F.A.Q.
- What is the treatment philosophy at Active Spine & Sport Therapy?
-
Our office emphasizes three things:
- Thorough and extensive evaluations
- Quick results
- Patient education on how to treat themselves and maintain their results
Any doctor or therapist might have the perfect medications, techniques or therapies, but if the condition is not properly diagnosed those treatments are for naught. We take whatever time is needed to systematically and properly evaluate and understand the basis of your condition.
We expect quick results at our office. We can resolve most issues within just 4-6 visits. We will do everything we can to get you relief from your symptoms. We don’t want to waste your time or ours. If we don’t make progress in a few visits we will provide you with the appropriate referral. It doesn’t matter to us who gets you results, as long as you get them.
Unfortunately current research on musculoskeletal conditions illustrates that once an individual suffers from a particular condition, they are 50% more likely to suffer from that same condition again at some point in the future. This is why the key to true long term care lies in patient education on management skills for each condition. We provide the proper education for patients to manage their issues for years and years to come.
- Should I use ice or heat?
-
Ice should be used on a new injury or re-injury. The body’s natural response to injury is muscle spasm and swelling. This occurs to protect the injured area and prevent further motion and injury. Ice helps to reduce swelling and prevents further swelling, which interferes with proper healing and repair of damaged tissues. Ice should be used for no more than 15-20 min an hour, but can be used every hour. Never place ice directly on the skin. Instead, place a paper towel or thin dishtowel between you and the ice.
Heat is best for very minor aches and pains. Heat brings blood to an area, which brings more nutrients, which helps tissues heal. Heat should also only be used 15-20 min an hour. Too much heat could cause swelling and start you off at square one again. But if in doubt of which to use, always use ice.
- Do I have to keep going forever?
-
No. Our office is proud to offer our patients quick and effective solutions to their musculoskeletal conditions. We know we are doing a good job when you are not in our office. Our purpose is to identify and understand your condition and then teach you the skills to better control your own symptoms. Our patients frequently return to the office again and again, but for different conditions each time. They appreciate the care we provide and repeatedly choose our office for any additional care for conditions they might experience.
- Should I tell my other doctors that I am receiving therapy at Active Spine & Sport Therapy?
-
We encourage our patients to inform their medical doctors about our office. In fact, our practice enjoys working together with any of your healthcare providers. We will gladly forward a progress and final report to your primary care physician as a courtesy to you and your caregivers. Many of our patients request that we contact their primary care provider in order to introduce ourselves, or to provide them with information about our practice. The key to comprehensive care is communication.
- What is joint manipulation?
-
When people think of chiropractic care they commonly associate it with the use of joint manipulation, also referred to as chiropractic spinal adjustments. Active Spine & Sport Therapy uses joint manipulation, but it is not the primary technique employed in treatment, it is just one of the many therapies we use to treat our patients.
The joints of the body are designed to move. The old saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it” rings true for your joints and muscles. If joints become restricted and are limited in their motion, either by muscle spasm, trauma or pain, the surrounding tissues can become contracted and weakened and that loss of motion has to be made up in another area which can cause additional problems. Joint manipulation is used to restore function, range of motion and decrease pain.
Joint manipulation is a manual therapy in which your doctor will apply his hands to the area of your body to be treated in such a way as to mobilize the joint. Commonly, a short impulse is applied to the joint. This may cause an audible noise, similar to when someone pops their knuckles and you may sense movement in the joint. The goal of the manipulation includes the following:
- Restore joint function and range of motion
- Relieve pain
- Reduce muscle spasm
- Restore function to the surrounding tissues
- Is joint manipulation safe?
-
In general, manipulative treatments carry an extremely low risk of complication. Approximately 25% of patients will experience short-term (24 hours) of local soreness following the initial treatment. This may represent short term muscle tension or low-grade inflammation from the treatment.
There is risk associated with any therapeutic procedure. The risk of serious, irreversible complication with joint manipulation is extremely rare and studies place it somewhere between 1 in 1.5 million to 1 in 11 million. That is about the same as the likelihood of having a serious complication with taking an aspirin. It is important that you discuss any specific concerns you may have with your treating doctor prior to receiving treatment.
- What is the sound created during joint manipulation?
-
Your spinal joints contain “grease” known as synovial fluid. This grease contains dissolved gases. When your spine is manipulated, the spinal joints are gapped or opened, creating a vacuum within the joint. This vacuum pulls the gases out of the grease, turning the grease to foam. This release of gas is what creates the audible “pop”. If there is no sound, it does not mean the therapy was not successful, it simply means that there was no sound from the escaping gas.
- Does cracking your knuckles really give you arthritis?
-
Contrary to what your grandmother may have told you, knuckle cracking actually does not cause joint arthritis, but knuckle crackers tend to experience more joint stiffness later in life.
Regardless, spinal manipulation is quite different than cracking one’s knuckles. When a spinal manipulation if performed, the joint is gapped momentarily: opening the joint surfaces. Knuckle crackers actually grind the joint surfaces together, potentially irritating the joint.