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TREATMENT
Spinal Manipulation
Spinal Manipulation Therapy
Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) is a safe and effective form of treatment for a wide range of joint problems in the body. SMT, or adjusting, consists of a quick and gentle mobilization delivered to immobile joints in the body that restores natural joint motion and biomechanics. Dysfunctional joint motion and biomechanics tend to either be the cause or the effect of most musculoskeletal pain, and making sure that the body moves the way it was intended to allows the fastest route for the body to heal. SMT also tends to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system thereby allowing the body to rest, digest, and recover optimally. It’s this stimulation that usually causes that “Ahhhh” feeling after getting adjusted.
SMT can induce a “popping” noise in the joint, which is essentially the joint gapping and gases in the joint moving around. This is totally normal and safe, but not required for the positive effects of SMT!
Physical Rehab
Physical Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Exercise
Physical Rehabilitation is arguably the most important aspect of what our office offers. Physical Rehabilitation essentially takes a more broad and functional approach to healthcare by providing loading strategies, repetitive motions, postural correction exercises, sport specific exercises, return to work protocols, and more. The day to day application of this is 100% patient dependent. That means if you’re an olympic weightlifter, your physical rehabilitation will look vastly different than the 75 year old sweet granny that wants to play with her grandkids. Physical rehabilitation in our office will include some form of lifting weights, core stability drills, or repetitive motions to correct and improve function. While the manual work we provide is vital to letting us access the patient’s nervous system, the rehabilitation we provide allows the patient to functionally improve in their daily lives and “hit the save button” on all the in-office improvements they have made.
The importance of physical rehabilitation is a main reason why we practice out of multiple gyms, as well as have an office that resembles a gym facility. Active care plans that are specific to the tasks of the patient lend themselves to increased compliance, and pain-free, happy patients, which is why we do what we do!
Soft Tissue Therapy
Soft Tissue Manual Therapy
Soft Tissue Manual Therapy encompasses a lot of different techniques like Massage, Ischemic Compression, Cupping, Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation, Pin & Stretch, Reciprocal Release, Post Isometric Relaxation and more. These techniques all address muscles, fascia, and the nervous system to promote a release of tension and easier, more fluid motion at each joint. These techniques don’t “break up adhesions” or “scar tissue”, but they essentially interrupt pain signals to the brain, and allow the brain to stop guarding the injured joints, muscles and fascial attachments. Much like manual stretching, these techniques open up a neurological window where less pain and better function are seen which makes the physical rehabilitation much more effective. These techniques feel great, and generally leave you feeling very relaxed and mobile. Just be sure that you follow these techniques up with rehabilitation to “hit save” on the improvements being made.
Click here to see what the research says about Soft Tissue Manual Therapy..
Manual Stretching
Manual Stretching
Manual Stretching is a form of mobility work in which the patient is able to fully relax and allow the clinician to passively increase the length and tension in muscles that are overly tight. While we know that manual stretching doesn’t permanently increase the length of muscles, there is typically a transient neurological relaxation in the area being stretched, which should allow for more effective rehab to be implemented. It’s important to note that manual stretching doesn’t need to be extremely painful, or done for extended periods of time to achieve this effect. We typically use manual stretching as a part of the treatment of hypertonic muscles and immobile joints. We think of manual stretching as “typing up the important document” and the physical rehabilitation that follows it as “hitting the save button” so that your body can hold onto these changes in range of motion!
Click here to see what the research says about Manual Stretching Techniques..
Dry Needling
Dry Needling
Dry Needling is a common soft tissue treatment for aching muscles, tendons, and joints. While it looks similar to acupuncture, Dry Needling treats the tissue where the needle is inserted into, and focuses more on musculoskeletal dysfunction rather than treating systemically. Typically Dry Needling works best at muscles that are being overworked, as well as other soft tissues by creating a minor inflammatory response and causing the body to rush healing nutrients to the area of complaint. It also affects the sensors in the soft tissues that control pain and tonicity thereby allowing the injured area to heal. Dry Needling is minimally painful, safe, and massively effective for a number of musculoskeletal conditions!
Click here to see what the research says about Dry Needling..
Blood Flow Restriction
Blood Flow Restriction Training
Blood Flow Restriction Therapy is a cutting-edge rehabilitation tool that essentially allows for increases in muscle hypertrophy, aerobic capacity, and functional capacity in populations who aren’t necessarily able to rehabilitate effectively yet. BFR consists of partially occluding peripheral blood vessels to accelerate fatigue of the local musculature. This means that the patient can experience many positive rehabilitation effects from light resistance and intensity work. Blood Flow Restriction also has been shown to have positive effects on the aerobic system, and in the structure of injured tendons! The coolest part about BFR is that even though so much research has been done, more research comes out daily showing its clinical efficacy!
Click here to see what the research says about Blood Flow Restriction Training..
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