Until recently, chiropractic treatment most often consisted of adjustments and physical therapy. Now, the chiropractic arena is changing. Many chiropractors have incorporated the use of rehabilitation in their chiropractic treatment of patients with back injuries, and it seems to be making quite an impact.
Why is there a need for rehabilitation in chiropractic treatment?
The most common type of chiropractic treatment is done by hand. The chiropractor locates the misaligned vertebra and, using his hands, gently moves the vertebra back into position.
Once the vertebra is back in position, one trick remains: getting it to stay there. Vertebrae are held by the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the spine. When these vertebrae are misaligned, it is typically because of trauma to the spine, caused by something like a slip-and-fall accident or an auto accident.
Not only do these accidents misalign the vertebra, but the ligaments, tendons, and muscles (called "soft tissue") around the joint are often stretched or even torn. This is called micro-trauma.
When the soft tissue loses its ability to hold the vertebrae in place, constant vertebral misalignment can occur. Rehabilitation strengthens the soft tissue, and allows it to hold the vertebrae in proper alignment. Thanks to rehabilitation and chiropractic treatment, chronic back pain can be lessened over time and allow people to put their injuries firmly in the past.
What is the rehabilitation process?
Rehabilitation usually consists of exercises that the patient performs to strengthen the injured area. The exercises start out very slowly and are dictated by the severity of the patient’s condition.
Passive exercises, where the patient doesn't actually perform the work, are often used in the initial part of chiropractic treatment. The chiropractor simply moves the injured area through its normal ranges of motion.
As the patient continues to heal, he performs the range of motion exercises under his own power. Eventually, the patient can do exercises with weights. The chiropractor may use rubber tubing, balls, canes, and other low-cost equipment to aid in the exercise program. Once the patient has been rehabilitated, the chance of permanent recovery is much greater.
Does rehabilitation work?
It seems that everybody loves rehab. Chiropractors find that it is a great tool to help in patient recovery. By doing the exercises, patients feel that they are helping in their recovery. Insurance companies like rehabilitation, too. They believe it does more good than adjustments and physical therapy alone. As a result, they pay well for this type of care.
How long does rehab take?
Rehab does take time. Patients may have to spend up to an hour each visit doing the rehabilitation exercises, although 30 minutes is more common. The soft tissue also takes time to heal and be strengthened. Patients may have as few as 10 rehab treatments, but 15-25 visits are actually more common.
Regardless of the work and time involved, the outcome makes it worth it. Rehab, along with good chiropractic treatment, can provide excellent long-term recovery for injured patients. Patients can return to their normal routines and the debilitating injury can be a thing of the past.
About the AuthorDavid Kats is the owner of Kats Chiropractic Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was voted Doctor of the Year by both Parker Research Foundation and the American Chiropractic Association in 1989.
Each year, Kats Chiropractic Center helps hundreds of patients in northeastern Oklahoma ease their chronic pain. Visit
KatsChiropractic.com to set up a free consultation today.
