An Article Review from Dynamic Chiropractic Jan 2018 Edition
As we march forward into the year, I think it is important to stay up-to-date with what’s up in chiropractic. So here we go:
I figure why not start off with a bang? I have to admit that it is my new favorite subject to discuss. Which, in large part, is probably due to the enormous polarity you find when even mentioning it. The response can range from something Cheech and Chong would be proud of to nothing short of moral indecency and criminal behavior. However, I think the truth and the medical usage of this controversial plant lies somewhere in the middle. With more and more states moving to legalize marijuana, I think this is an issue that will come up. If it grates down on your soul to even think about such a topic, you could always consider CBD. CBD is the part of the hemp plant that is completely benign. It lets you operate heavy machinery and not only reduces pain, but a myriad of other ailments too. Also, CBD oils, tinctures, creams, etc. are great sells in a chiropractic office too.
Friend or foe, we have to live with physical therapists. They seem to have completely integrated themselves into the medical world. What does that mean for us as chiropractors? It means we have to continue to be the best at adjustments. Like I always say, PT’s manipulate while chiropractors adjust. I think five academic years of just chiropractic school allow us to hold the title at being better at the finer mechanics and subtleties of getting the body to move. We need to continue to be on top of our game and to let our patients and the community know we are better too.
The buzzword I keep running across is ‘integrative.’ This fancy word says that patients want all of their doctors to work together for their betterment. I don’t think Mrs. Smith cares who administers her diagnosis- she just wants it relatively quick, accurate, sent to the right doctor for treatment, and the condition explained without the heavy medical jargon.
Here we go again, ‘integrating’ postural analysis and education during your physical examination. I do it with almost every patient because let’s face it; the modern world is constantly changing. Texting, sitting for hours at a time, and looking at screens all day is not helping anterior head carriage, lordotic or kyphotic curves in the least.
Not even my brain could come up with a catchy title for this one. The moral of this story is to use them. These tools monitor patient progress, helps with diagnosis, treatment, exercise therapies, etc. Plus, insurance companies like to use them too. Who doesn’t want to get paid more often and more timely by insurance companies?
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is short, sweet and to the point. Usually 15-30 minutes of non-stop “cardio” moves like jumping jacks, squats, burpees, pushups, etc which are performed in 15-45 second intervals in rapid fire succession. Just think about someone who you find irritating, write down enough torturous exercises for them to perform, and then review the exercises to make sure it fits with your patient’s physical ability. The other nice part about HIIT is it combines body weight exercises so you’re getting two benefits for the price of one.
If #6 was a bit much, then why not encourage patients to slap on a Fitbit or Apple Watch to monitor their daily movement and heart rate? Keeping a slower yet elevated heart rate is still a very important trend for patients to keep up with. Even exercises like yoga don’t have to be done in a studio. These can also be done in your own office so patients can do exercises during their visit. As a chiropractor, you can also provide your patients with exercises they can take home. What do you do if you run across a patient who is not an avid yogi? How about suggesting strength training to them? Slow controlled movements with gradual increments in weight can be a great addition to help with posture and core strength. Good news is, we can create, demonstrate, and educate our patients on all different kinds of fitness and exercise programs for them to perform.
As we know, the chiropractic world is always changing which often times is a response to the medical community. As long as medical practices continue to evolve, we as chiropractors will have to be on our toes. We certainly can’t predict everything that is coming down the pipe, but these seven trends will at least give us a start to navigating the year ahead.
For more information please check out: Dynamic Chiropractic Volume 36, Number 1.
Kassandra Schultz DC