chiro history

Chiropractic is an important part of complementary medicine, which recognizes the importance of body structures and how they affect health. Chiropractic is now the third largest healing profession today treating many common neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Chiropractic practitioners have broad diagnostic skills and are trained to make recommendations on exercise, nutrition and lifestyle health.

In general, Chiropractors engage in spinal adjustment and manipulation as well as other measures to treat abnormalities of structure and function. The purpose of manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile – or restricted in their movement – as a result of a tissue injury. Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer. Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal. Patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment (as with some forms of exercise) that usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.

Chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment for spine-related conditions. When other medical conditions also exist, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition. Historically, chiropractic care has focussed solely on the health of the spine; if the spine and spinal cord are aligned and functioning freely, then the body should be able to perform at its peak.

The continued pressure of modern day life on the body has since exposed a gap in the capabilities of standard chiropractic care. Prolonged hours sitting at desks, thousands of steps performed daily in poor footwear on hard and unforgiving surfaces, plus the countless stresses or carrying awkward weights and physical trauma have all taken their toll on the structural performance of the body.

Modern literature promotes the human body as a complex system of kinetic chains where all bones, joints, ligaments and muscular tissues are inter-connected and interact closely with each other and the brain. It is therefore logical to provide a solid foundation that would enhance the stability of this complex kinetic system.