When you have a joint that hurts – whether it’s a rib out of place, a rolled ankle or chronic back pain – we know it affects more than just the injured joint. That’s because the soft tissue, muscles, bones and joints are all interconnected. What affects one usually affects all. For this reason, Dr. Brent Manley and personal trainer Mike Jensen work together at Eastside Chiropractic Services to give their patients a more complete treatment plan than either could do alone.
Dr. Manley uses several treatment techniques depending on a patient’s needs. The first is called Diversified and is the most common technique. This method is a combination of a number of techniques to achieve optimal results.
The second method, developed by Dr. Clarence Gonstead, a pioneer in the field of chiropractic, is called the Gonstead method. It is a full spine technique of adjusting that includes x-ray analysis. “Dr. Gonstead promoted scientific research through his clinic and was known to have patients come from around the globe for treatments,” Dr. Manley explains.
The third method is called Receptor-Tonus and is a treatment technique created by Dr. Nimmo. This method involves the soft tissue and muscles as well as joints. It locates the source of the pain and removes it through stretching and pressure. “It is based on the premise that injury to the body affects muscles which in turn affect joint movement and cause pain,” says Dr. Manley. “By improving muscle function through treatment, the joints function better and pain is reduced.”
As the receptor-tonus method explains, there is often a direct correlation between muscles and joint pain. This is where Mike Jensen, an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Exercise Physiologist with a degree in exercise science, comes in. He offers customized personal training to clients as well as tailored stretching and strengthening exercises that address each patient’s unique needs. Having him at Eastside Chiropractic gives Dr. Manley the unique ability to send his clients directly to a personal trainer before or after their adjustment. This gives patients a better chance at reducing pain more quickly because they are addressing the problem in a more holistic way versus doing one or the other separately.
When a joint is locked up, the surrounding muscle will contract and tighten around that joint as a guarding mechanism. “Part of the pain people feel is that muscle tightness itself,” Jensen explains. “Getting an adjustment to unlock the joint is part of the process. Things like stretching and massage can help calm down that muscle tightness.”
He adds that great flexibility also means better range of motion within your joints. The more your joints move freely, the less painful they will be and they won’t wear out as fast.
“Our team of chiropractors often sees patients who need to strengthen certain muscle groups or stretch certain muscles in their treatment or injury rehabilitation,” explains Dr. Manley. “It makes the patients treatment more convenient when they can see the doctor for an adjustment and then spend some time with Mike going over their designated exercises.”
Jensen adds that their programs are made to be easy for their patients to continue to do in-between visits. “All of the stretching and exercise programs can be accomplished at home or in the gym,” he says.
Here, Jensen (right) demonstrates how to check posture on Dr. Manley (left) at Eastside Chiropractic.
It’s not physical therapy, which often uses high-tech equipment to help aid in recovery. Instead, Jensen says they use “simple but effective stretches and exercises” to better their patients’ overall health.
“I give people certain stretches and exercises depending on what they have access to, whether at home or at the gym,” he adds. “The idea is to give people the correct tools so they can do this on their own without needing us to be right there beside them.”
Since patient health and knowledge is of the upmost importance to the team at Eastside Chiropractic, Dr. Manley and Mike Jensen have started a YouTube channel with videos of their recommended stretches and core strengthening exercises. The videos show how to correctly do stretches that will help with daily activities, such as gardening (Jensen uses a shovel for a stretching tool in this video) and golf, as well as videos focusing on certain areas, such as stretching the shoulders.
“This is a unique opportunity for our patients to be able to access their stretches while away from the office and aids in compliance with their treatment plan,” Jensen says. “We see a lot of patients with poor posture as a result of muscle imbalances, chiropractic paired with a personalized resistance program achieves the best benefits.”
“Our primary goal is to help patients achieve a higher level of function,” adds Dr. Manley. “We want every patient to actively participate in their care process. Giving them the proper stretching and exercising tools can help them reach their goals.”
To find out more about their comprehensive services or to schedule an appointment, visit the Eastside Chiropractic website or call 360-459-9000.
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