Dr. Katherine Mullen, DC, MS
If you have ever noticed that it takes a few days or weeks for your rib to “pop-out” again after being adjusted, or your pain comes back and you feel that an adjustment makes it go away for just a little bit?
Let’s talk about the importance of rehab
It is not just for when you have an injury. It is an incredibly useful tool to help prevent injuries while also helping you continue to stay out of pain. Chiropractic manipulations/adjustments, instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation, cupping, massage, etc. are all great tools for helping reduce pain, stiffness, and soreness in the short term. That being said, if this is the only tool in your “Pain Reduction” toolbox, the pain is just going to keep coming back, though not as intense, and creates a higher likelihood of the problem may turn into a more chronic issue. After these treatments, it is incredibly common for people to go back to the habits they have already established, such as sitting for hours, lack of exercise, poor posture, etc. Hypertonicity of muscles and hypomobility of joints becomes a chronic cycle. Nothing is going to change unless your motor pattern changes.
Think of passive care like not having your own Netflix or Hulu account so you bum off your parents, best friend, or cousin’s friend’s boyfriend. All is fun and games until they change their password and you have to find another way to get access to unlimited movies and shows, ultimately causing an endless cycle of relying on others to fix your streaming problems. Active care is where you decide to take initiative and create your own account and no longer have to deal with always asking people for their passwords.
The moral of the story is, by establishing proper motor patterns and biomechanics injury prevalence is ultimately decreased. The combination of passive and active care is going to lead to the most success, reduction of pain and increase in function. This is why your doctor should not only teach you how to get out of pain right now but also how to make it last. As Karl Lewit, a pioneering leader in musculoskeletal diagnosis and rehabilitation, stated: “rehabilitation is to show a patient what they can do for themselves.”
Our doctors can all get you started on a comprehensive active care, rehab routine. If you are the self-starter type, check out our YouTube Channel for over 70 - 1 minute videos to get started now! Washington Park Chiropractic YouTube
Katherine Mullen, DC, MS is a chiropractic physician with a masters in sports medicine. She has a special interest in the treatment of athletes through chiropractic and rehabilitative care. She is also certified to perform pre-participation physical exams (PPEs). Stay connected with Dr. Mullen on Instagram @washparkchiro or @katherinemullen