It’s a statement we commonly hear. “But you don’t treat that, so I will go see my (fill in the blank here) for that.”
Knee pain, leg pain, shoulder pain, Jaw pain! Dizziness, vertigo (we can write a whole article on this alone). Are all conditions that we deal with on a daily basis. So why is it that we commonly hear, “But you don’t treat that.”
One of the reasons it could be is that we are thought of as spinal people “Bone crackers”(here is another whole article.) “Chiropractors just crack your back.”
While we do have a strong focus on the spine, chiropractors in their five years of study undertake 2 years of rehabilitation. In fact, for their first 2 years in uni chiropractic students study everything relating to the extremities, fingers, ankles, knees, wrist and elbows. The old song, “Dem Bones”. You know the one. “The knee bone is connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone is connected to the hip bone, the hip bone is connected to the to the back bone, dem bones, dem bones dem bones.” Well the song is correct. All dem bones are connected. Not only are the bones connected but the whole body! It is like a rope, made up of many fine strands that work together to make the entire rope.
Our body is a complex interconnection of processes and systems, one thing affects another. The spinal cord (Which is housed in the spine) helps connect them all together. When one of these systems lets us down, say the knee bone (Arthritis, meniscus tear, ACL, patella femoral pain syndrome, bursitis, infrapatella fat pad etc) it can set off a cascade of other symptoms else where in the body. This is where honing in on the issue and helping strengthening/stretching decreasing load on a joint all come into the rehab process.
To learn more about how a chiropractor can help you to rehabilitate, read on.
WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC REHABILITATION?
Most people have heard of chiropractors – someone who treats back pain and conditions – but not everyone knows about chiropractic rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is used to treat a variety of medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
The body is made up of interconnecting bones and tissues that wear and take various strains during our daily lives. Sometimes our body can take a shock that requires recovery and rehabilitation. For best results it’s recommended a professional practitioner be by your side to ensure you get a fast and effective recovery in the right direction.
WHO NEEDS IT?
The short answer to this question is anyone who is experiencing musculoskeletal problems. These may have been caused by a fall, a break, or repetitive stress injuries. Lets look at a common process we see all the time. “I wasn’t doing anything, I was just sitting watching TV and got up to get something and bam she went.” It hurts to breath, sit for long periods of time, movement is worse, such as walking, sitting for long periods of time. Initially the body goes into shock and braces. Muscles contract to guard and protect the area that has been injured. Then the inflammation sets in. Inflammation initially is a good thing. It encourages blood flow to the area which has the ability to clean and heal the area. This is the throbbing feeling you get with pain. Sometimes inflammation gets carried away or lasts too long.
After 12 weeks the pain is can be pretty much gone. However since then you have noticed your shoulders are getting tight, you might have a headache, or knee pain. This is all due to the compensatory posture you have taken to brace yourself while waiting for the pain to go away.
The data speaks for itself. According to international figures, lower back pain, is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. It is this area of the spine that is subjected to the most movement and stress, resulting in back pain and problems. Chiropractic rehabilitation can benefit anyone and is freely available.
WHY USE A CHIROPRACTOR?
Chiropractors aren’t only trained in adjusting the body. If you need some physical rehabilitation you may not think of a chiropractor at first. Most people assume that chiropractors are back specialists who can’t assist with issues in other parts of the body. In reality a chiropractor studies holistic rehabilitation extensively during a 5 year degree/masters training.
Over 2 years chiropractors concentrate on training in rehabilitation. As such we are well equipped to help with rehabilitation work. An effective chiropractor will address muscle weakness, tightness (Short muscles) along with muscles that aren’t firing by assigning exercises that are done in the ARC pilates/rehab studio or at home.
ARE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS SAFE?
When you first visit a chiropractor you might be concerned about some of the movements and noises you hear. A chiropractor is very agile with your body and you may hear disconcerting popping and clicking noises as they work. Don’t be alarmed, this is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.
The fact is that your body makes these noises all the time, you can’t hear them usually because they are so low frequency. When the chiropractor pops bones into place they are simply realigning the natural position of your spine bones. Over time you will become more comfortable with these noises and view them as a good thing.
WHAT IS REHABILITATION GOOD FOR?
Chiropractic rehabilitation is excellent for a range of purposes and a diverse range of people. Before pregnancy, most women already have some form of lower back trouble, but this can worsen with the extra weight placed on the pelvic bones and lumbar spine. Rehabilitation is recommended after the baby’s birth.
Chiropractic rehabilitation is also excellent for athletes and teenagers who go through quick changes to their bones structures and muscle conditions. Following an injury or a growth spurt, an individual can benefit from some rehabilitation to ensure that the body and skeleton is well optimized and ready for it’s lifestyle.
CONCLUSION
Although most people don’t think a chiropractor can help them rehabilitate a chiropractor has undergone significant training at degree level to solve these issues. Not only are we skilled in mobilising the spine. But we are trained in mobilisation and restoration of ankles, knees, hips, shoulder elbows etc. “The knee bone is connected to the thigh bone.” At both our clinics Nambour Chiropractic and Bli Bli Chiropractic we offer rehab. However our Nambour Chiropractic Clinic has a fully equipped studio where we offer one on one, small group, rehab and pilates classes. So next time your knee bone starts playing up. Yep we treat that too.