be satisfied, and had benefited from the backstage chiropractic therapy.  The crew still have a long road ahead of them as their next stop will be Beijing, and than off to Dubai, etc… I only hope that they have some good therapist available backstage as I know they will be needing it. From the audience and fans perspective, we only see what goes on stage and do not realize what these performers and backstage crew put their bodys through while touring around the world. I for one can appreciate more what these entertainers and staff go through and know first hand that singing and dancing is not “easy money”, as your body will pay the price.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Create Wellness Center Receives an Award

Dr. Phil and team has received an award from the United Nations Command Combined Forces Command United States Forces Korea. Signed by General Walter Sharp and General Sung Chool Lee.

Here is a picture:

Popularity: 11% [?]

Dr. Phil’s Article from the Bejing Olympics

Dr. Phil was an official sports chiropractor for the World Olympians Association during the 2008  Beijing Olympics.

Here is an article about Dr. Phil’s experience as an Olympic sports chiropractor  in Adobe PDF format:

Beijing Article by Dr. Phil (pdf) – 5 MBs

Popularity: 12% [?]

If Lumbar Spine Is Subluxated

Let’s look at your lumbar vertebrae and the segments below the lumbars ? your sacrum and coccyx ? and what subluxations of these areas may cause.

Let me first give you the definition of what “chiropractic” and “subluxation” exactly are, and how they can affect your health and well being.

The Science : Since its beginning, chiropractic has been based on the scientific fact that the nervous system controls the function of every cell, tissue, organ and system of your body.

While the brain is protected by the skull, the spinal cord is more vulnerable, covered by 24 moving vertebrae. When these bones lose their normal motion or position, they can irritate the nervous system. This disrupts the function of the tissues or organs these nerves control, and is called the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.

Chiropractic is the science of locating these areas of spinal malfunction, the art of correcting them and the philosophy of things natural. It was founded in the 1890’s and has developed tremendously over the years. It’s a treatment that is sometimes covered by medical insurance, but it’s best to check with the individual insurance provider. Many of today’s chiropractors use spinal correction in conjunction with exercises, health, and lifestyle counseling.
You have five lumbar vertebrae. When you have a subluxation of your lumbar vertebrae, certain nerves and areas are affected. Below are some of the more common findings.

Remember that subluxations stress your spine, discs, ligaments, muscles and blood vessels and they affect the nerves that help your organs, glands, muscles and other body parts function.

Lumbar L1: Nerves from L1 go to your large intestine, inguinal rings and uterus. Constipation, colitis, diarrhea, hernias, uterine problems and other conditions have been noted in people with L1 subluxations.

L2: Nerves from L2 go to your appendix, abdomen, upper leg and bladder. Appendicitis, cramps, difficulty breathing, acidosis, leg pain and numbness, sciatica and other conditions have been noted in people with L2 subluxations.

L3: Nerves from L3 go to your sex organs, uterus, bladder, knees, prostate and large intestine. Bladder troubles, menstrual troubles, male impotency, knee and foot problems, bowel problems and other conditions have been noted in people with L3 subluxations.

L4: Nerves from L4 go to your prostate gland, muscles of the lower back and then form the sciatic nerve. Prostate problems, low back spasms, sciatica pain, leg weakness, numbness, and other conditions have been noted in people with L4 subluxations.

L5: Nerves from L5 go to your lower legs, ankles, feet and prostate. Swollen ankles, weak ankles, tingling in the feet, leg cramps and other conditions have been noted in people with L5 subluxations.

Sacrum: Nerves from your sacrum go to your hipbones, buttocks, rectum, sex organs, genitalia, urinary bladder, ureter and prostate. Pelvic problems, leg length inequalities, spinal curvatures, impotence, urinary incontinence, kidney and bladder infections and other conditions have been noted in people with sacrum subluxations.

Coccyx: Nerves from your coccyx go to your rectum and anus and anchor your meninges (coverings around your brain and spinal cord). Migraine, headache, bizarre “whole body pains,” mental problems, hemorrhoids, anal itching, pain with sitting and other conditions have been noted in people with coccyx subluxations.

Originally Published in the Korea Times by Dr. Phillip Yoo.

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Sitting Stresses Vertebral Discs!

Backaches are as old as man…

Backaches are among the most frequent pains which generations of people have been suffering from. Some theorists claim that backaches are a civilization disease, prompted by today’s society and our way of living. Think about it, we were not meant to sit at a desk, while hunched over a computer all day.

Others point to the severe degenerative changes found in the skeletons of Egyptian pharoahs which obviously indicate that even prior to the birth of Christ the Egyptians must have suffered from various back ailments. For anyone currently suffering from acute backache such theories are certainly meaningless. Their only desire is to be free of pain and back on their feet as soon as possible. The following article, with its comments and tips, are dedicated to these people, many of whom happen to be my own patients.

Antalgic posture of the lumbar spinal column to the left.
Right-sided disc damage (arrow).

Tips to counter acute back pain ?

Acute low back pain (Lumbago), or acute leg nerve pain (sciatica) usually leads to antalgic posture, or more simply, a compensatory lean, i.e. a partial blockage of the lumbar spinal column. This compensatory lean is a reflective reply to an intervertebral disc protrusion or herniation of one or more intervertebral discs. It often reveals itself in a more or less marked lateral curve of the lumbar spinal column, in other words, the body attempts to compensate for spinal damage by tensing local muscles. This compensatory lean also leads to a compensatory gait, both of which are obviously difficult to hide and thus not only directly affect the patient, but indirectly also the patient’s environment (friends, relatives, etc.).

Important: A compensatory lean is not harmful ! On the contrary, it protects the afflicted person from worse side effects !

Tip: Walk with crutches to help relieve strain on discs and joints.

The lumbar spinal column is not the only part of the human body which can experience a blockage. The same thing can happen to the cervical spinal column (stiff neck/Torticollis), the thoracic spinal column or to any other joint.
Tip: Listen to your body and take it easy !

Lying down and walking are good therapies

To alleviate the pain of backaches, lumbago or sciatica it is highly recommendable to continually alternate between lying down and walking. Until recently, patients with acute backaches were told to stay in bed for several days. However, American chiropractors managed to prove that staying in bed too long can lead to restlessness which can become a very painful experience. I advise my patients to lie down for an average of 20 to 30 minutes and then walk around for about 5 minutes. One female patient took this advice so literally that she even carried out this procedure during the night! And it worked. After 48 hours her condition improved considerably and as a result she could even resume her activity as a dancer in a folkloristic dance group !

When pain is acute, it is also very advisable to walk with the help of crutches. These can be rented from your chiropractor or in a drug store. And remember, you are doing this for yourself and not for other people. Pay no attention to what others may think or say (sooner or later most people have the “opportunity” of trying out crutches for themselves). Once the acute pain has disappeared you will no longer need them.

Important ! Lie down for 20 to 30 minutes and then walk around for about 5 minutes.

The Bed

Tip: Prop your legs up against a support in a high bed.

Even the best mattresses cannot cure an acute backache. Nevertheless, the following tips will make your stay in bed during the next couple of days a little more comfortable. First, and if possible, lie in a bed which is adjustable in height or which rests on a high bedstead. This makes getting in and out of bed easier, even for healthy people. In the “old days” one could literally climb down from a high bed. Today, the frameworks of beds are designed so low that many people often encounter serious problems in getting out of bed. Second, when suffering from an acute backache, you can either lie in bed sideways with a small pillow between your knees; or you can lie on your back, propping your thighs against some kind of support (e.g. a pillow, stool, bench or suitcase), bending your knees 90° and resting your calves and feet on top of the support. You can also use a wedge-shaped cushion. Should this increase rather than reduce the pain, try placing a small rolled up bath towl underneath your lower back. Third, when lying in bed, make sure that you change your position frequently.

The Toilet and Bath

Tip:Sit on an object (such as a wedge-shaped cushion with a hole in the middle) placed between the toilet seat and your thighs, while leaning slightly backwards, pressing your abdomen with your hands when stooling. Doughnut cushions are sold at most pharmacies.

Unfortunately, I have never encountered any written information giving people with acute backaches advice on using the toilet and bath. Yet sitting on a toilet can pose a serious problem for such patients.
Why? Because sitting on a toilet seat stresses the vertebral discs, considering that the internal pressure of the disc doubles or triples when the body is in a sitting position compared to a standing position. People with healthy discs do not feel this. However, when the disc is already affected to the point that the cartilage ring protrudes towards the vertebral canal (known as a disc protrusion), or when the outermost fibrous ring tears, resulting in partial leakage of the soft disc core (nucleus pulposus) into the vertebral canal (disc herniation), then the shifted disc material also puts pressure on nerve tissue, i.e. on one or more nerve roots (sciatic nerve / leg nerve). Sitting thus becomes extremely painful for anyone with acute back pain and should be avoided except in “emergencies”.

The following procedure is thus recommended when sitting on the toilet: Sit on the front part of the seat and lean the upper part of your body slightly backwards – provided that the compensatory position of the lumbar spinal column allows this. With your hands apply pressure to your abdomen when stooling. Tall people should also sit slightly higher on the toilet seat. For this purpose an object can be placed on the left and right side of the toilet seat, underneath the thighs. This will make it easier to sit down and especially to stand up.

Important: The higher you sit, the easier it is to stand up !

With extremely acute backaches the patient may have to use a bedpan instead of going to the toilet. Should the blockage or respective antalgic posture of the lumbar spinal column be very severe, taking a normal bath will also have to be substituted by a brief hot shower which can considerably relieve tense muscles.

Heat and Cold

A nerve inflammation is characterized by three main signs: redness (rubor), pain (dolor) and heat (calor). An inflamed nerve root does not like deep heat. A cold pack placed on the painful area of the lumbar spinal column every two hours is thus advisable when lying down. Caution: Do not leave cold packs on bare skin for longer than 10 minutes and place a handkerchief or cloth between the skin and the cold pack to protect the skin from any allergic reaction. Furthermore, do not be irritated by any leg pain (known as referred pain) which may arise as a result of sciatic nerve pain. With sciatic pain, the cold pack also belongs on the inflamed area, namely on the lumbar spinal column.

Heat applications (heat packs, hot water bottles, damp cloths and electric blankets) should not be applied before any improvement shows, and then only indirectly and very carefully. As soon as the compensatory posture is reduced and the spinal column becomes somewhat more flexible, a visit to a thermal bath or heated indoor swimming pool can work wonders. Walking in water is one of the most effective and agreeable ways of helping yourself when the backache has subdued. It is worth trying out and has the added advantage that it will help you regain confidence in your body.

Important: When pain is acute, apply cold packs in 10 minute intervals (apply 10 mintues on, than off for 10 mintues, than on 10 minutes, etc…) every hour until the acute pain subsides.. Walking in warm water is one of the best active therapies for patients with lumbago and sciatic pain after the acute pain has disappeared.

Originially Published in the Groove Magazine by Dr. Phillip Yoo.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Chiro with a Twist

The mere mention of a chiropractor causes some people to cringe from remembered stories they’ve heard about a “friend of a friend” who had to go once a week for the rest of his life to get his neck and back cracked and crunched all for the sake of “proper alignment.” For this guy, a week missed meant a week of agony.

But Dr. Phillip Yoo (or Dr. Phil to his patients), the founder of the ChiroPilates method, is quick to dispel that myth of dependence on chiropractic treatment.

“Some chiropractors focus on pain care, they don’t treat the cause of the pain,” Yoo says. “If I wanted to have people just come in week after week, why would I try to teach them how to prevent the pain and take care of themselves?”

That’s where ChiroPilates comes into play. It’s a combination of chiropractic therapy and Pilates, one of the most popular fitness methods in the United States, which incorporates flexibility training, strength training of the core muscles (the muscles around the midsection) and correction of the posture. One of the main advantages of Pilates is that it can be practiced with very little equipment and, like yoga, has many basic exercises requiring only a mat.

While Yoo believes Pilates is a good system on its own, he notes that many people suffer injuries while practicing Pilates because a lot of instructors don’t understand the human anatomy.

“It’s not like aerobics. Pilates is about technique and body awareness,” Yoo says, which is why he limits his class size.

His Itaewon, Seoul sports medicine clinic has room for about six ChiroPilates students at a time and also offers therapeutic massage, fitness training and, of course, chiropractic care.

He’s even coined a phrase to describe the purpose of ChiroPilates: “To strengthen and flexen.” This, he says, means to workout in order to increase a healthy range of motion for your joints and spine and lengthen core muscles to assist in maintaining a normal posture.

“Only about 20 percent of people have good posture and exercise regularly, while 80 percent suffer from some kind of musculoskeletal disorder or pain.”

The American-born doctor, who is also a certified personal trainer and certified meridian therapy acupuncturist, believes that many conditions can benefit from chiropractic care.

He gives headaches as an example.

“A headache isn’t a brain ache. The brain itself can’t feel pain,” Yoo says. “But it’s the pain-sensitive structures in the skull, such as the web of nerves emanating from the back of the skull and the first few vertebrae of the neck which control things like sinus function and eyesight. When these vertebrae are out of alignment, the nerves are often squeezed, pulled, compressed or otherwise irritated, causing headaches.”

And so it goes down the rest of the spine. When the spine is out of line, things like digestion or strength can be affected. The main purposes of the nerves are to sense pain, temperature and touch, control motor function and reflexes and control organ function.

“Taking an aspirin may help relieve the pain temporarily, but it won’t fix the structural problem and the pain will return,” he says.

According to Yoo, the Chinese belief in chi translates in chiropractic medicine as “the body’s innate ability to heal itself.” It’s about the flow of energy which, Yoo says, is really the messages being sent by the brain via the nerves to the rest of the body. Block the flow of these messages through a misaligned spine and you effectively block your body’s ability to self-heal.

When spring returns, many people hit the trail or the court and find themselves in agony the next day. This is because they’ve failed to maintain a higher level of fitness over the winter months and returned to their warm-weather pursuits without the proper preparation. As a result, Yoo says, spring is his busiest time of year.

“People are afraid of chiropractic therapy because they want a quick fix,” Yoo explains. “But if you want to stay in shape do you go to the gym only one time?” he asks.

After a while, Yoo insists, his clients learn how to prevent their pain and maintain a proper posture. “Follow-up visits are really just for a tune-up.”

His commitment to removing the barrier between himself and his patients can be seen in his insistence on being called “Dr. Phil” and through developing and offering his ChiroPilates method. This leads to better communication and trust, which leads to real healing.

“The word doctor doesn’t mean God, it means teacher,” Yoo says. “A lot of doctors forget that.”

Originally published in Seoul magazine, May 2007
By Tracey Stark

Popularity: 1% [?]

Phillip Yoo Educates Koreans on Chiropractic

Phillip Brian Yoo is a missionary, but not the type you would expect. A Korean American from Detroit, Mich., Yoo is spreading the word on chiropractic – a natural branch of the healing arts which focuses on maintaining sound body structure by correcting spinal and postural distortions.

This natural healing art has only a miniscule base in Korea, where Yoo says there are only 47 U.S.-educated, licensed practitioners – including himself. But he is busy doing his part to help it gain a foothold.

Since last year, Yoo, who says he is the only practicing American chiropractor in Korea, has been teaching the philosophy of chiropractic and some techniques to a group of Oriental medicine doctors (OMDs). Many OMDs are trained in a similar Oriental technique called “chuna yobop,” and are eager to expand their knowledge of chiropractic.

He also gives free chiropractic consultations and works for living expenses at a private clinic in Iteawon at International Clinic 9th floor room No. 901. He says he would branch out on his own in Korea, but law here stipulates that a chiropractor also be a licensed physician or OMD to open up his or her own practice.

Yoo first fell in love with chiropractic while attending Michigan State University, majoring in health education and human performance. After working as a personal fitness trainer for a few years, he went into chiropractic in 1997.

“Being so involved in the fitness industry, I looked at chiropractic as a career, because it focuses on natural health care and medicine, which agrees with my personal philosophy of health care,” he said in a recent interview with The Seoul Times.

Yoo primarily treats people with back and neck pain due to stress and overwork. He works with people of all nationalities, and more and more are coming to see him due to word-of-mouth recommendations. This increase in business has meant Yoo has little time to spend at home. But this is a good thing, because Yoo lives in a “hasook jip” that he says is no bigger than the average closet in the United States.

“It’s probably six … not even six feet by eight feet,” he says. “But I need just a place to put my head down and that’s what I use it for.”

Following are excerpts from a conversation with Yoo on working as a chiropractor in Korea, his hopes for a future chiropractic mission to North Korea and why he speaks with a Kyongsang Province accent:

Korea Herald: How did you get started in Korea as a chiropractor?

Philip Brian Yoo: My original plan was to study Korean for one year or so and when I became fluent, to go to L.A, where a lot of Hispanics and Korean people live, to set up a private chiropractic practice. I am already fluent in Spanish and I wanted to be able to speak my parents’ home language in order to communicate and treat the ethnic population.

But after coming to Korea, I had the good fortune to bump into a Korean medical doctor who owned a private clinic and let me practice chiropractic and work there. So, since being here, I changed my plan.

Question: What is the state of chiropractic in Korea?

PBY: I don’t really know what the condition of the field of chiropractic is here in Korea. The only thing I know is that there is a Korean Chiropractic Association with only 46 chiropractors working with a U.S. degree, who are properly educated and trained, throughout the country. And only about half of them are allowed to have their own practices because Korean law stipulates that, in order to practice here, you must also be a licensed physician or OMD.

The problem that makes matters worse is that there is a number of people who are not properly trained but are somehow working as chiropractors, and their numbers are increasing these days. I’m worried about the effects of that input. In reality, definitely, we need more doctors of chiropractic, because more than 80 percent of people here are said to suffer from a multitude of pains around the back area.

Question: Have you practiced chiropractic in any other countries beside the United States or Korea?

PBY: After school, I went to Honduras on a mission trip sponsored originally by the Christian Chiropractic Association. It was only supposed to be for a month, but on the day I flew in, the doctor who picked me up at the airport and I were car-jacked on the way to his home and as a result, he was shot in the eye.

Getting him to the hospital, I decided to stay down there and take over the mission for him. So, I stayed down in Honduras, where there’s not more than a handful of chiropractors, for a year working at a private hospital. And it was there that I learned Spanish, in which I’m now fluent.

Question: Speaking of languages, what do you speak while treating your patients? Korean or English?

PBY: Well, usually people just speak their home language. If there’s a Korean patient, then, I’m forced to use Korean, which is OK. And if they speak English, which most foreigners and international people use, I speak English. And, as I said, I do speak fluent Spanish and also a little German.

Question: I’m sure people must comment on your “country accent.” How did you acquire your Kyongsang Province twang?

PBY: As far as the language, my Korean needs much improvement. The problem is, first of all, because I’m originally an American citizen born and raised there, I have an American accent. And all the Koreans I know speak the Southern dialect. So, combine the two, and sometimes it’s not a pretty picture when I talk Korean. As far as the patients go, they understand, and they laugh along with it.

I do enjoy speaking the Southern dialect because there are many words that standard Korean speakers – people in Seoul – do not know. There are just certain words they do not use. So, I kind of joke with them. When I say a word that only southern people know, I say to them, “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you Korean.” That’s kind of funny. But now my Korean is improving and becoming standard Korean.

Question: What are your plans for the future? Another mission?

PBY: I plan to stay in Korea, and continue to promote chiropractic here. Due to the laws, I wasn’t able to set up my own practice. But the laws were changed and now I can get dual citizenship after tracing back my family tree and acquiring those documents. Also, I feel that it is my mission in life, since I have a talent, to make medical mission trips and set up free clinics and give free medical care. So I would really like to make a mission to North Korea.

From what I’ve read, medical conditions are really scarce up there. If the country allows me, I’d like to form a team – there are many American doctors willing to go. I’d like to be an intermediary to set that up.

Question: From the perspective of a chiropractor, do you have any advice for anyone who wants to keep their body, especially their spine, strong and healthy?

PHY: First of all, the effects of poor posture can be serious in terms of health. There are many reasons for poor posture, the most serious of which is birth defects. In many cases, it is a combination of several reasons that causes a person to have poor posture, like emotional problems, excessive weight, foot problems or improper shoes, poor sleep support, and so on.
If not corrected, it can affect health and produce structural stress, which ultimately can cause spinal degeneration. It is needless to say that prevention is better than cure.

Originally published in the Seoul Times by Steve(YM) Kim, Staff reporter.

Popularity: 15% [?]