A B O U T    C H I R O P R A C T I C

What is Chiropractic Care?

     Chiropractic is about helping people live healthier, fuller lives.  Chiropractic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine, muscles and joints) and function and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.

Sports Chiropractors focus on the complex relationships between the muscles, nerves and joints of the body and how this relates to the overall function and performance of the body.  How the spine works can influence the nervous system and in doing so, it can alter the overall function of the body.  Abnormal peripheral joint function (spine, knees, shoulders, elbows, etc.) can alter nervous system function and reduce performance.

What should you expect on your first visit?

The doctor will perform a comprehensive examination on all new patients at their initial visit.  This will help determine whether your injury condition would benefit from chiropractic care or not.  X-rays are occasionally necessary depending on specific medical criteria, including your mechanism of injury (how you were hurt), your age, and your medical history.  If it is deemed that you could benefit from care, therapies such as muscle stimulation, ultrasound or massage therapy can be utilized to further help relax the muscles and promote healing to damaged tissues.  Lastly a specific adjustment will be applied to the involved joint/s to help increase mobility to the involved joints and adjacent tissues.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

     An adjustment is a gentle and precise placement of the vertebra or involved joint into its correct position.  Adjusting the vertebrae can remove irritation and help the nervous system return to its natural efficiency.  As a result, chiropractic adjustments return the body's normal range of motion which in turn, alleviates muscles spasms and decreases pain.

How long can I expect to be under Chiropractic Care?

     How long and how often you see a chiropractor will depend on several factors: the severity of you condition or injury, your age, physical condition, previous history of accidents or surgeries, occupational requirements and how well you adhere to our treatment program and exercise instructions.  Relief of pain usually happens quickly (2-4 weeks), though stabilizing your condition may take longer.  This will be discussed with you, by your doctor, before you start treatment.

What about playing sports?

     Spinal injuries can restrict range of motion, reduce strength, slow reflexes, shorten endurance, and decrease performance. Chiropractic care for these types of injuries has become increasingly popular.  Most professional sports teams, Olympic trainers, and competitive athletes are employing chiropractic doctors - because they demand results.  Whether you golf, play tennis, bicycle, or bowl, the best treatment for sports injuries is prevention.  This involves keeping your body at it's peak ability to perform with consistent stretching and early chiropractic care before a symptom becomes a problem.  Click here to read more about Sports Injuries.

What makes us unique?

Here we are specialists in athletic injuries with an emphasis on correcting and preventing musculo-skeletal injuries and biomechanical imbalances. Our clinical experience and ongoing active participation in sport gives us a unique approach to treating athletes.  We treat athletes of all ages and abilities from local beginners and first time participants to international world-class athletes. Our expertise covers all athletic injuries and also common aches and pains experienced with everyday life.
 
 Our approach and goals remain consistent for each of our patients: 
 
 ·   identify and correct the current problem 
 ·   teach the individual to manage their injury while it heals 
 ·   determine a specific plan to prevent future occurrence
 
All treatments are personalized for the individual and their specific needs. Because many problems are complex in nature, with additional help needed from other sources, we work with a network of the best sports medicine healthcare professionals in the area.  We look forward to helping you in any way we can.

What are some common conditions that are treated with chiropractic care?

• Low back, hip or leg pain with numbness or tingling.
• Neck pain or shoulder pain with tingling or numbness to the arms
• Headaches brought on with tension or stress
• Auto accident or other whiplash injuries
• Knee or ankle pain from a new or chronic injury
• Any sports or dance injuries
• Work related injuries
• Pregnancy pains to your lower back or hip or shoulders during nursing
• Carpal Tunnel symptoms or other repetitive stress injuries , from bad ergonomics
• Pain between shoulder blades
• Difficulty sitting, bending and lifting
• Problems sleeping due to back pain
• Recurring joint pain, stiffness or swelling
• Inability to perform daily activities due to muscle or joint pain

What types of Insurances are accepted?

     We are providers for most major insurance carriers including Blue Cross, Blue Shield, ASHP, Aetna, Cigna, Kaiser, HealthNet, United Healthcare, Guardian, PHCS and many others.   Please contact our office at (408) 448-8818 and we will help you find out if your health insurance provides chiropractic coverage.

Other Services that we provide:

• DOT DL-51 Examination and other occupational health services

• Pre-Participation Examinations for school sports

• Acupuncture care

• Massage Therapy

• Sports Injury Rehabilitation

Click here to see what famous people have to say about Chiropractic!

Famous Faces of Chiropractic

Tiger Woods:  Top Professional Golfer - "Being a chiropractor patient has really helped me immensely.  I’ve been going to Chiropractors for as long as I can remember. It’s as important to my training as practicing my swing.  Lifting weights and seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis has made me a better golfer. I've been going to Chiropractors for as long as I can remember. It's as important to my training as practicing my swing."

Barry Bonds:  Mastery of five skills - base running, fielding, throwing, hitting for average and hitting with power - is the standard of greatness in a baseball player, and San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds has reached that mark.

Generally regarded as the best player in the major leagues today, he has proven himself, year after year, by raising his level of play to that of the all-time greats of the game. With a recent contract extension, he is now, befitting his enormous talents, the highest-paid player in baseball.

Bonds is a three-time National League Most Valuable Player, having won the award in 1990 and 1992 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and in 1993 with the Giants. He is one of only eight players in major league history to win three league MVP awards.

Emmitt Smith:  Emmitt Smith credits Chiropractic for rushing record.  Fourteen years ago, Dr. Nick Athens of San Carlos, California, adjusted popular quarterback Joe Montana on the field during the Superbowl. The adjustment was caught on camera, shown on the evening news and Athens made history. |

Today, there are chiropractors on the staff of several NFL teams, but their official acceptance into pro-football has not been easy even though the services a chiropractor provides is unique and cannot be provided by any other member of the medical team.

Many players have been and are under chiropractic care on their own, but when one professional athlete of a certain stature claims that chiropractic has helped him to get where he is and keep him there, it is still news. Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys is one such athlete. On his way to the record books as the NFL's leading rusher, Smith credits his longevity in pro football not to his own ability but to his chiropractor, Dr. Rob Parker.

Lance Armstrong:  7 time Tour de France Champion - Lance Armstrong is the first American to win the Tour de France three years in row. One of the methods he uses to keep in peak performance is chiropractic care. The chiropractor he uses to help him is Dr. Jeff Spencer. Dr. Jeff Spencer is no stranger to the sport. He is a former champion cyclist who competed on the 1972 United States Olympic Team as a sprint cyclist and he serves as chiropractor for the United States Postal Service Professional Cycling Team. According to Dr. Spencer, "My job with Lance and the team is to optimize the neuromusculoskeletal component of their training and, in the event of a crash, minimize down time and get them back in the race as quickly as possible. I adjust them as needed and guide them in choices of diet and supplements, which helps reduce the likelihood of injury." Chiropractic helps athletes perform better by removing interference to their nervous system known as subluxations. When the nerve system is free of interference the athlete can perform better. In a study conducted by the New Zealand School of Chiropractic, University of Auckland, New Zealand reaction times were improved and shortened in volunteer subjects that received chiropractic care over those that did not. The group that received the chiropractic adjustment showed a decrease in reaction time of 97 milli-seconds representing a 14.8 percent quicker reaction time. Considering these findings is it any wonder why Lance Armstrong and thousands of other athletes use chiropractic care to obtain their peak performance?

Arnold Schwarzenegger:  Actor, bodybuilder, governor - A long time Chiropractic patient of his friend and fellow bodybuilder, Dr. Franco Columbu, D.C., Arnold is a fervent supporter of Chiropractic.

Says Arnold, “When ever I would injure myself lifting weights I would get treatment from Franco and I’d be just fine.” Arnold continues to support Chiropractic by never missing the Sports Symposium held every year.

Joe Montana:  "Chiropractic care works for me."

Dan O'brien:  Gold Metal Decathlon - "You obviously can't compete at your fullest if you're not in alignment. And your body can't heal if your back is not in alignment. It was the holistic idea that I liked about chiropractic and that is what track and field is about. Every track and field athlete that I have ever met has seen a chiropractor at one time or another. In track and field, it is absolutely essential. Chiropractic care is one of the things I think that no one has denied or refuted."

Evander Holyfield: Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion - "I found that going to a chiropractor helps my performance. Once I drove 20 miles to see a chiropractor before a fight. I must have my adjustment before I go into the ring."

Mel Gibson: Actor, Director - Celebrities such as Mel Gibson and Arnold Schwarzenegger use chiropractic on a regular basis. On the cover of the June 22, 2000 edition of TV Guide Insider, is a picture of Mel Gibson dressed for his upcoming movie "The Patriot". In that story they talk about how Mr. Gibson uses chiropractic on a regular basis. In the article he states, "I got a chiropractor to come along to the [Patriot] shoot, because they can actually stick you back together within 15 minutes. He used to come every other week, from Los Angeles to South Carolina - spend a week and work on the entire crew. All the stunt guys were like, Oh, fix my disc. He is putting their discs back in. The guy is amazing.""Making the kind of movies I do you can’t help but get bumped and bruised a bit. Luckily I’ve got a good chiropractor. Never leave home without one."

David Letterman: "A long-time Chiropractic patient who has mentioned his visits to the Chiropractor on his show and Chiropractic has even made it into one of his Top-10 Lists."