When most people hear the word “chiropractic,” what comes to mind is bones and joint cracking; chiropractors deal with bones and the musculoskeletal system. There’s so much more to chiropractic care than popping joints and cracking necks. Chiropractic service makes use of many different methods to treat and rehabilitate health conditions related to bones, muscles, joints, and soft tissues. Soft tissue manipulation chiropractic method is one of the oldest methods of treatment used in the Chiropractic field. Only recently has this treatment method gained the attention it deserves.
Chiropractic is coined from two Greek words; “cheir” and “praxis.” “Cheir” means hands, and “praxis” means to practice or treat. Putting these two words together, chiropractic basically means to treat with the hands. Chiropractic physicians or chiropractors employ a lot of techniques and tactics to treat their patients; part of these techniques is a number of gentle and soft tissue manipulation procedures to loosen tight muscles and alleviate pain.
What is Chiropractic Soft Tissue Manipulation?
Chiropractic soft tissue manipulation involves any form of bodywork to target your body’s soft tissues. Soft tissues are a part of the body system that connect other tissues and support the organs of the body. Soft tissues are greatly affected when the body is injured or stressed; treating injury to soft tissues is sometimes more challenging than other injuries.
Soft tissue manipulation techniques are often used together with other chiropractic methods to manage and treat body structures so they can return to their normal function. In this procedure, the chiropractor applies direct pressure to a hypertonic or overly toned muscle. The muscle is then stretched and taped if needed. This technique can be used on muscle sprains, strains, tendonitis, micro-trauma tears, and hypoxia; it prevents muscles from shortening or becoming weak and eliminates nerve entrapment.
Can Chiropractic Assist Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a clinical condition caused by the narrowing of spaces within the spine. This puts pressure on the nerves traveling through the spine, and it causes pain in the neck and lower back. As you may know, chiropractic deals with treatment of musculoskeletal problems, especially those related to the spine. Cox Flexion Distraction trained and Certified practitioners are the only Chiropractors using the most innovative, evidence based, and the only safe and effective treatment for spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis chiropractic helps to reduce pressure on the spinal cord, its joints, and nerve networks, thus eliminating pain resulting from these conditions. The Cox Flexion Distraction technique accomplishes these things by offering these measurable and research changes: Spinal Adjustments using the protocols set in the Cox Flexion Distraction Technique, on the Cox 8 table, increase intervertebral disc space height, lower intra-discal pressure by up to -192mmHg, increase foraminal area up to 28%, restore pain free motion to the spinal joints, and increase afferentation of normo-excitatory impulses from discs, facets, tendons, and ligaments. (Dr Nelson at Pointes Chiropractic is certified in full spine and extremity Cox Flexion Distraction Adjusting protocols and uses the Cox 8 table.)