INTEGRATIVE CHIROPRACTIC
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Our Techniques
Applied Kinesiology
More of a method than a technique, Applied Kinesiology is a system that determines the chemical, structural, and emotional factors that can cause or perpetuate an injury. Used alongside conventional diagnostic methods, this noninvasive procedure measures neurological responses to various stimuli through manual muscle testing. Your muscles can be very sensitive to various physiological, energetic, and neurological functions of the body. That sensitivity causes muscles to slightly weaken or strengthen when directly tested. You have likely experienced this weakening reflex on a much larger scale when you’ve stubbed a toe or bumped your elbow. Imagine trying to bench press or lift something heavy in the moments following the injury. The pain has weakened you on a global level. With Applied Kinesiology, we measure this reflex on a much smaller scale to detect problematic areas that you may not perceive to be injured or painful. To learn more about the history and premise for the technique, visit the International College of Applied Kinesiology page.
CLICK HERE to visit the Applied Kinesiology Page
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy (IASTT)
Instrument assisted therapy is used to treat scar tissue and muscles that are stuck to fascia. Fascia is a thin material covering your muscles and organs, which should allow your muscles to glide smoothly across each other without adhering. When they become "stuck" or shorten due to injury, surgery, inactivity, or repetitive use, the mechanics of the surrounding areas become compromised. To remedy this, we use a metal instrument to gently break up scar tissue, followed by a series of stretches and exercises that will allow your muscles to heal properly.
Manual Soft Tissue Therapy
Manual soft tissue therapy is utilized to restore any of the soft tissues in the body (muscles, ligaments, tendons) to their normal tone. There is a great deal of emphasis on soft tissue therapy as these tissues are responsible for maintaining structure and function of the skeletal system. Manual soft tissue therapy encompasses a variety of techniques and are used in combination during our Chiropractic Visits.
Gentle/Low Force Adjusting Methods
Ensuring our patients’ comfort is always our greatest concern. Some may feel uneasy when receiving traditional adjusting methods. Diversified technique, the most common adjusting style, is often accompanied by a popping or cracking sound, which is completely normal and harmless, but understandably frightening to some. To that end, all of our tables are equipped with special features, and we use various instruments that allow us to make corrections using minimal force. Amongst these tools is the Activator, a small handheld instrument that delivers a very quick, low amplitude force to a joint. We also use a drop piece, which is a mechanical feature of the table that slightly raises and “drops” when met with a quick, light force. If you’re uncomfortable with any part of your treatment plan, please do not hesitate to share your concerns so we may modify your treatment accordingly.
Flexion Distraction Technique
Flexion Distraction is a technique that’s been shown to be successful in treating herniated discs, relieving back pain, neck pain, and related arm and leg pains. This technique has also been found to help with sciatica, facet syndrome, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis and other spinal degenerative disorders. Additionally, FDT is often used to treat chronic spinal conditions that are not responding to alternative treatments.
This technique can undo the nerve pressure and disc compression underlying your discomfort, and potentially eliminate your need for major surgery. FDT is performed using a specialized table with articulated sections capable of moving in many different directions. The chiropractor guides the sections, performing an adjustment to stabilize the vertebrae causing your pain, while gently applying pressure to the section of the table just below said vertebrae, creating a distraction force. It works by gently separating the individual segments of the spinal column, which: decreases the pressure within the vertebral discs; increases disc height; increases blood flow to the affected area; increases range of motion; and, opens up the intervertebral foramina - the space to the sides of the disc that enclose the nerve roots - to reduce pressure that may be placed on the exiting nerves.
Erchonia Percussor
An Erchonia Percussor is a handheld mechanical device with a rounded piece (at the end) that moves in a tapping motion. The instrument has many applications, including, but not limited to, reducing muscle spasms, resetting muscle tone, relaxing tight and overused muscles, and improving the health of fascia – the thin material covering the muscles. When fascia sticks or knots up, otherwise known as an adhesion, motion is restricted and pain arises. The percussor can free up these adhesions and restore the glide between the fascia and muscle[LH1] .
Elastic Therapeutic Tape
You may have seen athletes in the Olympics wearing Elastic Therapeutic Tape. This tape is used to promote the healing of injured tissue by increasing blood flow to the injured area. It helps to rehabilitate areas of the body that need to "relearn" how to function properly. From your neck to your feet, there are specific taping protocols for all areas of your body. Like many of our tools, there are many conditions warranting the application of this tape from sudden, acute to chronic, repetitive use injuries.
Webster Technique
The Webster Technique was developed to restore pelvic balance and functioning in pregnant women. However, it can also be used on anyone that has a biomechanical dysfunction of the pelvis. Undergoing the Webster technique may have a secondary effect in that it allows the baby to shift comfortably and freely within the womb. This technique is safe and gentle with a high success rate. Hester Health exercises extreme care when tending to expectant mothers. If you’re pregnant and worried about receiving Chiropractic treatments, share your concerns with us and we’ll do all we can to ensure your optimal comfort. You can read more about the Webster Technique here, and learn more about undergoing Chiropractic care during pregnancy on the “Pregnancy” page (located in the services section).
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