Motion Palpation
Rarely is a joint out of place. Rather, what often happens is that a joint loses movement. This loss of movement causes degenerative changes in other joints that are compensating for the restriction. To find these restrictions, our doctors utilize the Motion Palpation technique, a dynamic way of assessing joint dysfunction to determine where (or if) there are movement restrictions in the spine. Motion Palpation doctors examine patients movements as they walk and administer weight-bearing joint analysis to identify fixations. Once a restricted joint is identified, the doctor works to mobilize the fixated areas, restoring function to these joints.

For patients, the Motion Palpation technique allows our doctors to effectively determine the source of discomfort and design a treatment protocol that will deliver long-term results. Motion Palpation also helps Drs. Winchester and Hilgefort determine when a patient's irritation stems from too much movement not restriction. This is an important discernment as an adjustment in a hyper-mobile joint could not only prove ineffective, but it could also further aggravate the patient's condition.

Chiropractic Manipulative Therapy
To put movement in a joint that is fixated, the doctor utilizes chiropractic manipulation or an adjustment to help restore normal function and motion in a joint. Generally, this technique employs gentle pressure or a shallow thrust to restore optimal motion. An adjustment is sometimes accompanied by a pop or cracking noise, which results from the joint's release of nitrogen gas.

To date, many studies of the chiropractic adjustment have proven its effectiveness, safety and high levels of patient satisfaction. In 1994, the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy deemed this technique as the gold standard for treating low back pain. Since the agency's initial findings, more research has been conducted on neck pain, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, infantile colic and rehabilitation. Each of the study's findings support the role of chiropractic care and its manipulative procedures.

Patients benefit from our manipulative therapy techniques, which are based on current medical research. Meaning, the seated neck adjustments administered to our patients (no head spinning) and evidence-based spinal manipulation have been clinically proven as the preferred adjusting technique, achieving long-term results with fewer treatments.

Active Release Techniques (ART)
Drs. Winchester and Hilgefort employ myofascial release, a manual treatment for musculoskeletal disorders, to remedy injuries such as muscle strains, rotator cuff tendonitis, tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Our doctors base their muscular therapy on a practice called Active Release Technique (ART), originating from a Colorado-based chiropractor who enjoyed monumental results with this technique and professional athletes.

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Applied by hand using specific pressure and tension on the muscle, ART is more aggressive than massage therapy. According to the technique’s creator, ART works by trapping the affected tissue with the doctor’s thumb or fingers and then moving the tissue from its shortened position to an elongated point. This method softens and stretches the scar tissue, resulting in increased range of motion, enhanced strength and improved circulation optimizing the healing process.

Currently, medical research refers to ART as the most effective muscle technique for treating soft-tissue conditions. At a recent neurosurgery conference in Boston, a neurosurgeon reported, Now, I refer most of my patients to an ART provider before I'll consider surgery. We credit ART with the rapid success of many of our patients, which range from athletes to office workers.

Functional Rehabilitation
Functional rehabilitation incorporates clinical lifestyle recommendations, manual treatments and functional exercise regimes to help patients regain normal function of their spine and limbs returning patients to their active daily lifestyles. Therapy begins by identifying faulty patterns of movement often resulting from poor posture, improper lifting mechanics, fitness training errors or injury. In the early stages, subtle changes in movement or muscle activation can go unnoticed by the patient. However over time, the increased stresses placed on the joints and surrounding soft-tissues can produce pain in muscles or joints and/or a loss in normal range of motion.

To effectively treat these dysfunctions, which often stem from patient's daily activities, doctors may offer joint manipulation coupled with a series of targeted exercises patients can use as homework. This comprehensive and consistent approach works to retrain muscles, restore joint function and prevent recurring injuries and doctor visits. Additionally, doctors will equip the patient with innovative techniques for maintaining proper posture, improving lifting mechanics or workouts, and determining Do's and Don'ts related to certain jobs or daily activities. The effectiveness of this treatment protocol depends on the patient's commitment to their therapeutic exercises and doctor’s recommendations.

Drs. Winchester and Hilgefort have trained extensively in functional rehabilitation. In fact, Dr. Winchester is currently pursuing his rehab diplomate, studying with the medical profession’s thought leaders, including an expedition to Prague in the Czech Republic to conduct research under the “father of manual medicine, Dr. Karel Lewit.