What is Chiropractic Care

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) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.

Doctors of chiropractic are trained to locate the source of the pain or discomfort— it may actually be far from the actual location where the symptom is occurring— and then we correct or adjust the joints in the body and set it up to heal on its own. Of course, the type of correction or adjustment employed by the chiropractor depends on the condition being treated, but you get the main idea. The important thing to remember is that chiropractic success occurs by addressing the source of the problem, not just masking the symptoms.

Because helping the body heal itself involves many facets, chiropractors also provide lifestyle advice to help prevent illness and injury. Diet & nutrition, fitness, ergonomics, and other areas in your life contribute, or diminish, your overall health. By making the right choices, one can live a life full of wellness and vitality.

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CONDITIONS TREATED BY CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Treating Trauma Pain

Trauma can cause spinal misalignments in the body which can in turn distort your structure and irritate your nerves, bones, ligaments and discs. Any accident, no matter how minor, can create spinal misalignments. We can give you a spinal check-up to ensure that your spine is free from these health-compromising changes and to prevent any long-term damage.

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Sports Injuries

When spinal misalignments have been caused by repetitive stress or overuse at work or play, spinal nerves may be impeded. This may in turn negatively affect one's range of motion, strength, reflexes, endurance, and, ultimately, performance. Chiropractic can help your body restore normal nerve function and help you get back to your peak in both play and work.

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Chronic Pain

Chronic muscle tension and misalignments, for whatever reason, can eventually lead to pain, disability, and an overall decrease in the quality of life. You don't need to live with it— we can help you get to the root of the problem, set your body up to heal, and restore your health.

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Dealing with Aging

There are numerous physical problems associated with aging, and drugs and surgery are often prescribed to treat these problems. There is little, if any, attention paid to actually fixing these problems— and little or no emphasis on preventing them.

But you need not succumb. Chiropractors understand the effects of aging and have been helping folks deal with the aches and pains associated with aging for decades. As with other patients, we diagnose the ailment, determine what's causing it, and then choose from a variety of gentle therapeutic techniques to alleviate it.

We can also guide you through simple changes in your lifestyle (e.g., diet, exercise, stress management) that can greatly improve the quality of your life. Old habits are hard to break, but it's never too late to start healthy habits.

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ORTHOTIC FOOT SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Foot orthotics encompasses the field of knowledge about improving the function of the foot. The use of foot orthotics has gained acceptance and popularity in recent years.

Approximately 80-90% of the athletes who come into our office need a foot orthotic.

Many sports injury professionals do not realize that a large number athletic overuse injuries of the lower extremities are caused by poor foot biomechanics. The successful sports chiropractor must be able to diagnose and treat overuse injuries caused by inadequate foot biomechanics. The most common biomechanical abnormality of the foot is overpronation. A large number of injuries to the body may be due to overpronation, resulting in pain to the leg, knee, hip or lumbosacral region.

As you walk your heel swings from side to side very slightly, like the pendulum on a clock. If, however, your heel swings too far when you walk or run, your foot may be overpronating, or flattening too much. This incorrect movement stresses and weakens parts of your foot. Over time, you may develop symptoms in your feet ranging from a change in shape to pain when you walk.

Custom-made orthotics are medical devices that support and gently reposition the heel, arch, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones in the feet, enabling these structures to work together as nature intended, to make each step you take pain-free. Unlike shoe inserts bought over the counter, however, custom-made orthotics are built from molds of your feet to meet your unique needs. They're typically made with comfortable thermoplastic materials, which are guaranteed to last for years, and can be designed to fit in dress shoes, athletic shoes, boots, and skates.

Custom-made orthotics can relieve many different types of foot pain including heel pain and plantar fasciitis; arch pain; pain caused by running, walking, and other athletics; pain experienced by senior citizens; and many other kinds of foot pain related to bunions, trauma, sprains, and other disorders.

Dr. Fullerton at Alpine Chiropractic Clinic can fit you for custom orthotics. Many Banff area employers will cover this expense 100%, check with yours!