Chiropractic Adjustment
The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.” The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.
American Chiropractic Association Definition
Myofascial Release
Fascia is a seamless web of connective tissue that covers and connects the muscles, organs, and skeletal structures in our body, which is located between the skin and the underlying structure of muscle and bone. Muscle and fascia form the myofascia system. Injuries, stress, inflammation, trauma, and poor posture can cause restriction to fascia. Since fascia is an interconnected web, the restriction or tightness to fascia at a place, with time can spread to other places in the body like a pull in a sweater. The goal of myofascial release is to release fascia restriction and restore its tissue health in order to decrease pain, increase range of motion, and restore proper biomechanics. This is accomplished through deep pressure techniques to the restricted fascia.
Neuromuscular Re-education
Neuromuscular re-education is used to improve balance, coordination and posture by retraining faulty muscle patterns that cause pain, loss of range of motion and joint injury. These faulty muscle patterns can arise slowly over time because of bad posture or may be due to an acute injury. Muscles normally work together in harmony in order to accomplish a task such as lifting a box. Certain muscles must contract while others relax. Improper muscle patterns form when this balance becomes disrupted due to tight, weak or injured muscles. This technique restores this balance through stretching, balancing, postural retraining, or strengthening exercises.
