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Although a chiropractor's main method of treatment typically consists of the spinal adjustment (spinal manipulation), chiropractors also employ many adjunctive therapies and applications in order to provide the most effective and efficient relief from neuromusculoskeletal disorders.
- Primary Therapy
- Soft Tissue & Massage Therapy
- Therapeutic Exercise
- Therapeutic Stretches
- Physiotherapy Modalities
- Employee Health Training and Education
- Diet & Nutritional Counseling
- Lifestyle Modification Counseling
- Wobble Chair
The chiropractic spinal adjustment represents the cornerstone of the chiropractic treatment. Spinal adjustments are used successfully to treat a variety of soft tissue disorders as well as a number of other health problems. Chiropractic doctors are the only health care professionals trained to deliver the chiropractic spinal adjustment.
Spinal adjustments or spinal manipulation is the process of applying a quick but gentle pressure to "subluxated" vertebrae in a corrective manner. The adjustments are not and should not be painful. In fact, most patients look forward to their chiropractic adjustments as they usually provide relief from discomfort and increase one's sense of well being. Many years of study and practice are necessary to acquire the skills of providing an effective and safe spinal adjustment.
Adjusting is done in many ways. Dr. Erdman uses the latest in adjusting techniques and instruments. Besides adjusting by hand, he uses a precision spinal adjusting instrument which does repetitive tapping. This is used to eliminate resistance from the irritated tissue and give a more complete adjustment. When severe pain would prevent normal adjusting, this instrument can give an adjustment with substantially less pain. Specifically designed tables also are used to deliver adjustments. These techniques are used to be more specific and to deliver the adjustment with the most pain-free method as possible.
Research has shown spinal adjustments to be a very effective treatment in numerous conditions, including back pain. This is because spinal adjustments correct many of the structural, biomechanical and neurological abnormalities of the spine which cause or contribute to a high number of back, neck, and other non-spinal ailments.
Adjunctive Therapies
Soft Tissue & Massage Therapy:
There are a number of soft tissue therapy techniques which can be successfully employed to assist in the reduction of pain and muscle tightness and spasm. Some of these include massage therapy, trigger point therapy, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, and PTLMS. PTLMS is a hand held instrument which delivers a specific percussive muscle treatment designed to relieve spasm, disperse toxic substances and decrease painful soft tissue fibrosis. The need and benefits of these therapies vary from patient to patient. Depending on your condition and response to treatment we may incorporate one or more of these therapies into your treatment plan.
Exercise For Life: Exercise is essential for a long, healthy, and vibrant life. It has been scientifically shown to increase health by lowering blood cholesterol levels, strengthening the immune system, lowering body fat, increasing one's sense of well-being, and increasing muscle strength, tone, and function.
Chiropractors understand the importance of exercise and the essential role it plays in health. We encourage all patients to participate in physical activities which promote cardiovascular health, and we will be glad to assist you in finding an enjoyable and beneficial activity. We do recommend those over the age of 40 or those with known health problems to consult our office prior to initiating any exercise regimen.
Exercise for Injuries: Therapeutic exercises for the neck, back, and extremities are an essential part of the rehabilitative process following injury. Chiropractic doctors commonly prescribe specific strengthening and stabilizing exercises and stretches for their patients with back, neck, and extremity problems.
Exercises provide many benefits during the healing and preventative stages. Early on, exercise prevents muscle deterioration and promotes joint health. Later on, exercises increase strength, proprioception (the ability of your body parts to know where they are in space), and stability to protect from new injuries and recurrences of past problems.
Exercise For Posture Correction: Postural correction exercises are the only way you can change the actual shape of your spine. And changing your spine from abnormal posture to more normal posture is the only way to help eliminate recurrence of your musculoskeletal problem. We use exercises which are performed with very low weight, and a longer, sustained contraction of muscle. Most times they are performed on only one side of the body. Many times these are a sustained isometric exercise, which means certain muscles are tightened, but no movement occurs. This type of exercise is proven to change structural defects that cause pain. Dr. Erdman will tell you if these exercises can make changes in your particular case. Not everyone can change their spinal posture. It depends on many factors.
Therapeutic stretching is important to prevent scar tissue and adhesion formation following injury. Stretching is most effective when initiated early on in the treatment plan before scar tissues become permanent.
Maintaining a regular stretching program once the rehabilitation stage of treatment has been completed will help keep tissues flexible and loose, increasing mobility and preventing the development of new injuries.
Stretching does help when scar tissue has already developed from old injuries. It will help the fibrotic tissue to become as stretchable, pliable, and plastic as possible.
There are some physiotherapy modalities which in certain cases can provide additional pain relief and accelerated healing. Some of these more common modalities include many forms of muscle stimulation, laser treatments, active therapeutic movement (ATM), and decompression traction therapy.
Employee Health Training & Education
Employee health training and education is aimed at reducing work-related injuries. Optimal workstation setup, the employment of ergonomics, training of proper lifting techniques, adequate physical conditioning, and the employment of appropriate safety precautions all play important roles in employee health, work injury prevention, and employee satisfaction.
Part of any successful and effective treatment plan should address these issues.
Please contact our office if you have sustained a work-related injury or if you are interested in learning how to best protect yourself or your employees while in the work environment.
Dietary and nutritional imbalances are responsible for and contribute to a great number of disorders and illnesses which are prevalent in today's society. The top killers such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer have all been linked in numerous ways to diet and nutrition.
Doctors of chiropractic receive thorough training in the areas of human diet and nutrition. We can advise you on dietary and nutritional regimen to minimize the risk of developing these killer conditions and to assist your body in achieving and maintaining optimal health and superior wellness.
Lifestyle Modification Counseling
Good health is much more than the absence of pain or discomfort. Health exists along a very wide scale, and where you are on that scale largely depends on the lifestyle choices you make on a daily basis. Years of many small unhealthy choices can manifest into very serious health problems. Unhealthy choices include habitually poor posture, improper lifting techniques, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, excessive reliance on medication, excessive soda and coffee consumption, excessive saturated fat consumption, excessive grain consumption, lack of water intake, lack of nutritious fruits and vegetable, and excessive mental stress. These slowly chip away at your good health. We can help you sort through and identify those unhealthy decisions and provide you with practical strategies to deal with and effectively manage them.
A specially designed lower back therapy is done on a wobble chair. This equipment specifically allows full lumbar range of motion exercise which help to rehabilitate the lumbar spinal musculature and discs.