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NAIROBI: When was the last time you had your spinal cord checked? According to specialists, you should attend a check-up at least once a year to detect spine defects that can cause paralysis.
The Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Health Centre has said that Kenyans rarely take time to have their spines checked untill they are in pain.
Eunice Kabamas, a physiotherapist from the centre, said people should attend a spinal check-up every six months or once a year for a scan on the muscular system to detect spinal tension.
Speaking in Narok during a two-day medical camp sponsored by the National Council for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD), Ms Kabamas said the spine controls the nerves, thus there is need to examine it more often.
"Spines have all the nerve endings that assist movement and the body to function during day to day activities. Undetected spinal injuries are a leading cause of paralysis and physical disability," said Kabamas.
She decried the shortage of chiropractic specialists and the cost of spinal scans and called on county governments to invest in the machines. Kabamas said a chiropractic machine costs between Sh2 million to Sh3 million, adding that the scans per person costs Sh3,500 for adults and Sh2,500 for children.
She highlighted the low number of chiropractic experts, saying there are less than 10 in the country.
During the free scanning, over 100 persons with disability on wheelchairs had their spines checked and were advised accordingly. NCPWD Chairman David Ole Sankok said they organised the spine scan to assist their members in wheelchairs whose spines are affected by straining.
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