Services

As a practice member at Endru Family Chiropractic, you can expect the following services:

Our services include:

Adjustments (spinal and extra spinal)
Electrical Muscle Stimulation
Therapeutic Exercises
Cryotherapy/Thermotherapy (Ice/Heat Therapy)
Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT
Nutrition consultation
Spinal Traction
Extremity Adjusting

Adjustments

The term "adjustment" refers to the specific manipulation chiropractors apply to vertebrae that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally. The objective of the chiropractic treatment is to reduce the subluxation, which results from increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritability and improved function.

The adjustment made by the chiropractor consists of a high velocity, short lever arm thrust applied to a vertebra, which is often accompanied by an audible release of gas (joint cavitation). The audible sound is caused by the release of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide which releases joint pressure. The sensation is usually relieving, although minor discomfort has been reported. This minor discomfort usually lasts for only a short time and is a result if the surrounding muscles are in spasm or if the patient tenses up during the chiropractic procedure.

There are times when the joint cavitation or cracking does not occur and this is often due to either significant muscle splinting or the patient may not be adequately relaxed during the chiropractic adjustment. At times like this, it is sometimes best for the chiropractor to apply ice, have the patient rest or do electrical muscle stimulation and massage prior to attempting spinal manipulation.

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Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Electrical Muscle Stimulation, or EMS, works by placing two small electrodes ( or pads) on an area of muscle tension or chronic pain. The electrodes are then connected to a unit via small wires that carry electrical pulses to the muscle needing treatment which in turns causes the muscle to exercise passively. EMS mimics the body's nervous system by sending safe, low frequency electrical pulses to the affected area, causing the muscle to contract and increase temperature and blood circulation. The same natural process of the body to repair injuries works with EMS to relieve other common nervous system disorders including headaches, numbness of limbs and back pain. By utilizing and encouraging the body's natural healing mechanisms, EMS and similar therapies can drastically reduce the dependence on medications and unnecessary surgeries and resolve the symptoms of underlying causes much quicker.

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Therapeutic Exercises

We teach our practice members special exercises designed just for them to help strengthen and correct their own unique problem. These exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home and can improve the effectiveness of your spinal correction by as much as 30-40%. Therapeutic exercise enhances the treatment process and helps maintain healing benefits as well as reducing the likelihood of future problems.

We start with what most people say is the best back pain exercise. Because people with back pain will not be able to do a full sit up, we will do a partial sit up:

Lie on the floor with a pillow supporting your neck and bend both knees (keep feet on floor). Now raise your hands and slowly reach for your knees. You do not need to raise you mid or lower back, just raise your head neck and upper back. Hold this position for 5 seconds and then go back to original position. Do as many as you are able and be sure to make this part of your daily routine.

Start this exercise in the same position as the partial sit up, lying on the floor with a pillow supporting your neck. Bend both knees keeping feet on the floor:

Begin by bringing one of your knees to your chest using both hands to hold. Count to 10 and then slowly release it to starting position. Now bring up your opposite knee to your chest repeating exercise. Do this 4-5 times for each leg. You will feel your whole back getting a good stretch.

Now, bring both knees to the chest at the same time, count to 10 and then release. Repeat this 4-5 times as well.

Lie on the floor with your arms out from your shoulders in the shape of a T. Now bend your knees and lift your feet until it almost touches your buttocks. Keep those knees together and slowly rotate to the right. Hold to the count of 10. Now slowly bring back knees and feet to the middle and then rotate to the left. Repeat this exercise 4-10 times alternating from right to left.

This exercise is designed to help those with sciatic pain:

Lie on your stomach and put your arms by your side. Slowly raise your head and chest from the floor. Try to hold for about 4-5 seconds and then return to starting position. Rest for 15-30 seconds and repeat 7-10 times.

If you are feeling better you can proceed to the next stage of this exercise. If you are experiencing pain stop the exercise.

The next stage is to lie on your stomach with a pillow under the chest. Just lie and relax there for about 10 minutes. When you do this you are actually lifting your upper back with the help of the pillow. Now, using your hand, push on the floor and slowly raise your head and upper back from the pillow. Do this several times. STOP this exercise if back pain increases.

The Cat-Camel is intended as a motion exercise and not a stretch so the emphasis is on motion rather than pushing at the end ranges of flexion and extension:

Position yourself on all fours with hands directly beneath your shoulders and knees directly beneath your hips. Arch your back like a cat and then transition to camel position. Repeat 12-15 times.

This exercise is performed using a stability ball:

Lay with your stomach on the stability ball, face down with your arms resting behind your head on your neck. Relax your shoulders and keep your abdominals tight. Contract the gluteus and use your lower back muscles to slowly lift your shoulders and chest off the ball.

Begin in a all-fours position. Engage the abdominal muscles to stabilize the pelvis and the neck in alignment with the spine. At the same time lift your right arm/ left leg and then alternate left arm/right leg.

This exercise is performed using a stability ball:

Rest your stomach on the stability ball. Place your hands on the floor in front of the ball. Raise both legs up off the floor until your body is horizontal.

Sit in a chair and reach one arm across the belly to the opposite side of the chair. Look over the shoulder while rotating the low and mid back. Hold for 15-30 seconds.

Arms start slightly to the side of your body, palms facing your thighs. This starting position helps protect the shoulder joint. Engage the abdominals, bend the knees slightly and position the feet about shoulder width apart. Keep elbows flexed slightly and then raise arms out to shoulder height. Pause and then slowly return to the starting position.

Arms start in front of the body with palms facing the front of your thighs. Engage the abdominals, bend knees slightly and position feet shoulder width apart. With elbows extended raise both arms out straight in front of you to shoulder height. Pause and then slowly return to starting position.

Using an elastic resistance band, begin with both hands above your head. However, keep arms lightly in front of face to protect back and shoulders.

Engage the abdominals, bend the knees slightly and position feet shoulder width apart. Pull downward to the side with one arm, adducting the shoulder until the upper arm is next to the torso. Pause and then return slowly to the starting position.

Start with the ball under your stomach and roll forward placing your body weight on your hands until the stability ball rests under your shins. Your body should be extended in a straight line from the stability ball and now you can do a push up.

Lie on one side with your legs straight. Support the upper body by keeping the elbow directly beneath the shoulder. Being careful not to let the top hip rotate forward, engage the abdominals and use the torso to lift the hip. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds maintaining a neutral neck and spine position.

Lie on your back with one knee flexed and foot flat on the floor and the other leg straight in the air. Extend arms flat along body and maintain neutral alignment in the cervical spine. Lift the working knee and leg in an upward diagonal direction over the belly button. Pause and then slowly lower the leg to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.

Perform this exercise using a stability ball:

Lay your back onto the ball, hands behind head or across chest. Maintain a backwards pelvic tilt and raise shoulder blades off the ball.

Perform this exercise using a stability ball:

Stand facing the wall and hold the stability ball at forehead height. Push forehead forward into the ball.

Perform this exercise using a stability ball:

Stand facing away from the wall and hold the stability ball behind your head. Push back of head into the ball.

Perform this exercise using a stability ball:

Stand sideways to the wall. Hold the stability ball above your shoulder at the side of your head. Push head laterally into the ball.

1. Bring ear to your shoulder.
2. Let your neck sit in that position for 5-7 seconds.
3. Force your ear toward your shoulder.
4. Feel the stretch of your neck muscle on the opposite side.
5. Repeat to opposite shoulder.
6. Bring head back as if your are looking to the ceiling.
7. Feel the stretch in the muscles located on the front part
    of your neck.


IF THIS EXERCISE CAUSES DIZZINESS, FAINTING OR LOSS OF BALANCE…STOP THE EXERCISE AND CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN!!!!

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Cryotherapy/Thermotherapy (Ice/Heat Therapy)

Cryotherapy is a term that describes the application of ice compresses to reduce the temperature of tissues directly on or below the skin surface. The cool temperatures constricts blood vessels, numbs painful areas and helps relax muscle spasms. Cryotherapy reduces nerve transmission of painful symptoms and provide temporary relief. This type of therapy is also effective in reducing and preventing post-traumatic swelling. Ice compresses should be applied several times a day during the initial stages of an injury.

Thermotherapy is a term that describes the application of heat to decrease joint stiffness or relieve muscular problems. Heat therapy can come in many different forms: a heating pad, a hot cloth, hot bottle (hydrocollator packs) or ultrasound. The therapeutic effects of heat include increasing the extensibility collagen tissues; decreasing joint stiffness; reducing pain; relieving muscle spasms; reducing inflammation and edema; aids in the post acute phase of healing; and increasing blood flow. The increased blood flow to the affected area provides proteins, nutrients and oxygen for better healing.

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Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)

LLLT improves tissue repair, reduces pain and inflammation wherever the beam is applied. Usually applied by a doctor, therapist or technician, treatments take about 10 minutes and should be applied two or more times a week.

LLLT has been used for many year on sports injuries, arthritic joints, neuropathic pain syndromes, back and neck pain. Over 200 randomized clinical trial have been published on LLLT, half of which are on pain.

Customers who have used LLLT include US and British military, Premier Division soccer teams, Olympic teams, Formula 1, rugby and cricket team therapists as well as specialist pain clinics in the USA and UK.

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Nutritional Consultation

High quality excipient free nutrition based on improving overall patient health and wellness.

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Spinal Traction

The Spinalator offers patients a relaxing therapy referred to as intersegmental traction.

The patient benefits by:

The Spinalator helps loosen knotted muscles so the patient can relax before their adjustment.

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Extremity Adjusting

The chiropractic approach that works so well with the spine can be applied to other joints of the body. Virtually every articulation of your skeletal system is susceptible to fixations that can impair function and range of motion.

Joint problems throughout the body:

Jaw: Stress, teeth grinding and spinal problems can cause TMJ
(temporomandibular joint) disorders where your jaw connects to your skull. (You can feel the joint move by placing your fingers in front of your ears and opening your mouth.) Skilled chiropractic care can restore proper nervous system control of involved muscles and ligaments, reducing pain, stiffness, clicking sounds or locked jaw.

Shoulder: Many shoulder problems originate in the area where the nerves branch from the spinal cord and exit the neck. Shoulder pain or pain radiating down the arm can be accompanied by weakness, numbness or tingling in the wrists or hands. Many patients report dramatic improvement with chiropractic care.

Elbow: Classic tennis elbow ( lateral epicondylitis) is a repetitive strain injury that often afflicts the dominant arm. It is seen among carpenters, mechanics, office workers, cashiers and those who perform repeated hammering, grasping and rotary forearm motions. A thorough examination followed by appropriate chiropractic care can produce excellent results.

Wrist: Carpal tunnel syndrome is usually due to compression of the median nerve as it passes through the band of ligaments in the wrist. In many cases, the underlying cause is a misalignment of one or more joints of the neck, shoulder, elbow or wrist. Identifying the involved joints(s) and a program of chiropractic care can often avoid surgery.

Hip: The hips and sacrum, considered the "pelvic girdle", is the foundation of your spine. These sacroiliac joints can affect nerves exiting the spine. While the chiropractic adjustments of the hips can produce excellent results, many hip problems can be caused from malfunctioning joints above or below the pelvis.

Ankle: The ankle is the most frequently injured joint in the body. "Pronation", in which the feet flare outward and kneecaps rotate inward, is the most common foot problem. When weak arches cause the bones of the foot to drop to an unstable position, stress on the foot increases. Adjusting malfunctioning joints in the feet, combined with the custom shoe orthotics, can reduce tenderness, improve your gait and stabilize the entire skeletal system.

While many health problems can be traced to the spine, other joints of the body can be involved. When chiropractic techniques are applied, range of motion can be improved and painful inflammation reduced without drugs or surgery!!!

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