September 2008

Rehab and the subluxation-based chiropractor

by Dr. Mark R. Payne

As subluxation-based chiropractors, our main mission is the detection and correction of vertebral subluxation in our patients. In recent years, many DCs have begun to integrate rehabilitation into their practices. But how does the separate science of rehabilitation co-exist with and complement our primary purpose as chiropractors?

Most of the rehabilitation courses currently being taught to chiropractors focus on the analysis and treatment of functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

The current trend in rehabilitation centers on achieving objective improvements in various aspects of patient function such as freedom and quality of movement, strength, endurance, etc., and not on correcting subluxation.

This is natural considering that most of the current research in rehabilitation science has come from other professions with very different clinical goals. Consequently, it is easy for subluxation-centered chiropractors to be sidetracked from the primary purpose of correcting the patient's spine.

There is, however, another approach to rehab which is simple, logical, scientifically sound, and much more in line with the chiropractic purpose of correcting subluxations.

It is possible to use our understanding of exercise and rehabilitation principles to actually assist in the structural correction of the spine. By analyzing the patient's spinal x-Rays, and posture, then recommending specific exercise to help the patient return to a more normal position, subluxation-based doctors can work directly to address the underlying structural problems.

Structural rehab does more than simply treat the various effects of subluxation. It actually helps the body correct and maintain its normal biomechanical alignment as nature intended.

Every chiropractor is experiencing the challenges of today's ever-changing financial environment. More and more insurance companies don't understand what we do as chiropractors and are refusing to pay for the chiropractic adjustment. This places additional hardship on subluxation-based practitioners.

However, many insurance companies have a much more favorable attitude toward rehabilitation services. Integrating structural rehab into the subluxation-centered chiropractic office can be an important strategy in maximizing both your reimbursement and your corrective care results. Best of all, the simple methods can be incorporated into your practice with minimal space requirements and almost no investment in equipment.

For more information on how structural rehab principles can be integrated into the subluxation-based chiropractic practice, doctors can request a free copy of the report "Guerilla Rehab: Survival Tactics for the Chiropractic Jungle," available by calling 334-448-1210 or by visiting www.Matlinmfg.com.

(Mark R. Payne, DC, has been in practice since 1979 and is a frequent author and lecturer on extension traction and spinal rehabilitation. He is founder and president of Matlin Manufacturing Inc., which offers a variety of products including extension traction, rehab, adjusting blocks and fulcrums. He can be contacted at 334-448-1210 or via e-mail at drpayne@matlinmfg.com )