Yes!

Let’s use this scenario to explain more:

A 45-year-old runner walks into a chiropractic office with pain in her hip. She’s been diagnosed with bursitis and tendinitis and wants to manage her pain.

She recently began running longer distances, and due to changes at work, she spends more time sitting. The two factors have exacerbated injuries to the tissues in her hip.

This is a textbook example of inflammation – the body’s natural way of protecting itself. Chiropractors manage inflammation the same way they manage pain – by looking for the cause and identifying ways to manage symptoms.

Chiropractic treatment for inflammation can include increasing flexibility and strength, adjusting form, and increasing the body’s resilience to workday stressors. For example, in the case of the 45-year-old runner, our recommendation was to reduce the distance she was running every day, as well as her sitting time at work. We manually treated the injured muscles in her hip and introduced hip strengthening exercises. After four weeks, her pain had decreased, and she was back on track to her fitness goals.

“This type of inflammation has a mechanical source,” explains Sarah, “You can use ice, creams and medications, but that doesn’t change the mechanical load on the body. You can’t easily change a mechanical problem with a chemical solution. Increasing her hip strength to smoothly absorb each step meant safer loading on those tendons, less damage and less inflammation.”

Manual chiropractic treatments for inflammation

Chiropractors start by looking for swelling, redness, heat, pain, and sometimes loss of function (such as difficulty walking) in these cases. Treatment options they could recommend could include one or more of the following:

• Low intensity ultrasound, which can have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on joints.
• TENS (transcuatenous electrical nerve stimulation), which involves applying a low strength electrical current to a particular area to relieve acute and chronic pain such as osteoarthritis.
• Spinal manipulation, which can reduce inflammation in the joints of the spine that may cause back pain.

If the inflammation comes from an underlying condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, a chiropractor will write a referral to a family doctor, a rheumatologist or other specialist. While chiropractors are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of these conditions, it is outside their scope of practice to diagnose them. However, once diagnosed, a chiropractor can help manage pain or disability that may result from such inflammatory conditions.

Do you have concerns about inflammation? Contact us for more information.

…. Why understanding the importance of golf biomechanics is key!

The golf swing is a multi-segmented and intricate skill. It requires accurate body awareness and well-coordinated muscular movements. Thankfully the vast array of diagnostic tools such as 3 Dimensional Motion Analysis, Force Plate testing, and Movement assessments strategies now allow for a very precise analysis of the modern day golf swing.

Golf Biomechanics – What is it? 

In essence, golf biomechanics is the analysis of human motion using the principles of physics and physiology.

Whenever a person performs any physical task such as lifting a cup or running, muscles within the body create tension and force across the joints to generate the correct movement. Biomechanics allow us to measure these movements to understand patterns and stress of the joints.

For a golfer wishing to improve their performance, a deeper understanding of golf biomechanics allows for increased performance while decreasing the chance of a possible injury.

Phases / biomechanical movements of the Golf Swing

Biomechanical studies have created a progressive model of the golf swing. To understand the connection between the golf swing, the kinetic chain, anatomy, and the interaction of these three elements we will look at each phase of the golf swing from a biomechanical perspective.

1. Set-up / “address” position

A balanced set up position will provide the correct starting position for the swing.

Recruitment of muscle fibres is low at the set-up stage. The muscles of the body are supporting the body in a specific position and preparing to swing the club. Here however, certain levels of joint mobility, muscular flexibility, and stability are required to hold the correct set-up position. Typically, improper positioning of the body in the set-up stage golf can directly lead to re-routing of the club, poor sequencing, and the development of compensations (and injuries!) in the golf swing. The cause for an improper address position usually comes from poor mobility in specific joints or a lack of stability in certain body parts.

2. Backswing

The backswing starts when the body begins to move the club. At this point the body begins using energy that will be transitioned at the top of the backswing towards the ball and it is the beginning of torque development in the body that will be transitioned into the clubhead at impact. Rotation of the knees, hips, spine, and shoulders continues during the backswing. The important point to remember here is that the entire rotation of these body parts arises around an imaginary axis of the body. The body during this portion of the swing is ´creating´ energy to be released during the downswing phase of the golf swing.

The biomechanical analysis of the backswing suggests that this is the stage of the swing at which speed development begins. Rotation in the lower body, trunk, and shoulders is reliant on joint range of motion, muscular extensibility, stretch reflex, and strength in the lower body, hips, core, and upper back. If your rotation is poor / range of motion suffering, your ability to implement the backswing and develop torque will be weakened.

3. Transition / end of the backswing

This is where the body finishes its backward movement and begins the forward movement.

Again, the transition phase requires a level of joint mobility and stability. Compensations or inefficient movement patterns can arise when a player has limitations in their thoracic spine or hip mobility. Equally a player who cannot stabilize their hips/pelvis will be unable to hold the correct postural position needed to start the downswing phase.

4. Downswing / Double Pendulum

Here torque is generated in the low body, accelerates through the upper body, and then transferred into the club. At this phase of the swing, the bulk of torque is generated by the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core.

The double pendulum effect: This pendulum consists of an upper and lower pendulum. The shoulders (acting as the fixed pivot), arms and hands (the upper pendulum), and the club shaft and club head (the lower pendulum).

5. Impact

The aim of impact is to hit the ball in the correct direction with the desired amount of force. The club head and ball at impact are in contact for approximately half a millisecond, so any error in timing, body positioning, swing sequence, or positioning of the clubface will quickly affect the impact position, ball flight, speed, and direction!

Low handicap players will reach their maximum club head speed at the impact position. Players with biomechanical inefficiencies / physical limitations will lose speed before impact causing a loss of distance and poor ball flight direction.

The impact position includes the release of the hands with precise timing for the transfer of speed to the club head. Clearly physical limitations, poor mechanics, or improper equipment will have an impact.

6. Follow-through

In essence this is the deceleration of the body after contact with the ball and where the sequence of the swing ends.

This stage requires activation of the subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, and pectoralis major. To allow for the dissipation of energy and slowing down of the body also requires a high level of eccentric and stabilization strength of the muscular system. Poor conditioning of the body and limited flexibility may limit the capability of a golfer to carry out this phase of the golf swing well.

How we can help you!

To improve your game, firstly start to understand the principles of golf biomechanics. Secondly, appreciate the differing structures and movements of your golf swing. I.e. recognizing the optimal shoulder and wrist movements will allow you to have consistency with successful chip shots.

As explained it is easy to see how poor conditioning of the body and limited flexibility will affect your game and that is where we at Elite Performance Therapy can help!

We work with both amateurs and professionals and are here to take you to the next level … and it doesn´t need to take long!

Whether it is assisting you with an effective warm up, build strength in a specific part of the body, improve general flexibility or simply to enjoy golf without pain, we can help 😊

What is Scoliosis?

The term scoliosis comes from the Greek word ‘skolios’ which means “curved”, “crooked” or “twisted”.

The spine has normal curves in an anterior-posterior direction, but a curve in a lateral direction is considered abnormal. A normal spine has a curvature of lordosis in the cervical and lumbar regions, and kyphosis in the thoracic and sacral regions. In a healthy person a straight line can be drawn through the cervicothoracic, dorsolumbar and lumbrosacral junctions.

As the spine cannot purely bend laterally – scoliosis involves both lateral flexion and rotation.

Scoliosis is commonly defined as greater than 10° of lateral deviation of the spine from its central axis.

Surprising scoliosis fact number 1

Because of the risk of progression, and the potential consequences if treatment is not forthcoming, much research in the scoliosis field concentrates on adolescent scoliosis – next in line is juvenile scoliosis. The fact is, only about 2-3% of the population in these groups will develop scoliosis. That’s still a very large number of cases, all with a significant risk of progression, but when you crunch the numbers, its clear that older people are, in fact, the most likely to suffer from scoliosis – the risk is nearly 10 times higher!

Research indicates that approximately 30% of those over 60 suffer from scoliosis – the majority of cases are termed “de-novo” which is a scoliosis that develops due to spinal degeneration and can respond well to treatment.

Surprising scoliosis fact number 2

Scoliosis is sometimes more common in males 

It’s true that 75% of adolescent scoliosis cases are females, and since this gets the lions share of attention in the field, it’s little surprise that most screening campaigns and tools are targeted at young girls. That being said, in some instances scoliosis is actually more common in boys. Specifically, this is the case in cases of infantile scoliosis.

Infantile scoliosis is the least common of all forms of idiopathic scoliosis and comprises only about 1% of all idiopathic scoliosis in children. However, about 60% of patients in this group are boys. Infantile scoliosis can sometimes resolve spontaneously, but presents the highest possible risk for progression, so should be monitored and treated urgently.

Surprising scoliosis fact Number 3

Which is better, bracing, treatment or exercise?

…. Actually, it’s all of them !

When it comes to treatment, it’s usually a case of picking the best approach and sticking with it. As it concerns scoliosis treatment, a multiple studies have confirmed that when bracing, exercise and treatment (soft tissue and manipulation) approaches are combined the results are greater than the sum of the parts.

Curve correction with a dual approach is superior to either approach alone.

Surprising scoliosis fact Number 4

Your GP knows a lot less about scoliosis treatment than you might hope.

This point isn’t about criticising GP’s – they do a fantastic job, but there’s only so much any one person can know, and as it goes, scoliosis is fairly low down the list of major concerns for the general population. The situation is especially difficult in the UK, since the National Health Service (NHS) is not in the business of recommending private companies, and the best bracing technologies on the market today are only available privately. It’s for this reason, that you must seek a specialist scoliosis consultation whenever possible – the braces on offer through the NHS are still mainly “passive” options, which don’t correct scoliosis, just try to stop it progressing.

Surprising scoliosis fact number 5

Active bracing is often the most cost-effective option.

Active scoliosis braces, like ScoliBrace, are advanced medical devices and aren’t cheap – and while no one would claim that the cost of a scoliosis bracing treatment is insignificant, in many cases it can be substantially less financially impactful than many other options.

Lets briefly consider the main treatment methodologies available:

Surgery – Through the NHS in the UK, surgery for scoliosis is of course free. So naturally the issue here isn’t a financial one, but rather the cost of surgery is often in terms of complications after the event – or with the disruption that it can cause to a young persons’ life. The UK Scoliosis Clinic isn’t anti-surgery – on the contrary, we know that spinal surgeons can do fantastic work for patients who have no other option – we do, however, believe that surgery should be the last resort since for many, recovery is long and complicated. While it won’t be the case for everyone, recent meta-analyses of published research have suggested that the complication rate could be as high as 89%.

Exercise – Exercise-based treatment plans are only supported by research  for small curves with a low risk of progression and while exercise might initially seem cheaper than bracing, this is only true if the treatment is appropriate. In young growing spines, the risk of scoliosis progressing in moderate to large curves is high, thus a curve must be constantly straightened via a brace rather than through the intermittent use of scoliosis specific exercise. In cases where a brace has been required and only scoliosis specific exercise used, curves will often progress and surgical correction will be required.

Other forms of bracing – Regular readers will know that Scoliosis braces are not created equal. Passive models, which don’t correct scoliosis but attempt to hold the curve in its current position, do absolutely nothing to “treat” the condition.  Other braces on the market, while still active in nature, unlike Scolibrace are often not adjustable – meaning that their corrective capacity is limited, thus a new brace is frequently required as the curve changes. This means that in many cases, an advanced adjustable brace, like ScoliBrace will be cheaper in the long term.

If you want to be skilled at golf, you will at least need desire, determination, hand-eye coordination, …and some talent 😊

For the game itself, you´ll need to develop sound fundamentals, shot-making skills, course management, a keen understanding of the mental aspect of golf, equipment, and physical conditioning. Sounds like we´ve described the perfect modern-day golfer, right?!

Today’s technology means there are endless possibilities to improve your game – from video analysis, Doppler radar, SkyTrack Launch Monitor to an expensive moveable weighted driver –  however, there is one piece of equipment that still gets all too often neglected: your body.

Many golfers feel the psychological component of golf is their greatest challenge, yet completely undervalue the biomechanics and conditioning that is required to play the game well.

To demonstrate this Isy and Sarah at Elite Performance Therapy took on the ultimate challenge: take an already highly skilled golfer and make them even better!

 The Process: How we did it!

Golf instructors can teach you about every aspect of the swing, but what happens when you physically cannot get into those positions? Besides frustration, injury becomes increasingly likely.

To understand what the body can and cannot do, the key starting point is a physical screen to assess a golfer.

The Golf Screen

This is a physical evaluation that brings to the forefront any issues a golfer may encounter. In essence it is a musculoskeletal assessment of the body to identify and isolate physical limitations, which may lead to poor performance and possible injury. Along with a Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), the major components of the kinetic chain involved in the golf swing (the pelvis, thorax and arms) are individually assessed to determine if there is an optimal transfer of load from the ground to the ball. It is also important to include fundamental movements, looking at speed, power, and agility.

Here at Elite Performance Therapy, we have developed our own unique and proven screening process which allows us to consistently track, measure, and develop a player´s golfing performance.

Case Study: John Walker

Aim: To improve his Golf Performance

Full Orthopaedic and Neurological Assessment

We assessed John´s active range of motion (the motion John has when he initiates the movement) and a full passive check of movement (the motion achieved when a practitioner moves the body).

This active versus passive movement gives us an indication of muscle tone and whether there is a structural reason (joint) for lack of movement or a functional reason, such as tight muscles. We did this throughout John´s body which included the neck, shoulders, thoracic, lumbar, hips, knees, ankles, and toes, noting passive and active ranges.

In John´s case, he has had previous hip surgery with bilateral hip resurfaces so we expected to find a significant reduction in hip rotation and restrictions in his squat pattern. However, John actually was able to squat through a full range (better than most) largely due to an excellent outcome from his hip surgery and good ankle flexibility.

What we did find was reduced thoracic mobility, reduced hip rotation (although still a good range), and restricted pelvic rotation. He also had some chronic neck stiffness and upper thoracic stiffness.

The next stage of our assessment was a neurological assessment:

The golf swing requires the power of the arms, but maybe – and surprisingly to some, to hit the ball further and with power a strong core and strong hips are essential. This is the powerhouse for your swing.

Using specific muscle testing we found that John has an inhibited (weak) left glute. The hamstrings fired up well, but they also fatigued quickly.

So, what does this mean?

Power and endurance of power is important to maintain strength throughout your game of golf. In John´s case, a glute that isn´t firing will have significantly affected his power as the glute is an extensor of the hip. Paramount for your golf swing!

To recap: to have the optimum performance you need a range of motion and power!

Treatment Process

Many professional golfers use clinical massage and Chiropractic and there’s a good reason: It works!

Tiger Woods is unarguably an amazing golfer with natural abilities and skills. However, even with his natural high level of skill, he relies on clinical massage and chiropractic care to keep him in good golf shape. He considers regular treatment essential to his game, saying, “I’ve been going to a chiropractor for as long as I can remember, it is as important as the practice of my swing.”

….Back to the Case Study!

As muscles and joint experts, we use a range of techniques including soft tissue massage, myofascial release, trigger points, joint mobilisation, joint manipulation, medical acupuncture, cupping therapy, and IASTM… to name but a few!

To help John improve his golf performance our focus was to improve hip rotation, increase thoracic mobility, and manipulate through his low back to help the nerve input to his glutes.

We used a combination approach of specific soft tissue release to those areas of muscular restriction and thoracic mobilisation and manipulation to increase thoracic rotation. We included needling to help stubborn areas of muscular tightness, manipulation to the low back where specific joint restrictions were identified. This increases the afferent nerve input to his hip muscles so creating increased power output.

After just one treatment John had a significant increase in power to both hamstrings and glutes. He had better thoracic range and felt more flexible through his hips.

Identification of muscle imbalance was discussed we prescribed John specific mobility and strengthening exercises to support our findings.

On return for John´s second treatment he still had some signs of the limited hip range and pelvic stiffness we had originally identified; however this glute and hamstrings were still firing well.

Did we succeed in our challenge?

Sports performance – in this case, golf – is our speciality and we love what we do! The challenge of working with an already good golf player and taking their game to another level -higher than their perceived expectations- is how we get our fix!

John did more than excel himself and the results speak for themselves:

Whether you are a golfer in your teenage years, 20s, 30s, or 40s, you are going to need to know about fitness to add power and golf-specific conditioning to your game. At Elite Performance Therapy we understand you would like that extra 15 yards on your irons and want to be comfortable taking repetitive swings without body aches and pains during or after a day of golf.

Perhaps you a golfer in your 50s, 60s, 70s, and worried about being able to continue your passion? We understand you want to give yourself the best opportunity to extend your game beyond most individual’s limits and perform at a high level.

​You’ve worked hard on the mechanics of your game, your swing, and your approach. But we come back to the original challenge: Have you worked hard on the motor behind it all?!

Here at Elite Performance Therapy, we work with both amateurs and professionals. We are here to take you to the next level … and it doesn´t need to take long! Whether it is to win your next bounce game, lower your handicap, secure the club championship, progress through the various professional tours or simply to enjoy golf without pain, we can help 😊

YOU MIGHT THINK chiropractors are only able to help with backaches, stiff necks, slipped discs, and whiplash injuries. If so, you’re not alone – but you’re missing out!

Chiropractic care – which is based on the understanding that, given the opportunity, the mind and body can heal themselves – can treat many issues that might surprise you.

Here’s a look at the top five most surprising conditions a chiropractor can treat:

1. Migraines and tension headaches

Half to three-quarters of adults aged 18–65 years in the world have had a headache in the last year and. Some are occasional. Some are persistent. Some are dull and nagging, while others cause debilitating pain and nausea. Taking a painkiller and hoping your headache goes away is one option. But there’s a better one.

Research shows that spinal manipulation – the primary form of care provided by chiropractic doctors – is an effective way to treat tension headaches and headaches that begin in the neck.

In fact, most headaches are related to muscle tension in the neck, which is an increasingly common condition among those who spend hours in the same position or posture (such as in front of a computer or television), leading to joint irritation and tension in the upper back and scalp that cause headaches.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

• Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate stress on your system.
• Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet or the addition of vitamins.
• Offer advice on posture, ergonomics, exercises, and relaxation techniques.

2. Stress and anxiety

We perceive stress from three basic sources: our environment, our body, and our emotions.

Environmental stress includes noise, weather, physical threats, time pressures, and performance standards. Body stress includes disease processes, organ malfunction, poor nutrition, poor sleep, and physical injury. And emotional stress is more difficult to define, but it encompasses our reactions, in both thought and emotion, to environmental and physical stressors.

Jobs today are increasingly complex as the business world becomes more and more competitive. Physical stresses such as sound, air, and water pollution have also grown worse over the last century and so have emotional and psychological stresses caused by increasing awareness of troubles and tragedies around the globe, brought to our attention every hour by the Internet and its 24/7 news cycle.

Many illnesses are caused or worsened by stress, which activates our “fight or flight” reaction. This systemic reaction affects almost every part of the body, as the hypothalamus in the brain stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which causes an increase in heart rate, blood volume, and blood pressure, redirecting blood away from our digestive system and extremities.
When prolonged, the long-term effects of this state can be disastrous to good health and cause high blood pressure, muscle tissue damage, diabetes, infertility, damage to the immune system, and slowed healing from disease and injury.
Chiropractors work primarily with the spine – the root of the nervous system through which nerve impulses travel between the brain and the rest of the body – and can help the body manage and process this stress in a healthier way.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

• Chiropractors can release muscle tension, one effect of chronic stress that leads to nerve irritation and creates uneven pressures on the body’s bony structures, which can cause the spinal column to become misaligned. This, in turn, helps the body return to a more balanced, relaxed state.
• Chiropractic adjustments can reduce spinal nerve irritation and improve blood circulation, which can help signal the brain to turn off the “fight or flight” response and begin the healing process.
• A doctor of chiropractic can suggest nutritional supplements, like B complex vitamins, to help the body cope with stress.
• A chiropractor can also recommend relaxation techniques and discuss posture and environmental changes to help you recover from chronic stress.

3. Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder involving widespread pain and sensitivity throughout the entire musculoskeletal system. To be diagnosed with FM, a patient typically has a minimum of 11 out of 18 specific tender points on the body. In addition to pain, patients also report long-term fatigue and/or disturbed sleep and mood. Other disorders commonly associated with FM include irritable bowel syndrome, TMJ pain and dysfunction, psychological conditions, and some autoimmune diseases.

Fibromyalgia is a widespread condition and medical science has yet to discover the cause of this condition.

Since those with FM often experience an altered mood, like depression, many experts focus on the psychological aspect of the disease. Others feel that FM is more physiological and has its origins in physical trauma or chronic postural alterations. Still, others suggest that FM is a central nervous system disorder rooted in neurochemical imbalances since those with FM are hypersensitive to even the slightest stimuli and often have a pain response to normally non-painful pressure or activity. Since all information from the outside world is collected and analyzed by the nervous system, it’s logical to assume that if a person with FM is sensitive to a stimulus that others are not, there may be something wrong with this system.

It’s often difficult for patients to find solutions for all of their symptoms, but recent studies show that chiropractic adjustments combined with a soft tissue technique called ischemic compression can help FM patients.
In one study, 60 percent of the subjects treated by a chiropractor experienced a significant improvement: reduced pain improved sleep, and decreased fatigue.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

• Chiropractors are trained as neuromusculoskeletal specialists, and one of the main focuses of chiropractic care is the positive impact it can have on a person’s nervous system. Therefore, chiropractic adjustments can improve an FM patient’s nervous system, which gives them a better chance for recovery.
• Chiropractic care can treat pressure points, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, and pain from musculoskeletal injuries.
• Chiropractors can also reduce a patient’s overall pain through spinal adjustments that increase the mobility between spinal vertebrae, which have become restricted, locked, or slightly out of proper position, thereby increasing cervical and lumbar range of motion.

4. Weak immune systems

The nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system are inextricably linked. Together they share tiny messenger molecules that mediate communication between them, creating optimal responses for the body to adapt and heal appropriately.

Until recently, one of these messenger molecules, IL-2, was thought of as an immune system molecule. But recent studies have clearly shown its presence and activity in the nervous system, leading researchers to believe that neural dysfunctions due to spinal misalignments are stressful to the body and can cause abnormal changes that lead to a poorly coordinated immune response.

Subluxation is the term for misalignments of the spine that cause compression and irritation of nerve pathways, affecting the body’s organs. Subluxations are an example of physical nerve stress that affects neuronal control. According to researchers, such stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function and increased susceptibility to a variety of diseases.

It’s important to note here how the endocrine system also impacts the immune system by producing cortisol in the adrenal glands – endocrine glands that are directly connected to the nervous system through the sympathetic nervous system – a stress hormone that inhibits the immune system.

If the sympathetic nervous system is too “switched on” due to stress and subluxation, it can increase the adrenal glands’ synthesis of cortisol, in turn affecting the immune system.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

• Chiropractic care is the only way to detect and eliminate subluxation, and chiropractic adjustments have been shown to reduce the stress on the nervous system, thereby boosting the coordinated responses of the nervous and immune systems.
• One research group found that when an adjustment was applied to a subluxated area, the white blood cell count collected rose significantly.
• Another study measured the effects of six months of regular chiropractic care on the immune system function of HIV patients. At the end of six months of care, the patients who had received regular adjustments showed a 48 percent increase in the number of CD4+ T cells, whereas patients who had not been adjusted showed an 8 percent decrease in CD4+ T cells.

5. Flexibility

When we’re younger, it’s easy to take our extensive range of motion and flexibility for granted. As we age, a number of health conditions – and the cumulative effects of wear and tear – can affect our ability to move the way we used to.
But a decrease in range of motion and flexibility can result in a downward spiral of disability.

For example, an injury or degenerative condition that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness, may limit our flexibility and range of motion. When this happens, we may avoid activities that involve the affected body parts, either consciously or unconsciously.

This then becomes a classic case of “use it or lose it.” Without regular exercise, the muscles and joints stiffen, adhesions and scar tissue can form, and mobility may be further reduced. Eventually, a person can become completely incapacitated, and ordinary tasks such as picking up something off the floor or tying your shoes can become extremely challenging or painful.
Regular chiropractic can help increase both ranges of motion and flexibility.
A study performed by researchers at the Phillip Chiropractic Research Centre of RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, and published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic adjustments increased the range of motion in the 105 patients who participated in the study. There were three phases of this study, in which each of the participants was given no adjustments, fake adjustments, or true adjustments. In each phase, the patients who were given the true adjustments showed a significant improvement in range of motion, which was not the case for the other two groups.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

• A chiropractor uses spinal adjustments and manipulations to other parts of the body to realign the bones and joints so as to reduce pain, restore range of motion and improve flexibility, balance, and coordination.
• Your chiropractor can also recommend specific exercises that can be done at home to increase your strength and flexibility so that you’re able to maintain and build upon the gains from your chiropractic adjustments.
• Regular chiropractic care can reduce or eliminate the source of your back and joint pain, allowing you to resume your normal activities and to remain more flexible into your golden years.