Medical Advisory Board

BackJoy’s Medical Advisory Board comprises distinguished medical professionals and leaders of various backgrounds who jointly share their expertise and experience regarding posture and back pain. The board serves to advance BackJoy products, programs and thought leadership and to educate our consumers about the importance of correct posture and biomechanics.

 

Dr. Christopher Abood, MD

Neurosurgeon, President/CEO at Lansing Neurosurgery

Dr. Abood was born and raised in the Lansing. After High School he attended the University of Notre Dame and then Michigan State University Medical School. He chose Neurosurgery because of the technical demands and the reward of helping people overcome difficult problems. Following medical school he trained in Neurosurgery in Chicago at Northwestern and the University of Illinois. He joined Lansing Neurosurgery in 1997 after completing his training with a Spine Surgery Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. The results of his research have been published in several journals including the Journal of Neurosurgery. His cases cover the range of neurosurgical disorders, including brain tumors, head trauma, spinal disorders, spinal infections and trauma. His goal for Lansing Neurosurgery is that it remain a world-class provider of neurosurgical care to the greater Lansing community.

Dr. Abood enjoys spending time with his son, especially on Lake Michigan. He is active with many community service organizations serving children and those in need. He is a Board member of the Greater Lansing Food Bank, established by his Father, Camille Abood in 1981. Dr. Abood also works with Ele’s Place, the Catholic Diocese of Lansing, the Sparrow Foundation, Michigan State University, Volunteers of America, Think First Chapter of Greater Lansing, and St. Vincent Children’s Home.

  

Janice Novak

Posture Expert

Janice Novak is an author, speaker and wellness consultant who teaches workshops and seminars for hospitals, corporations and professional organizations. Novak has her Masters Degree in Health and Physical Education and is best known for her book,Posture, Get It Straight! Look Ten Years Younger, Ten Pounds Thinner and Feel Better Than Ever.

She runs a posture website (improveyourposture.com) which offers free posture assessments, a posture blog and newsletter and also advertises her workshops, books and DVDs. Novak has been refining her posture improvement program throughout the past 25 years and currently resides outside of and teaches classes including Posture: Get It Straight, Absolutely Abdominals, Women, Weight and Hormones, and more. Another class, called Acupressure Plus, focuses on the ancient art of acupressure, which helps you find pressure points and can help improve a variety of healthy concerns from migraines to sinus pressure to digestive upsets.

 

Erik Peper, PhD

Posture researcher and internationally known holistic health, stress management and biofeedback expert, San Francisco State University

Erik Peper is a researcher (researching how a simple change of posture can affect mood) and internationally known expert on holistic health, stress management, and biofeedback. He received his BA from Harvard University. Peper teaches at San Francisco State University where he was instrumental in establishing the Institute for Holistic Health Studies, the first holistic health program at a public university in the U.S.

Dr. Peper is former president of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback and of the Biofeedback Society of California, and was the sports psychologist for the U.S. Olympic Gymnastic Team for four years. He received a State of California Governor's Employee Safety Award in 2004 for his contributions to improving workplace health for computer users. As a recognized expert on stress management and workplace health and the author of numerous books and articles, and blog, www.peperperspective.com. Dr. Peper lectures and teaches frequently all over the world.

 

Keith Pyne, DC

Doctor of Chiropractic

Dr. Keith Pyne, managing partner of SportsLab NYC, currently specializes in working with specific injuries primarily within the world of professional sports. Dr. Pyne’s treatment concentrates in neuromuscular structural integration that resolves injuries and biomechanical discrepancies by addressing the problem in the body’s kinetic chain system.

He has created specific applications that result in accelerated recovery and permanent elimination of underlying problems linked to injury. Unlike traditional methodologies and other approaches that are symptom-focused and may provide temporary relief, Dr. Pyne’s methods correct the actual causal, often unrecognized, pain source. Dr. Pyne’s treatment protocols accelerate the return to play, which is paramount in avoiding neuro-compensation.

Dr. Keith Pyne is also on the Board of Directors and Medical Advisory Board for Biosara Medical Products in regard to the development of new wound care management. Dr. Pyne is in the process of a new neurological model involving proprioception, neuroplasticity through the vestibular ocular reflex, for both performance and rehabilitation.