At Move Well Chiropractic & Rehab, Dr. Oliva offers a multitude of recovery modalities. Many of these techniques can be very effective at treating the source of your pain and discomfort. During a treatment appointment, soft tissue therapies and rehabilitation exercises are incorporated with chiropractic adjustments to treat the whole body.
Click below to read about each service.
Chiropractic Adjustments
A chiropractic adjustment consists of a small, concise force applied to a bone to restore proper motion of a joint. The adjustment can relieve pain caused by muscle imbalance and/or nerve interference.
Dr. Olivia uses a variety of techniques using her hands, a tool called an Activator, flexion/distraction, and the gentle drops of her table.
Some adjustments may produce and audible “click” where you may also feel the movement. This “click” is called a cavitation and it is gas being released from the joint’s synovial fluid (think of it like bubbles popping). If you hear a cavitation, that is totally normal. If you don’t hear a cavitation, that is normal too. Every adjustment is different depending on variables such as muscle tension and tools used.
If you don’t want to hear anything “click” or feel any movement, THAT’S OK! Just let Dr. Olivia know and she can use other low force methods of adjusting.
Instrumented Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Instrumented assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), aka Graston or scraping, is a myofascial release technique. Dr. Olivia uses a metal tool to break down soft tissue adhesions and abnormal scar tissue. This technique introduces microtraumas to the body to stimulate a local inflammatory response to promote healing.
During this process, you may feel some “crunchy” feeling. That’s ok. That is the scar tissue! Some other things to expect are redness and/or little red dots (called petechiae). You may also have some discomfort in the area, kind of like a bruise. This is all normal and should resolve in a few days.
Manual Release Therapy
This is a form of soft tissue therapy that addresses issues within the muscle and fascia. Dr. Olivia uses her hands to treat trigger points and release tension in the muscles. This is not a massage and strong pressure is used. Some discomfort may be felt during time of treatment but that should quickly pass.
Cupping Therapy
This is another form of soft tissue therapy that utilizes suction. The benefits of cupping include pain relief, deep tissue release, increase of blood flow, and improved movement and function. In some areas, the cups will leave a red or purple mark. These marks should clear in 5-7 days.
Rehabilitation Exercises
Combined with chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue therapies, rehabilitation exercises help reduce pain and bring the patient back to their daily activities. Regardless of fitness and activity levels, Dr. Olivia will teach you exercises to heal injuries and prevent further pain.
Form Checks
If there are movements in the gym that are causing pain, or you are just unsure about the movements, a form evaluation is great. Dr. Olivia will watch you perform these movements and make changes, while explaining to you WHY these changes will help.
This is also great for learning new movements to reduce the risk of injury!