initial exam

Your first visit is scheduled for ONE full hour and will include a detailed history and a comprehensive exam. This exam includes general medical and neurological tests no different than a physical exam done by your primary care physician. Next, a more focused assessment relevant to your condition using orthopedic tests, movement analyses and an activity intolerance audit in most cases gives us a reliable impression of what your problem is and how/if we can help. Your diagnoses will be discussed, questions answered and general recommendations given. If time is available treatment is normally conducted on the first visit if your condition does not warrant an outside referral. Within 24 hours you will receive a custom home exercise program using the Hep2Go online program.    

FOLLOWING TREatment

Generally 30 minutes and consist of reviewing your home exercises and treatment using any combination of the undermentioned techniques which are found to be most effective.

treatment methods

*Joint manipulation is a type of passive movement of a skeletal joint. It is usually aimed at one or more target synovial joints with the aim of achieving down-regulation of nocioception (pain), increased range of motion and function, and relaxation of hypertonic (tight) muscles.

*Graded Exposure Approach is the implementation of gradual exposure to feared activities without causing pain and thereby lowering the threat level in the brain. These feared activities could be imagined movements, exercise, or daily functions. Many researchers believe that a large part of pain relief seen with exercise and other rehabilitation methods is from lowering the threat level in the brain using the graded approach. 

*Clinical Neurodynamics are essentially the clinical application of mechanics and physiology of the nervous system as they integrate with musculoskeletal function. What we do in the office is place affected nerves in a state of tension using specific body positioning and anatomical placement. Depending on our findings we are able to get a much more accurate diagnose as to the target location and how to administer treatment. These cutting-edge techniques are soon to be considered obligitory for science-based practitioners of manual medicine.

*Active Release Technique® is a patented, soft tissue movement system that is used for treatment of painful conditions. A.R.T. (for short) is commonly known as a gold standard in the treatment of athletes and overuse syndromes and is a partner for Ironman Triathalon.

*Graston Technique® is an innovative, also patented form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to detect and resolve adhesions in the muscles and tendons where nerve irritation may be involved. The technique employs specially designed stainless steel instruments to detect and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation and/or abnormal vascular response to injury (angiofibroblastic degeneration).

*Muscle Energy Techniques are a form of osteopathic manipulative diagnosis and treatment in  which the patient’s muscles are actively used on request from a precisely controlled position in a specific direction, and against a distinctly executed counterforce. Muscle energy techniques are used to treat joint restriction, especially decreased range of motion, muscular hypertonicity and to maneuver the body into a more pain free setting.

*Kinesiotape is used in at 360CLINIC as a therapy to cue better movement and provide your sensitive brain with comfort and support to help decrease your pain. Some evidence shows that the wave pattern found on the tape's adhesive has a lifting effect on the skin which can reduce swelling and inflammation by improving circulation. It is thought that the tape can help reduce pain by stimulating specific receptors in your skin (Ruffini endings) through a stretch response. The elastic properties can also be utilized in a mechanical fashion to limit or encourage a specific motion at a joint.

*Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a medical treatment that uses light emitting diodes to alter cellular function. Mechanisms for exactly how LLLT works is still not completely understood but there are two likely theories. One is that it decreases inflammatory cellular intermediates, while the other is that it stimulates the cell's mitochondria to increase the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) therefore decreasing pain.

*Spinal decompression or flexion/distraction technique are procedures that describe the relief of pressure on one or many pinched nerves of the spinal column, also called neural impingement. Spinal decompression can be achieved both surgically and non-surgically and is used to treat conditions that result in chronic back pain such as disc bulge, disc herniation, sciatica, spinal stenosis, and isthmic and degenerative spondylolisthesis. Non-surgical spinal decompression is achieved through the use of a mechanical traction device with continuous passive motion.

*Rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise prescription aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to people in pain, post-operative conditions, those with physical impairments or disabilities or people who simply want performance enhancement. We custom tailor our exercise prescription to meet your goals. 

*Clinical nutrition is often utilized in the every day management plan of neuromusculoskeletal pain conditions to support inflammation, bone health, immunity, healing, performance enhancement and pain reduction. A very useful free diet analysis program can be found at the myfitnesspal.com website and may be downloaded on your smart phone.

*Body work and massage therapy: We have multiple therapists on staff specializing in sports specific massage, deep tissue, thai, swedish, A.R.T., myofasical release, trigger point therapy and acupressure.  

Flexion/Distraction Table