An ounce of prevention: Dr. Michael Givens shares tips for a healthy workplace

Dr. Michael Givens of Givens Family Chiropractic in Cape Girardeau is a certified medical examiner, a certified insurance consultant and a whiplash specialist. He has more than 17 years of experience diagnosing and treating motor vehicle accident-related injuries, and specializes in drug and alcohol testing, acupuncture, DNA testing, workmans' compensation testing and more. With a track record centered on fitness and wellness, he focuses on preventive measures to maintain and improve personal health in and out of the workplace.

__Business Today: How did you first become interested in being a chiropractor?__

__Dr. Michael Givens:__ When my oldest daughter was a child, she fell at home, which necessitated a trip to the local hospital ER. My wife, who was a registered nurse, complimented me on my reactions to the mild emergency; this event would be my starting point to consider entering health care. Wow, looking back, that was over 20 years ago!

__BT: How did you get to this point in your career?__

__MG:__ Health care is in continuous change, and every provider of every type must change with it. When I first began to practice, I was 100 percent focused on conservative treatment of spinal complaints, chronic pain syndromes and promoting healthy choices. Additionally, I've been certified in acupuncture since 1999, and through the years have had amazing results with everything from smoking cessation to anxiety to sciatica by using acupuncture.

Cutline:Dr. Michael Givens says a healthy work environment must emphasize prevention and wellness, not just treating illness or injury after the fact.Laura Simon

In the beginning, I just dabbled in occupational medicine, but over time, it became apparent that there was a definite need in our area for a provider who could offer Department of Transportation exams and testing and other occupational medicine services, all at one location. Our niche has been to provide these services to smaller companies or individuals who may not need or want the large hospital setting. While I still treat patients with chiropractic care, the majority of my time is providing occupational exams and testing.

__BT: How has your field developed in the past few years?__

__MG:__ My field has evolved tremendously over the past few years, particularly with DOT certifications. Currently, only DOT-certified medical examiners can provide the necessary evaluations for all commercial drivers. This has resulted in the exam criteria being more closely enforced and, in my opinion, has been a huge positive step toward improved public safety.

__BT: What, to you, defines a healthy work environment?__

__MG:__ A healthy work environment is one that highlights prevention and wellness. Oddly, the term "health care" is a bit ironic in our country, as the vast majority of time and money is spent on sickness care. The hands-down answer is prevention and wellness, because the benefits are exponentially better when compared with simple sickness care. This would include improving on-site ergonomics and offering substantial employee incentives for adopting healthy lifestyles to include smoking cessation, losing weight and the like.

Dr. Michael Givens DC, CMELaura Simon

__BT: What is the most important thing to focus on when considering workplace health?__

__MG:__ One, be flexible and be willing to change; don't assume. Just because your company has always used the same program, doesn't mean there is no room for improvement. Two, random testing is the single best tool an employer has to weed out unsafe employees.

__BT: What is your advice for a healthy workplace in the new year?__

__MG:__ My best advice for 2016? Get moving! At work, something as simple as alternating between sitting and standing every 20 minutes and walking for five minutes every hour can pay huge dividends. It doesn't have to be fancy or complicated, but it does have to be consistent.

For home, focus on three areas: cardio, balance and strength training. Set realistic goals and get started. Why wait? What's wrong with today to make changes? Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come, but you do have today. Seize the moment and make changes now.