Spinal manipulation is a therapeutic intervention performed on spinal articulations which are synovial joints. These articulations in the spine that are amenable to spinal manipulative therapy include the z-joints, the atlanto-occipital, atlanto-axial, lumbosacral, sacroiliac, costotransverse and costovertebral joints. Spinal manipulation is a therapeutic intervention that has roots in traditional medicine and has been used by various cultures, apparently for thousands of years. Hippocrates, the “father of medicine” used manipulative techniques, as did the ancient Egyptians and many other cultures. A modern re-emphasis on manipulative therapy occurred in the late 19th century in North America with the emergence of osteopathic and chiropractic medicine. Spinal manipulative therapy gained recognition by mainstream medicine during the 1960s. American Chiropractic Association-Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands–or an instrument–to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function. This often helps resolve joint inflammation and reduces the patient’s pain. Chiropractic manipulation is a highly controlled procedure that rarely causes discomfort. The chiropractor adapts the procedure to meet the specific needs of each patient. Patients often note positive changes in their symptoms immediately following treatment.

Traction is the act of drawing or pulling and relates to forces applied to the body to stretch a given part or to separate 2 or more parts. Currently, traction is used effectively in treatment of fractures. In physiatric practice, use of traction often is limited to the cervical or lumbar spine with the goal of relieving pain in, or originating from, those areas.

Since the days of Hippocrates, correction of scoliosis also has involved traction. There are various types of traction currently in clinical use. The most common are mechanical, hydraulic or motorized, manual, and autotraction. Mechanical forms of traction use a hydraulic or motorized pulley system with weights, along with a harness or sling device to attach to the patient’s body. Manual traction involves the therapist using his or her hands on the patient’s body, with the body weight of the therapist providing the traction force.

Our office uses a G5-GK3 Power Massager which has the power to stimulate circulation deep within muscles, which in turn stimulates cell metabolism by flushing out persistent metabolic by-products such as lactic acid. By improving localized circulation, it promotes edema drainage (the fluid that causes joints to swell), reduces pain caused by lactic acid build-up in the muscles, and promotes healing by stimulation the flow of nutrients to injured tissues.

Its powerful motor, variable speed control and wide selection of use-specific applicators make it the most versatile massager available. Many professional athletes, sports teams and trainers rely on it.

Medical massage is specifically directed to help resolve conditions that have been diagnosed and recommended by a physician. Traditional massage can provide a multitude of benefits. However, when a specific condition has been diagnosed which has associated muscle complaints medical massage may provide more lasting pain relief.

When the physician interacts closely with the massage therapist it provides important benefits. First, the patient benefits both from the physician’s medical knowledge and the massage therapist’s experience working with soft tissue imbalances. Secondly, the physician is able to determine how much of the patients particular condition is truly of muscular origin. This constant feedback can prove to be therapeutic and diagnostic. Medical massages are often prescribed, but very few are in fact interactive between the physician and the massage therapist. This interaction can provide excellent results when the patient and the massage therapist’s feedback are closely monitored.

A general massage can provide important relief. However, consider the effectiveness of a regional specific medical massage. These particular massages can be very advantageous not only for people with specific medical conditions but also for those involved in certain sports. For example, swimmers: an individual may be working on changing their specialty stroke from breast to butterfly. This would cause different muscle demands that could result in pain. Undergoing regionally specific massages, before and after those changes, would decrease discomfort one might notice during that transition.

Massages can be much more than just for relaxation. We can clearly see the benefits in improving not only muscle tension but relief with nerve compression/entrapment; increased range of motion; posture/coordination and decreased pain/inflammation. The benefits of medical massage are becoming more universally recognized. Even some insurance companies are beginning to understand the importance of this and are providing reimbursement. As powerful as medical massage can be, in certain conditions it can be contraindicated. Please consult with our office or another health-care provider to determine the best and most appropriate treatment protocol.

The method is a complement to other physiotherapy measures and should always be combined with active training of mobility, strength, coordination, and functional training. Electrical muscle stimulation may lead to faster progress in the patient’s treatment program. Electrical Muscle Stimulation also provides: muscle reeducation, muscle training, slowing of muscle wasting from inactivity, retaining muscle strength during the immobilization phase, preventing postoperative muscle weakness, reduction of spasticity i.e. involuntary muscle spasm Improving circulation, and specific nerve stimulation.

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves (not within the range we can hear) to stimulate the deep tissues within the body. By passing an ultrasound probe over the body, deep tissues are stimulated by the vibration of the sound wave. This leads to warming and increased blood flow to these tissues.