Does your business qualify for the ERC Federal Assistance Program?

Photo: StartupStockPhotos/Pixabay

StatePoint Media - The strength of the country relies on its estimated 33.2 million small businesses, which comprise 99.9 percent of all American businesses. COVID threatened, and in some cases forced, the closure of many small enterprises and tens of thousands are still reeling from the aftermath of the full pandemic.

In an effort to offer some relief, the federal government created the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) Program under the IRS that has already helped thousands of qualifying businesses receive up to $26,000 per employee. Unfortunately, not enough small business owners are aware of the program. Others don’t think they will qualify, leaving billions of dollars on the table that could help them recover and continue to move forward.

Companies such as ERC Helpdesk, www.erchelpdesk.com, have been created to help small businesses determine their qualifications and navigate the ERC program. Now is the perfect time for business owners around the country to see if they make the cut.

A small business can receive an ERC even if it received PPP. The program is flexible enough that most businesses will likely be eligible. The average claim is $150,000, but there is no cap on the amount.

"I was the owner of a marketing business that assisted dozens of small business owners so I witnessed firsthand the challenges and sweat equity involved in taking such a big risk," said ERC Helpdesk chief marketing officer, Greg Ross-Smith. "Our founder was and remains a small business owner himself who was initially told his businesses would not qualify for an ERC and there was nobody he could find to make sense of the program. When he finally learned about the program details and what the actual qualifications are, not only did he apply and receive funds, he decided to create a way to assist other small business owners in taking advantage of the funding available for their businesses."

Here are the basics to see if you qualify:

• Your business is based in the United States.

• You retained and paid W2 employees during 2020 and 2021.

• Your business was impacted by COVID restrictions in one or more of the following ways:

1. Loss of revenue

2. Supply chain disruptions

3. Full or partial shutdown of your business

Now a growing industry, ERC companies are popping up all over so be wary about who you work with. Ideally, try to work with a company you know, or at least one that understands the needs and inner workings of a small business. Often, it helps to work with a smaller sized ERC business that’s accessible and that will work with your submission on a one-on-one basis. Bigger isn’t always better in this industry. Of course, partnering with a company that maintains a high approval rate for its clients is a critical point of measurement as many companies can waste your time and get your hopes up by simply submitting anything knowing the chances of success are slim. Finally, to the degree you can determine it, try to work with a company that will process your application as quickly as possible while focusing on reducing errors that can delay the process.

"So many small businesses are built organically with the participation, support and hard work of family and friends. As a result, we understand the investment of time, resources and relationships that go into every business we work with," said Ross-Smith. "In the ERC business, integrity, trust and customer service rule and that’s what I’d urge all applicants to consider in navigating their eligibility for the program. Our only goal is to help them qualify and then maximize their efforts and amount of compensation they receive."

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Fighting Illini battle to upset #2 OSU falls short

URBANA - Illinois tennis players Mathis Debru (left) and Oliver Okonkwo celebrate after tying up the score at 3-all in their doubles match against Ohio State's Robert Cash and Justin Boulais. Later on a beautiful but windy spring day, the Fighting Illini duo fell 6-4. The #2 nationally-ranked Buckeyes won the Big 10 match 4-0 at Atkins Tennis Center. Illinois (13-8, 1-1) looks to rise above .500 after they return from Purdue next Friday and their league match with the Boilermakers.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Rockets win softball season opener in Tennesse, and then some

JACKSON, TN - Lindy Bates went 3-for-3 in the Rockets' season opener earlier this month against Millington Central at the Sarah Beth Whitehead Tournament. Unity plated three runs in the third inning to beat the Trojans after five innings 4-2 on March 16.

Starting the bottom of the third down 2-1 on the scoreboard, Unity's Jenna Adkins went down swinging to give Millington the first out. Next, Ruby Tarr stepped up to the plate to face Trojan starter Breanna Hulsey. Tarr took her third pitch smacking leather out to center field, only to be caught by MC's Rilee Ervin.

With two outs on the board, Bates wasted no time and pounded the ball to right field, rounding first and on to second for a double. She later moved to third courtesy of a line drive from senior Reese Sarver.

With Unity bats now ignited, senior Ashlyn Miller, who scored on an error in the previous inning, knocked in the tying run on a fly ball out to left field while Sarver made her way to scoring position on third.

Then, tied at two-all, the Unity line-up kept their hands on the throttle scoring two more runs on a line drive double to right from Maegan Rothe to lock in the first win of the season.

Two days later, the Unity bats were still glowing. The Rockets amassed 27 runs across four games to finish the out-of-state tournament 3-1.

Unity bombs Peabody

The Rockets scored ten runs in the first inning of their second tournament game to stun the Golden Tide of Peabody High School, 12-0.

Ashlyn Miller and Reece Sarver booked two RBIs apiece, while Jenna Adkins, Lindy Bates, and Lauren Haas delivered one each in a contest that lasted just two and a half innings.

Jenna Adkins, Chloey Duitsman, Reagan Little, and McKayla Schendel padded their baserunning stats with one stolen bag each.

Striking out a trio of Peabody batters, Bates picked up the win, throwing just 28 pitches in the first two innings.

Adamsville falls victim to Rockets' firepower

Three hours after the start of the first game on Saturday, March 18, Jenna Adkins crushed the ball over the right field fence for a solo home run to knot the score at one-all in the first inning of the Rockets' Round of 16 game against the Cardinals.

UHS retired the next three Adamsville batters in the top of 2 before piling nine runs on the scoreboard to go up 10-1.

The Rockets enjoyed a bunted single by Maegan Rothe; doubles from Chloey Duitsman, Lindy Bates, and Ashlyn Miller; and a two-out two-RBI triple from Rothe on her second appearance in batter's box in the frame.

In the bottom of the third inning, Abbie Pieczynski, batting for Bates, tapped a ground ball to the pitcher. Tossed out at first, the senior's play allowed McKayla Schendel to score from third.

Up 11-1, Unity stretched their early season win streak to three games, outscoring opponents 27-3 after Sarver flew out to center field.

Unity suffers first loss

Camden scattered five unanswered runs across four innings against the Rockets in their tournament quarterfinal game. In a hole too deep to climb, UHS was eliminated from medal contention after a 6-4 finish.

Lindy Bates, who absorbed the pitching loss, had one hit and tallied two stolen bases. Sophia Beckett, Lauren Haas, and Ruby Tarr logged one stolen base a piece.

Good sleep habits help weight loss and cardiovascular health

by American Heart Association

Improving one’s sleep health is something everyone can do to improve their cardiovascular health

DALLAS - People who reported getting regular, uninterrupted sleep did a better job sticking to their exercise and diet plans while trying to lose weight, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2023. The meeting will be held in Boston, February 28-March 3, 2023, and offers the latest science on population-based health and wellness and implications for lifestyle and cardiometabolic health.

"Focusing on obtaining good sleep — seven to nine hours at night with a regular wake time along with waking refreshed and being alert throughout the day — may be an important behavior that helps people stick with their physical activity and dietary modification goals," said Christopher E. Kline, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of health and human development at the University of Pittsburgh. "A previous study of ours reported that better sleep health was associated with a significantly greater loss of body weight and fat among participants in a year-long, behavioral weight loss program."

The researchers examined whether good sleep health was related to how well people adhered to the various lifestyle modifications prescribed in a 12-month weight loss program. The weight-loss program included 125 adults (average age of 50 years, 91% female, 81% white) who met criteria for overweight or obesity (body mass index of 27-44) without any medical conditions requiring medical supervision of their diet or physical activity.

Sleep habits were measured at the beginning of the program, at 6 months and at 12 months, through patient questionnaires, a sleep diary and 7-day readings from a wrist-worn device that recorded sleep, waking activity and rest. These measures were used to score each participant as "good" or "poor" on six measures of sleep: regularity; satisfaction; alertness; timing; efficiency (the percentage of time spent in bed when actually asleep); and duration. A composite sleep health score of 0-6 was calculated for each participant, with one point for each "good" measure of sleep health, with higher scores indicating better levels of sleep health.

Adherence to the weight loss program was measured by percentage of group intervention sessions attended; percentage of days in which each participant ate between 85-115% of their recommended daily calories; and change in daily duration of moderate or vigorous physical activity. Participants had an average sleep health score of 4.5 out of 6 at the start of the study, at 6 months and at 12 months. Participants self-reported their caloric intake each day using a phone app and researchers measured participants’ physical activity with an accelerometer worn at the waist for one week at a time at the start of the study, at 6 months and at 12 months.

After adjusting the sleep health scores for age, gender, race and whether or not there was a partner sharing the bed, the researchers found that better sleep health was associated with higher rates of attendance at group interval sessions, adherence to caloric intake goals and improvement in time spent performing moderate-vigorous physical activity. They found:

Participants attended 79% of group sessions in the first six months and 62% of group sessions in the second six months.

Participants met their daily caloric intake goals on 36% of days in the first six months and 21% in the second six months.

Participants increased their total daily time spent in moderate-vigorous activity by 8.7 minutes in the first six months, however, their total time spent decreased by 3.7 minutes in the second six months.

The decrease in group session attendance, caloric intake and in time spent in moderate-vigorous activity in the second six months was expected, Kline said. "As one continues in a long-term behavioral weight loss intervention, it’s normal for the adherence to weight loss behaviors to decrease," he said.

Additionally, while there was an association between better sleep health scores and an increase in physical activity, it was not strong enough to be statistically significant, meaning that researchers cannot rule out that the results were due to chance.

"We had hypothesized that sleep would be associated with lifestyle modification; however, we didn’t expect to see an association between sleep health and all three of our measures of lifestyle modification," he said. "Although we did not intervene on sleep health in this study, these results suggest that optimizing sleep may lead to better lifestyle modification adherence. "

The study’s limitations include that it did not incorporate any intervention to help participants improve their sleep, that the study sample was not recruited based upon participants’ sleep health characteristics, and that the overall sample population had relatively good sleep health at baseline. The sample was also primarily white and female, so it is unclear whether these results are generalizable to more diverse populations.

"One question of interest for future research is whether we can increase adherence to lifestyle modifications – and, ultimately, increase weight loss – if we improve a person’s sleep health," Kline said.

A second question for the researchers is how such an intervention would be timed to improve sleep.

"It remains unclear whether it would be best to optimize sleep prior to rather than during attempted weight loss. In other words, should clinicians tell their patients to focus on getting better and more regular sleep before they begin to attempt weight loss, or should they try to improve their sleep while at the same time modifying their diet and activity levels?" Kline said.

Improving one’s sleep health is something everyone can do to improve their cardiovascular health and is a key component of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8. Sleep was added in 2022 as the eighth component of optimal cardiovascular health, which includes eating healthy food, being physically active, not smoking, getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Cardiovascular disease claims more lives each year in the U.S. than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined, according to the 2023 Statistical Update from the American Heart Association.

"There are over 100 studies linking sleep to weight gain and obesity, but this was a great example showing how sleep isn't just tied to weight itself, it's tied to the things we're doing to help manage our own weight. This could be because sleep impacts the things that drive hunger and cravings, your metabolism and your ability to regulate metabolism and the ability to make healthy choices in general," said Michael A. Grandner, Ph.D., MTR. Grandner is director of the Sleep and Heath Research Program at the University of Arizona, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic at the Banner-University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona, and was a co-author of the Association’s Life’s Essential 8 cardiovascular health score. "Studies like this really go to show that all of these things are connected, and sometimes sleep is the thing that we can start taking control over that can help open doors to other avenues of health."

Hernias, there are more than one kind to worry about

by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare

ALTON - When watching a basketball game on television, you may hear coaches and announcers say the star player is missing time with a hernia.

A sports hernia is different than a hernia suffered in everyday life, says Raman Kumar, MD, a colorectal surgeon and general surgeon at OSF HealthCare. But each should be taken seriously.

Hernia

Dr. Kumar says a hernia is when an internal organ or piece of fat goes through a hole in the abdominal wall. The most common type – around 80%  – is an inguinal hernia, when a part of the intestine pushes through the abdominal wall in the lower belly (also called the groin). Anyone can get a hernia, even newborns. But Dr. Kumar says they are seen more in older men. Symptoms include a bulge or swelling in the abdominal area and pain when moving.

Dr. Raman Kumar

“A lot of chronic heavy lifting,” can cause hernias, Dr. Kumar says. “Other things weaken the abdominal wall such as diabetes and smoking. Being obese causes a lot of weight hanging down on the abdominal wall. If you’ve had surgery in the past, that’s also a risk factor.”

So be mindful when lifting objects, Dr. Kumar advises. Lift with your knees, not your back, and don’t try to lift heavy items. Get a cart or a partner to help. Eat healthy and exercise to avoid obesity and diabetes. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes.

Dr. Kumar says an exterior wrap known as a hernia belt or abdominal binder can be a short-term solution. But surgery is often the endgame.

“If you have a hole or defect, it needs to be closed,” Dr. Kumar says. “The reason we fix hernias is because we don’t want a loop of intestine or bowel to get into the hernia, twist off and die.”

That would make a person very sick and possibly threaten their life, Dr. Kumar says.

Sports hernia

Dr. Kumar says a sports hernia is a muscle tear in the groin area. They’re seen in athletes due to all the twisting, turning and bending that comes with competition.

“Stretch before you do any type of activity. Work and develop your core muscles, including your abdominal and hip muscles.” Dr. Kumar says. “If the muscles are strong, they are less likely to tear.”

Athletes who complain of groin pain should immediately leave the competition and get checked out by a trainer or doctor. Resting and icing the groin will help, but a combination of medication, physical therapy or surgery will likely be needed to fully heal.

Be proactive

If you have symptoms of a hernia or sports hernia, see a health care provider right away.

“Nine times out of 10, we can determine you have a hernia just based on a physical exam,” Dr. Kumar says.

But for more complicated cases, your doctor may order an ultrasound or CT scan. Then, the provider will develop a treatment plan.

Fighting Illini tennis team opens Big 10 schedule with shutout over the Nittany Lions

URBANA - The Fighting Illini men's tennis team dominated Penn State with a quick 4-0 decision to kick off their Big 10 campaign on Friday at Atkins Tennis Center.

Illinois locked down the double point barely 35 minutes after the opening serve. Sophomore Karlis Ozolins and partner Hunter Heck were the first to finish on the doubles court, cruising past Penn's Charl Morgan and Malik Bhatnagar, 6-3. Mathis Debru and Oliver Okonkwo secured the doubs competition with a 6-2 victory over Loren Byers and Sam Bossem, representing the Nittany Lions.

Chicago Latin alum Nic Meister chalked up the first singles win of the evening for the Illini defeating Bhatnagar, 6-2, 6-1.

Playing on the top court, Ozolins consistently pounded out 120+ mph serves, frustrating Morgan to a 6-1, 6-4 finish.

The Illini earned their fourth point after Okonkwo took down Penn State's Stefan Simeunovic, 6-2, 6-4.

The Illini, now 1-0 in conference play, face national tennis powerhouse Ohio State on Sunday at noon.

BOX SCORE

Illinois 4, Penn State 0

Doubles
1. #49 Karlis Ozolins/Hunter Heck (ILL) def. Charl Morgan/Malik Bhatnagar (PSU) 6-3
2. #56 Mathis Debru/Oliver Okonkwo (ILL) def. Loren Byers/Sam Bossem (PSU) 6-2
3. Alex Petrov/Kenta Miyoshi (ILL) vs. Stefan Simeunovic/Miko Eala (PSU) 5-2, unfinished

Singles
1. #33 Karlis Ozolins (ILL) def. Charl Morgan (PSU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Alex Petrov (ILL) vs. Loren Byers (PSU) 6-0, 5-2, unfinished
3. Hunter Heck (ILL) vs. Miko Eala (PSU) 3-6, 1-4, unfinished
4. William Mroz (ILL) vs. Sam Bossem (PSU) 4-6, 3-2, unfinished
5. Oliver Okonkwo (ILL) def. Stefan Simeunovic (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Nic Meister (ILL) def. Malik Bhatnagar (PSU) 6-2, 6-1

Two healthy snack options for families on the go

Photo provided

Family Features - School days offer nearly endless opportunities for learning and exploration in the classroom, but education doesn’t have to end with the final bell. Parents can ensure their students feel energetic, creative and confident by inspiring snack choices that are as smart as they are fun to make together.

Whether you’re whipping up a snack to send to school or your little learners need an energy boost before starting afternoon homework, creative snacking can help encourage inspiration. As a trusted ally with better-for-you and convenient whole-fruit lunchbox snacks kids can enjoy, Sun-Maid offers these easy tips and ways to embrace the fun side of snack time.

• Keep It Simple: Look for recipes with five ingredients or less so your children can show their artful nature without becoming overwhelmed. Plus, this often leads to a more budget-friendly at-home treat.
• Shop Together: Gathering ingredients and equipment is an important part of any recipe, and bringing your future chefs along helps them feel like it’s their creation from start to finish. Additionally, some important life lessons can be learned along the way, like how to navigate the store and compare costs.
• Provide Kid-Friendly Instructions: There are many ways kids can lend a hand in making their own snacks, like mixing ingredients, washing produce or arranging a plate or platter. However, some steps are best left to the adults – make sure to do any cutting, slicing or dicing before letting children take the reins, for example, then just enjoy the creative fun.

With childhood favorites like crackers, marshmallows and vanilla yogurt covered raisins, Gimme S'mores Trail Mix offers a perfect way to get young minds thinking in the kitchen. A little guidance is all it takes to teach them each step of the recipe to make a crafty, delicious treat. Plus, with only a few simple ingredients that just need to be mixed together, it’s a low-stress, low-mess way to cook up creativity.

For a healthier version of a snack time superstar, Apple Nachos combine sweet apples like Honeycrisp, peanut butter and versatile, whole-fruit Sun-Maid Raisins. Naturally made with nothing but grapes and California sunshine, these sweet raisins have been trusted as a better-for-you snack for kids and grown-up kids alike since 1912.

With zero grams of added sugars, they give parents the confidence they need to choose snacks that provide both great taste and nutrition for a happy and healthy family. As a household staple, they can be enjoyed as part of tasty recipes or as a standalone treat kids crave and parents approve.

Find more sweet ideas to inspire confidence and creativity at sunmaid.com.

Gimme S’mores Trail Mix

Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6

• 1/2 cup Sun-Maid Vanilla Yogurt Covered Raisins
• 3 cups graham crackers, assorted flavors
• 1 1/2 cups colored mini marshmallows
• 2 cups slivered almonds
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. In large bowl, mix raisins, graham crackers, marshmallows, almonds and chocolate chips.
2. Serve immediately, or store in airtight container up to 1 week.

Photo provided

Apple Nachos

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 minute
Servings: 4

• 5 sweet apples, such as Honeycrisp
• lemon juice (optional)
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Sun-Maid California Sun-Dried Raisins

1. Wash and slice apples.
2. Arrange one layer of sliced apples on serving plate. To keep apples from browning quickly, squeeze lemon juice on top, if desired.
3. In microwave, melt peanut butter about 30 seconds until smooth.
4. Drizzle 1 tablespoon peanut butter over first layer of apples. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup raisins.
5. Repeat with remaining apples, peanut butter and raisins.

SOURCE:
Sun-Maid Raisins

8th Grade Honor Roll announced from Unity Junior High School

TOLONO - Unity Junior High School announced the 8th grade recipients achieving Honor Roll and High Honor Roll status for their academic performance during the third quarter. Congratulations to all the students who earned the requisite grade point average to celebrate the honor.

High Honor Roll

Dominic Russell Baxley
Alex Martin Bromley
Clare Faustina Bryant
Cadence Marie Chandler
Caleb Benjamin Coy
Hudson Lee DeHart
Danika Ann Eisenmenger
Allison Renee Fenter
Journey Maddison Gabbard
Bailee Mae Gadeken
Colton Ray Harmon
Dustin Rose Harris
Avery Nicole Kamradt
Kathryn Clara Knoll
Brooklyn Marie Mumm
Evan Alexander Puckett
Adam Lucas Reedy
Ethan Daniel Schaefer
Lane Edward Sexton
Allyson Lynn Shaw
Evalyn Alexandra Skibbe
Piper Estelle Staley
Grace Lynne Tempel
Leah Marianne Watson
Elizabeth Johnna Wayne
Grace Ann Wherley
Rylan Kade Wolf

Honor Roll

Grace Michele Bickers
Wyatt Leon Blanchard
Paige Nicole Bradley
Matthew James Brady
Maddix Jacob David Briggs
Kydie L Cain
Berkley Jane Cloud
Noah Seyha Conde
Ryan Joseph Cunningham
Braedyn Lucas Dalton
Addison Tyler Davis
Austin Michael Drewes
Reese Bella Frye
Ava Nicole Grace
Olivia Ashlyn Hall
Walker Dale Hall
Ava Fay Jones
Hailey Anne Keck
Rush Matthew Little
Cash Cohen McCann
Carson Wesley McCune
Audrey Claire McDaniel
Landrey Michelle Mohr
Nicole Elizabeth Paeth
Sadie Jane Polonus
Max Warren Rossi
Austin Paul Scott
Alyssa Renae Shields
Isaac Benjamin Siegwald
Gabrielle Marie Spanglo
Jacob Michael Ward
Jonathan Dean Warren
Maggie Jean Weckle
Camden William Wood
Addison Danielle Wyatt
Joel Mitchell Yergler
Kendal Lea Zerrusen

Unity Junior High 7th Grade Honor Roll

TOLONO - Last week, Unity Junior High School announced the names of seventh-grade students who achieved honor roll and high honor roll status after the third quarter. Congratulations to the students who earned the requisite grade point average to celebrate the honor.

High Honor Roll

Joseph William Willard Baird
Patrick Benjamin Baxley
Beckam Krystopher-Wayde Brown
Brilynn Creola Cain
Jackson Christopher Cheely
Shamya Merari Davis
Soren Lovell Davis
Andrew Patrick Donovan
Dillon Michael Ellars
Kaylee Grace Estes
Carson David Fairbanks
Reagan Elizabeth Lisle Fisher
Mackinzee Brooke Gumm
Hallie Lynn Handal
Jordan Stephen Harmon
Tessa Lynn Horn
Karleigh Grace Jamison
Lincoln Banner Johnson
Joseph Brooks Kamradt
Khison Able Kern
Tatum Anne Kirby
Bryan Michael Kleiss
Nolan Mark Tempel Meharry
Dalton Robert Moose
Rhianna Olivia Ocasio
Kandace Lachelle Reed
Mia Lynn Reifsteck
JaNiyla Nicole Robinson
Caleb Arthur Saxon
Carter Charles Schmid
Sophia Grace Seidlitz
Ian James Skibbe
Lillie Jean Vanderpool
Kole David VanSickle
Gavin James Warren
Sawyer Allen Franks Weller
John William White
Austin James Wiersema
Olivia Ann Williams
Olivia Ruth Witheft
Aydrean Wood
Cole Thomas Zorns

Honor Roll

Cameron Pierre Barnes
Cooper Charles Beckett
Brayden Michael Burke
Sadie Jo Carpenter
Madison Grace Castor
Skyler Andrew Chilton
Kinzey Nicole Duitsman
Nolan Myles Elliott
Haley Elizabeth Ennis
Cohen Fincham
Zoe Margaret Fish
Shae Lin Fournier
Brady Cullen Harris
Roman James Hastings
McKenzie Kathryn Heiple
Brooke Raelynn Henson
Joel Ryan Hoewing
Jax Hunter Logsdon
Tysen Mac McConaha
Clint Michael McCormick
Payten Renee Niles
Larissa Marie Parr
Clayton Wyatt Pruitt
Journee Lynn Ring
Lillian Yvonne Ring
Riley May Schendel
Caleb Joshua Siegwald
Bradley Scott Smith Jr
Adilynn Michelle Wilson
Reece Earl Winfrey
Makaylah Winland

Unity Junior High 6th Grade Honor Roll

TOLONO - Last week, Unity Junior High School announced the names of sixth-grade students who achieved honor roll and high honor roll status in the third quarter. Congratulations to the students who earned the requisite grade point average to celebrate the honor.

High Honor Roll

Kenny Wayne Adcock
Lilly Annabelle Bailes
Brooklyn Blair Bates
Ethan Earl Bent
Elizabeth Joanne Berkey
Katherine Elaine Berkey
Konnor Lewis Bletscher
Sylvia Lola Cahill
Kale Boden Cowan
Trevor Daniel Coy
Alec Joseph Daly
Amelia Marie Good
Hayden Bradley Grussing
Aubrie Paige Gumm
Jordan Elizabeth Hamilton
Kynedy Ashlynn Hoel
Alivia Krall
Adeline Marie Marinelli
Lilly Madelyn Meharry
Ellery Merkle
Jacklynn Kay Alexandra Moore
Kelvin Justus Moose
Holden William ONeill
Carolina Maria Pagaduan Popovics
Luc Sandor Marcelo Popovics
Maxwell Douglas Powers
Marina Ray Price
Maya Alexis Rawdin
Bella Rose Robbins
Skylar Grace Savona
Vivian Rosalie Shunk
Jasper Lee Souza
Dylan Robert Stierwalt
Olivia Jane Styan
Jack Christopher Terven
Deklyn James Thomas
Hayley Olivia Thompson
Cassandra Pearl Thweatt
Charles Reider Watson
Quentin Stephen Webber
Hallee Ann Weber Patterson
Henry Joseph White
Ethan Matthew Wishall
Ashton Jace Wolf

Honor Roll

Kelsey Marie Adcock
Carter Ryan Bickers
Christian Cremeens
McKenzie Lynn Deakin
Emma Nicole Denney
Sophia Hope Dillman
Evan Matthew Donaldson
Jase Charles Eisenmenger
Levi Amari Flowers
Ian Robert Gaines
Jaxson Edward Glad
Samuel Bentley Hollett
Owen Dean Hottman
Kaiyanna Renee LeForge
Cora Dee Leonard
Jauniyah Rosemarie Lisanby
Russell Patrick McCabe
Scarlet Rosemary McCann
Lane Lucas Meharry
Tatum Faith Meharry
Baeden Edward Millsap-Moore
Lillian Calen Mohr
Hayden Andrew Moore
Alexis Nicole OBryan
Marley Rae Parks
Jaxon David Pendleton
Henry Scott Ritchie
Madelyn Olivia Roth-Robertson
Sophia Isabella Schuckman
Connor Allen Schwartz-Rouse
Austin David Shafer
Hayden Dale Smith
Tucker Douglas Stierwalt
Virgil Laurence Summitt
Jayden Michael Terven
Lucas Neal Williams
Olivia Lynn Wilson
Adam Scott Wolken

Smart devices are triggering a real pain in the neck for some people

by Paul Arco
OSF Healthcare

ROCKFORD - Technology is all around us. From our laptops to tablets, many of us are consumed with our gadgets for hours on end. In fact, various reports say the average person in the United States spends between five and 10 hours each day on their smartphones, computers, video games, and TVs.

But with all this screen time comes potential health problems. A condition known as “tech neck” is the stressing of the muscles while looking down at items such as phones or computers for long periods of time.

“Technology which is affecting your neck is the best way I can put it," says Dr. Nandini Chattopadhyay, a family practice physician with OSF HealthCare. "Technology can mean phones, iPhones, tablets, computers and their overall effect on the neck, shoulders, upper back, which has been a problem in the recent years and that’s what tech neck is all about.”

Some are calling this problem the new carpal tunnel syndrome.

“In tech neck, we see the neck being affected because of the technology," says Dr. Chattopadhyay.  "More often than not, it's the nerves which are running from the back of the head to your neck and shoulders, which becomes weak because of the way that people do these activities and looking at technology devices. The relationship between nerve and pain in terms of neck is now called the new carpal tunnel of this era.”

Tech neck affects both adults and children, but symptoms vary and can be different for each person, says Dr. Chattopadhyay, who has treated patients as young as five. The repetitive strain on the bones, nerves, and muscles caused by looking down at a phone or laptop, for example, can cause joint inflammation, pinched nerves, arthritis, and even herniated discs.

So if I started at the head, then it can be headaches, changes in vision and needing glasses at a much younger age than what you would usually need," says Dr. Chattopadhyay. "Then it’s a lot of neck stiffness, then weakness of your upper back. A lot of tension of the muscles on the upper back. Gradually the pain goes all the way down to the lower back and then you feel numbness and tingling in your arms. These are some of the common symptoms that I see.”

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Nandini Chattopadhyay, MD

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There are ways to prevent tech neck, such as maintaining good posture, using a smartphone holder, investing in a monitor stand and asking your doctor about physical therapy. The good news is there are treatments that can be effective for tech neck. There’s no need to live with pain if it can be treated, says Dr. Chattopadhyay.

“The management of this comes with the awareness," she adds. "So daily exercises, making sure you're moving around, and have the ability to take breaks from technology devices. That's very important if you're working on the computer every day, then take one or two hours just to yourself to do regular exercises where you're not looking at the computer screen.”

Our phones and other devices are important tools and there’s no reason to give them up, Dr. Chattopadhyay adds. But she does recommends holding the phone at eye level to help reduce the strain. But if you continue to experience any pain, it might be time to visit your doctor.