What is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic care & your brain
How chiropractic care works (A simple explanation)
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Chiropractic care is designed to improve how your body moves and functions by supporting the health of your spine, joints, and nervous system.
Your spine is more than just a stack of bones, it plays an important role in how your brain receives information from your body. The joints in your spine and surrounding muscles contain thousands of small receptors that send signals to your brain about posture, balance, and movement. When your brain receives clear and accurate information about your body, it can control your muscles and movements more effectively. But if parts of the spine become stiff, irritated, or not moving properly, the quality of information being sent to the brain can change. This can affect how your body moves and may contribute to issues such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, stiffness, poor posture, and recurring injuries. |
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Sensorimotor integration ….. What is it & why it’s important
Your brain is constantly collecting information from your body, including signals from your spine, muscles, joints, and inner ear. It then uses this information to coordinate movement, stability, balance, and posture.
This process is called sensorimotor integration.
When sensorimotor integration is working well, your brain can control your body smoothly and efficiently. Movement feels easier, coordination improves, and your muscles don’t need to overwork to keep you stable.
However, if spinal joints are not functioning properly, your brain may receive “noisy” or incomplete information. Think of static on a phone line.
Some joints may move too much, while others may not move enough. Over time, this can lead to poor movement patterns, muscle tension, reduced coordination, and increased strain on the body.
This process is called sensorimotor integration.
When sensorimotor integration is working well, your brain can control your body smoothly and efficiently. Movement feels easier, coordination improves, and your muscles don’t need to overwork to keep you stable.
However, if spinal joints are not functioning properly, your brain may receive “noisy” or incomplete information. Think of static on a phone line.
Some joints may move too much, while others may not move enough. Over time, this can lead to poor movement patterns, muscle tension, reduced coordination, and increased strain on the body.
The role of chiropractic care
As chiropractors, we check the spine and other joints for dysfunction. We then gently adjust the spine, using various techniques, to restore appropriate spinal movement and help improve sensorimotor integration. For the brain this is like rebooting a computer.
We can then work to maintain good function through appropriate exercise and rehab.
(Adapted from: ‘The reality Check’ by Dr Heidi Haavik)
We can then work to maintain good function through appropriate exercise and rehab.
(Adapted from: ‘The reality Check’ by Dr Heidi Haavik)
Let’s look at an example of how this works
Kate has been sitting at her desk at work for a while slouching over her computer. She gets up and then bends over to pick up her handbag so she can go home and immediately feels a twinge in her lower back.
She comes to see us for an assessment and we discover that there is joint dysfunction in her lower back. This dysfunction is creating the altered communication between the brain and body. In other words the brain doesn’t know exactly how that area of Kates spine is working so it couldn’t control it properly. Now this simple movement of bending over to pick up her handbag has created a problem. This is the proverbial 'straw that broke the camels back' scenario.
Kate starts a program of chiropractic care and the adjustments restore appropriate spinal movement so the brain can now accurately perceive what is going on in that area.
As we are restoring better communication between the brain and body through her chiropractic adjustments, we give Kate appropriate exercises/stretches/soft tissue work to do. We also look at things which may have caused the problem in the first place. Examples of these are; posture, how she bends and moves, and how she sleeps. These all help give her faster and hopefully longer lasting results.
For more information on this, please contact us.
She comes to see us for an assessment and we discover that there is joint dysfunction in her lower back. This dysfunction is creating the altered communication between the brain and body. In other words the brain doesn’t know exactly how that area of Kates spine is working so it couldn’t control it properly. Now this simple movement of bending over to pick up her handbag has created a problem. This is the proverbial 'straw that broke the camels back' scenario.
Kate starts a program of chiropractic care and the adjustments restore appropriate spinal movement so the brain can now accurately perceive what is going on in that area.
As we are restoring better communication between the brain and body through her chiropractic adjustments, we give Kate appropriate exercises/stretches/soft tissue work to do. We also look at things which may have caused the problem in the first place. Examples of these are; posture, how she bends and moves, and how she sleeps. These all help give her faster and hopefully longer lasting results.
For more information on this, please contact us.
Exercise Prescription
In conjunction with appropriate chiropractic care, Dr Craig Buscomb will also help you with exercise prescription. The home exercises are often easy to do and require little to no equipment. The role of the exercises are to help solidify the adjustments and help you get the best, long term results from your care.
The people that get the best results are the ones that do the home exercises. We like to say that effective things don't need to be complicated, they need to be consistent.
The people that get the best results are the ones that do the home exercises. We like to say that effective things don't need to be complicated, they need to be consistent.
Soft Tissue Release
Along with the chiropractic adjustments, Dr Craig Buscomb will also perform soft tissue release. Soft tissue release will help you get the most out of your chiropractic adjustments. The soft tissue release is usually performed by hand and also with a percussive massager. Dr Craig will also show you ways you can perform soft tissue release at home as well.
Over the years, Dr Craig has made numerous blog posts on easy soft tissue release you can do at home. Here are a few to start with:
Over the years, Dr Craig has made numerous blog posts on easy soft tissue release you can do at home. Here are a few to start with:
Back Pain Relief
One of the leading reasons people seek chiropractic care is for back pain. Chiropractic care, along with appropriate home exercise prescription can help you get the best possible results when it comes to back pain relief.
During the initial assessment we assess the whole body from the ground up to see how it is functioning. We can then make a plan to help you achieve your goals. One of the things we also look at it is what Dr Craig calls "Habits before exercise". Sometimes it is the habits that we have that lead us to our current situation. If we don't identify and then modify those habits, we will often just end up back where we were. Dr Craigs goal is to make lasting change and helping you identify some these habits is an important step in this.
If you have a sore lower back, here is a blog post and video showing you 4 simple things you can do at home.
During the initial assessment we assess the whole body from the ground up to see how it is functioning. We can then make a plan to help you achieve your goals. One of the things we also look at it is what Dr Craig calls "Habits before exercise". Sometimes it is the habits that we have that lead us to our current situation. If we don't identify and then modify those habits, we will often just end up back where we were. Dr Craigs goal is to make lasting change and helping you identify some these habits is an important step in this.
If you have a sore lower back, here is a blog post and video showing you 4 simple things you can do at home.
Neck Pain Relief
Neck pain is a common complaint people present to Elevate Chiropractic with. Dr Craig Buscomb, will assess the spine, and create a personalized care plan to help ease neck pain. The care plan includes chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue release and exercise prescription. Just like in the previous section, finding some of those habits you have that may be contributing to your neck pain is important. A big one is how you sit at your desk at work or when you are on your devices.
If you are suffering from a sore neck, here is a blog post showing 5 simple things you can do at home to help.
If you are suffering from a sore neck, here is a blog post showing 5 simple things you can do at home to help.
Headaches
Headaches are another common complaint people present to Elevate Chiropractic with. Dr Craig Buscomb, will assess the spine, and create a personalized care plan to help ease the headaches. The care plan includes chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue release and exercise prescription.
Here are a couple of blog posts and videos that could help if you are suffering from headaches:
Here are a couple of blog posts and videos that could help if you are suffering from headaches:
- How a headache diary can help headaches
- 5 simple remedies for a sore neck and shoulders (this is helpful for headaches too)
Sciatica
Sciatica is a common complaint people present to Elevate Chiropractic with. Dr Craig Buscomb, will assess the spine, and create a personalized care plan to help ease sciatica. The care plan includes chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue release and exercise prescription.
Did you know that Sciatica is really just a symptom, not a diagnosis? One of the important things to find out is where the nerve irritation is coming from. Not all sciatica is coming from a disc in your lower back.
Here is a blog post on how to ease sciatica with a foam roller.
This blog post is how to sit with an irritated disc in your lower back. How you sit with sciatica can make a big difference in the symptoms you are getting.
Did you know that Sciatica is really just a symptom, not a diagnosis? One of the important things to find out is where the nerve irritation is coming from. Not all sciatica is coming from a disc in your lower back.
Here is a blog post on how to ease sciatica with a foam roller.
This blog post is how to sit with an irritated disc in your lower back. How you sit with sciatica can make a big difference in the symptoms you are getting.
Foot Pain
Foot pain like plantar fasciitis, heel pain or arch pain can affect your knees, hips and back. At Elevate Chiropractic we also assess foot function and gait, and provide chiropractic care, advice and exercises to help you and your feet move comfortably again.
Most people don't think of visiting a chiropractor if they have sore feet, but Dr Craig adjusts feet everyday. Good foot function is a vital part of having a healthy body. Techniques range from traditional manual adjsutments to lower force adjustments as well as simple exercises you can do at home.
Dr Craig's most viewed video on YouTube (155K+ views) is a foot exercise called "The Short Foot'. You can watch the short foot video here.
Most people don't think of visiting a chiropractor if they have sore feet, but Dr Craig adjusts feet everyday. Good foot function is a vital part of having a healthy body. Techniques range from traditional manual adjsutments to lower force adjustments as well as simple exercises you can do at home.
Dr Craig's most viewed video on YouTube (155K+ views) is a foot exercise called "The Short Foot'. You can watch the short foot video here.
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain can limit lots of daily activities. At Elevate Chiropractic, along with the neck and upper back, we can also assess shoulder function to find the cause. Chiropractic adjustments, along with appropriate mobility work and strengthening exercises can help reduce pain and restore movement.
Dr Craig has hurt both his shoulders over the last 6-7 years so knows what shoulder pain can be like. With all shoulder injuries it is important to not just look at the shoulder itself, you also need to address the upper back and the neck. This is how chiropractic care can help shoulder injuries. Dr Craig has also taken course on adjusting shoulders as well.
This is one of Dr Craigs most popular videos on the shoulder. Shoulder pain relief how hanging from a bar can help sore shoulders
Dr Craig has hurt both his shoulders over the last 6-7 years so knows what shoulder pain can be like. With all shoulder injuries it is important to not just look at the shoulder itself, you also need to address the upper back and the neck. This is how chiropractic care can help shoulder injuries. Dr Craig has also taken course on adjusting shoulders as well.
This is one of Dr Craigs most popular videos on the shoulder. Shoulder pain relief how hanging from a bar can help sore shoulders
Products available at Elevate Chiropractic
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We have a range of rehab products at great prices to help you achieve the best results. These include:
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Dr Craig showing a patient a massage ball from the retail range of rehab equipment
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