Every time a patient comes to my office, I’m interested in one crucial question: Is your body stuck or is it adapting?
That information gives me a snapshot of where you are from a musculoskeletal standpoint. And that’s what determines whether an upper cervical adjustment will be helpful or not at that time.
Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal and adapt when the upper cervical vertebrae are aligned. But when the top two vertebrae, the atlas and axis, are out of alignment, they can put pressure on the brainstem.
This interferes with the nervous system and inhibits communication between the brain and the body, causing pain and health concerns for many people.
At any point, your body may be on its way to correcting a skeletal misalignment (adapting), or it may be stuck. That’s why the specific, scientific approach of upper cervical chiropractic is so helpful. Every time I see a patient, I’m able to use objective tools to evaluate if an adjustment is needed.
I believe my patients benefit most from a “minimalist” approach to chiropractic care. Simply put, that means:
Your body naturally tries to adapt and find the alignment that’s right for you. When your body is doing what it’s supposed to do, I leave it alone — and help you find ways to feel better while your body is healing. When it’s stuck, I provide a very specific, small correction. Then I allow that to sink in and see if your body will continue adapting on its own.
I explained this to one of my riding patients the other day, and she said, “Horse people will definitely understand that philosophy!”
Do you give an aid or correction to your horse regardless of whether it’s needed? Of course not. And, you probably adhere to the “less is more” approach, using the smallest aid that gets the result you’re looking for.
In the chiropractic arena, the minimalist approach means that you will get an evaluation every time you see me, but you’ll only receive a chiropractic adjustment if you need one, and any correction will be as small and specific as possible to achieve the desired effect. We’re looking for a change over time…the goal is to get lasting results that hold, by allowing your body to do its job.
HOW CAN I TELL IF YOU NEED AN ADJUSTMENT?
Sometimes when we’re faced with the “Are you stuck or adapting?” dilemma, the answer correlates with how you feel. Sometimes, it doesn’t. That’s why I use several objective methods of evaluation each time I see you, including infrared thermography and functional leg checks, as well as a subjective assessment based on how you feel to gauge your progress.
There are times when your body is working its way toward better alignment and healing on its own – even if you can’t feel the progress yet. Alternatively, you may be “stuck” and will benefit from an adjustment, even if you’re feeling relatively pain-free that day.
SMALL SHIFT, DRAMATIC RESULTS
As an equestrian athlete, you enjoy a sport where tiny modifications make a big difference in how you feel while you’re riding and how effective you are.
But unlike most athletes, your control over your own body affects more than just you.
Not all my chiropractic patients have a 1,200-pound partner who can tell when you’ve just tipped your head forward, slumped your shoulders or leaned a bit to your left.
A tiny shift can make a big difference when you ride. And not surprisingly, the most minute shift in your skeletal structure has a dramatic effect on your body too. Even small misalignments can cause big problems.
Feel free to schedule a no-obligation phone call with me to learn more about upper cervical care, regardless of your goals — whether you have ongoing aches and pains, an injury that’s preventing you from riding as you did before, or even if you’re just interested in remaining injury free and staying in the saddle as long as possible.
Let me put the MINIMALIST chiropractic approach to work for you…specific, small corrections for lasting results.