CHCA Blog

For this entry, I felt we should touch on what exactly Chiropractic is and what are some goals we try to attain when we see you in our office. The Chiropractic Profession represents a distinct, natural, vitalistic and conservative health care paradigm that is both scientifically valid and philosophically grounded. It is based on the proven hypothesis that proper structure of the spine is required for optimal function of the nervous system.  Your nervous system controls every single bodily function so you can see its importance. That is it…that is the basis of what we do. Of course, it goes without saying that we use our hands and we do not use drugs or surgery. We do know however, that there is a time and place for more invasive means of healing and if you have a good Chiropractor, that doctor will know where those lines are to be drawn. Our main objective is to locate and correct the vertebral subluxation complex or VSC. The VSC is defined as a dysfunctional spinal segment that is fixated or misaligned in relation to its counterpart above or below, causing some type of neuromuscular or visceral disorder. When we find a VSC we correct it with what is called an adjustment. Some docs use tools and some use their hands. The adjustment is a corrective thrust to the spine to free the fixation or misalignment. A subluxation can be found in other areas of the body not just the spine. We also correct extremity issues as well. The body’s response to to a subluxation may be muscle spasm, pain and inflammation. The inflammation in the observed area can increase pressure on a nerve, while inflammatory chemicals can place undue stress on the nerves that supply various organs and soft tissue. So you can see how a subluxation can adversely affect your overall health. Other important factors for overall health that you will want to address are nutrition and exercise.

There is a misconception out there that all Chiropractors are anti-medicine and claim to cure everything….I am here to tell you that that is false. I believe that a conservative approach is the first line of defense and that if the non-invasive means does not improve or resolve the issue that patient should be referred to the next level. I believe in bridging the gap so we can co-manage the patient with their best interest in mind. If I am seeing a patient with a disc issue and I do not see relief after a reasonable period of time, that patient is referred to a nuerosurgeon.

When you come to our office the typical first appointment will consist of a thorough health history, exam and x-ray. We will look at your x-rays and exam findings and devise a treatment plan and go over it with you in detail. We typically see patients that come in due to some type of pain so our first goal is to get you out of pain. Another misconception is that when you start to see a Chiropractor you need to keep coming back and the frequency of visits is outrageous. If this is happening to you then you are seeing the wrong doctor. A treatment plan is always based on the individual and the condition.

In Chiropractic we recognize 3 types of care.

The first is relief care. The patient’s first concern is feeling better.  So, in the beginning, visits are usually more frequent.  In many acute situations, visits utilizing chiropractic adjustments may be combined with other procedures such as neuromuscular massage, electric muscle stimulation or ultrasound.  Depending upon your age, condition, and lifestyle, repeated visits over weeks and hopefully not months may be needed to reduce your symptoms. This is where we work to get you out of the initial stage of the pain.

The second stage is rehabilitative or corrective care. Research suggests ligaments and muscles that support your spine and joints can take longer to heal than indicated by how you feel.  Your body continues to heal these soft tissues after your symptoms are gone.  With your ache or pain reduced, the goal of corrective care is for more complete healing to occur.  At this stage, visit frequency is often reduced.  We may at this point recommend some type of supplementary care such as exercises, dietary/lifestyle changes, or other self-care procedures.  Without complete healing, you may be at risk for the pain to come back.

The third and last type of care is wellness care. Once your body has fully healed, chiropractic wellness care can help ensure that your physical problems do not return.  Chiropractic wellness care keeps your nervous system working at its full potential keeping you in optimal physical condition.  This along with a good diet and exercise program are the best to  look, feel and stay healthy. When you make chiropractic wellness care a part of your lifestyle, you avoid many of the aches and pains that so many people suffer with.  I typically recommend coming in at this point maybe once a month. Wellness care will keep your joints mobile so that they will last longer, allowing you to participate in more of the activities you love to do.  Joints like to move and if they don’t, over time, things like Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD or Arthritis) will develop.

It is at these last 2 stages that we see so many patients drop out of care. If you take anything away from this post I hope it is that health is a lifelong committment and Chiropractic is an integral part to looking and feeling better.

Christopher A. Bowers, D.C., C.C.E.P.

CHCA has just implemented a new program and a first for Chiropractic offices in Cedar Rapids. It is called Functional Movement Screens or FMS. FMS is for the typical patient as well as the seasoned athlete. The typical patient will benefit from remaining pain free and an increase in activities of daily living. The athlete will benefit from analysis of fundamental movements for an increase in the ability to perform these essential patterns. FMS is a program developed in 1997 by a group of guys including Gray Cook, PT, OCS. The approach takes us to a more integrated and functional approach and incorporating the principles of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), muscle synergy and motor learning. Functional movement is an integral part of the modern discipline of rehabilitation.

FMS is comprised of 7 fundamental movement patterns and is based on stabilizing movements, mobility and basic locomotor patterns. These include the deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk stability push up and rotary stability quadruped. The screen is then scored on a scale of 0-3…with 0 meaning with pain and 3 is a perfect score. Why are some atheletes “iron-clad” when working out and some are getting hurt??? We need to think of injury prevention, durability ie., efficiency and performance enhancement. We see many risk factors including flexibility, strength, power, balance, previous injury and anatomic alignment. After injury athletes can meet all of the Doc’s parameters for return to play but still be susceptible to injury due to incorrect movement patterns or compensations. It is multifactorial in that injuries can be caused by assymetries and loss of neuromuscular control as well as body size, nutrtion and breathing patterns. This screen will find the weakest link and then we exploit it. Poor movement is a risk factor for both injury and performance. The Indianapolis colts were the first NFL team to use FMS. Players had to reach a certain score to return to play. Now there are many teams seeking FMS certified professionals in all sports. However, as stated previously efficient movements transcend population groups.

Movement starts with the core. Contrary to poular belief the core is not just about the abs. Above your knees and just below the neck actually comprise the core. It includes the anterior and posterior, pelvic floor and diaphragm. We find out where you are leaking energy. There needs to be a balance between mobility and stability, not to mention proprioception. We first go after mobility and when we clear that we address stability issues. Stabilty is not just strength, it is reflex driven. It is under neuromuscular and postural control. Inefficient movements cause compensations which move a joint in an inefficient and unnatural manner. The body will always sacrifice quality for quantity.

Health history is imperative in the FMS program. If you have any pain during the screens we stop that screen and address the issue. We allow patients and atheletes to do only what they can tolerate. Every FMS principle is based on science and is peer reviewed. For more info go to http://functionalmovement.com/.

Christopher A. Bowers, D.C., C.C.E.P.

Cook, G, Burton, L, Hoogenboom, B, Pre-ParticipationScreening:The Use Of Fundamental Movements As An Assessment Of Function Part 1. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. May 2006: Volume 1, number 2.