As a chiropractors who use the functional model of chiropractic to help the athletes and patients of 417 Performance, people often ask , 'What is the functional model?' or 'How is it different from a traditional chiropractor?' So, let me explain!
Scientific progress, improvements in diagnostic imaging (x-rays/MRIs), and a better understanding of how our bodies move have caused a big change in how the modern chiropractor thinks about and treats patients. Historically chiropractors have focused solely the joints of the spine, however the more we learn the more we're leaning more towards a dynamic or functionally based approach to care. This means we are focusing on how our muscles and joints work together as a whole beyond just the spine. With the latest research, it's becoming more clear how movement patterns of the muscles and joints are connected to the things that create pain.
The functional model of chiropractic focuses on how our body moves and works as a whole, not just one part that might be hurting. Our brain and nervous system controls how all our muscles and joints move. If something goes wrong with our movement patterns, it can cause stress and pain in various parts of the body. But here's the tricky part: sometimes, our bodies can stop feeling pain even if there's still a problem. It's like having a nail in a tire. If you put air in the tire, the warning light might shut off, but without removing the nail, the tire is going to go flat again. Even if the pain goes away, there might still be something not quite right with how your body is moving. As a functional sports chiropractors, we at 417 Performance don't just rely on pain to tell us what's wrong. We check each of your muscles, joints, and movement patterns to see how efficiently you move, and if your body is compensating for any problems.
All the things we do every day, like walking, sitting, bending, and lifting, can sometimes cause issues if we don't do them the right way. For the best results and to keep pain away, we need to fix these movement patterns. At 417 Performance we use functional movement screening to understand your joint mobility, muscles activation, and motor control doing during these activities. Once we have a more clear picture of how your body functions we can then use traditional adjustments, advanced soft techniques, and corrective exercises to help you feel better and stay that way.
Traditional chiropractors were too focused on just the spine, and as such they were pigeon holed into the stigma that they could only help with back pain. With the functional model of chiropractic we are able to break outside the box of the “back cracker” and treat musculoskeletal problems all over the body. Conditions like plantar fasciitis, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel, and even knee and elbow pain can be treated safely and effectively using the functional model.
