Functional Recovery and Improvement

I would like to cover 3 topics today: physical transitions in our body; the basics to understanding function in our body; and how SHCC can help improve the function of the body.

Transitions in your body
Whether going from good to bad body function, or bad to good, it is the experience of change or transition in function that can create symptoms. This happens because the body is growing toward the stress you put upon it at all times and some stressors (like a new pair of shoes, a new bed, or exercise) require a change faster than the body can grow and adapt to. Too much demand can slowly or sometimes quickly (depending on how much stress your body is already under) fatigue the body's tissues and lead to pain, stiffness and/or injury.

The Basics to Understanding Function in our Body
First understand clearly that we are 3-dimensional and we function in three dimensions. ( This may take practice and visualization).

3-dimensional means when referring to the body and it's parts:

1. Top and Bottom
2. Front and Back
3. Right and Left

Referring to the motion of body parts:

1. Facing forward: bending forward and backward (sagittal plane of motion)
2. Facing forward: bending side to side (frontal plane of motion)
3. Facing forward: rotating to the right or the left (transverse plane of motion)

Visualizing these motions of the body and thinking of the body and its parts in 3 dimensions will be the foundation to understanding and improving your body's function.

Functional Programs at Signal Hill Chiropractic Center

In addition to our acute pain relief treatments with Chiropractic, Massage and Reflexology we offer functional programs where the treatments focus on integrating the function of the whole body so that it can be most efficient. Outcomes of treatment become: ease of functional capabilites like squats, lunges, overhead reaches and balance challenges as well as walking analysis for symmetrical efficiency which can be captured on video upon request for your own visual inspection. Having a video of your performance can be a powerful awareness builder!
Please inquire about programs and costs for more information.

Excellent whole body stabilizer exercise classes we offer are Yoga and Tai Chi as well as walking and stretching classes with Dr. McMaster. Classes schedules will be updated tomorrow.

Two other function improvers that are offered are exercise programs on the powerplate and Earth shoes.

The powerplate (http://www.powerplate.com for research and a list of other users) uses whole body vibration to challenge the muscles, joints, bones and nervous system to strengthen, improve flexibility, relaxation and recovery, and improve circulation efficiently.







This is a tool I have used for over 2 years to personally train patients and feel strongly that it will aid patients in the strength and recovery phases of care.

The Earth shoes from a functional stand point I feel are the best shoes on the market at putting your body into the front to back neutral position. This neutral position, once you become used to it, transfers force through the body more efficiently and causes less reactivity of the muscles on the back half of your body which overwork typically in a heeled shoe to stop you from falling forward. Earth shoes require a physical transition from the forward position back to neutral. This can fall into the category of a bad to good transition which I referred to earlier which can create stiffness and soreness throughout the body. This is avoided by a good functional assessment with exercise and possibly treatment suggestions. Please call if you are considering a shoe change, the functional assessment is free. These are the only shoes I wear.

Up next in Functional recovery and improvement(FRI) are descriptions with pictures and hopefully brief videos of full 3-dimensional movement of all the major joints in the body to be followed by the integration of these movements into the ideal walking cycle. With running to come...

Dr. McMaster