Treatment Methods
- A highlight of the techniques our office utilizes.
Motion Palpation Techniques
Active Release Techniques®
Graston Technique®
Functional Rehabilitation/Therapeutic Exercises
Care For Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
Dietary/Nutritional Recommendations
Motion Palpation Technique
People that seek care from a chiropractic physician are not treated
for a joint that is out of place. Rather, what often happens is that
a joint becomes fixated or restricted in motion. This loss of motion
causes degenerative changes in other joints that are compensating
for the restriction. To find these restrictions, Dr. Zupancich utilizes
the Motion Palpation technique, a dynamic yet gentle way of assessing
joint dysfunction to determine where (or if) there are movement restrictions
in the spine or other joints of the body. Doctors that utilize Motion
Palpation often examine patients’ movements during walking,
running, working or other activities of daily living to identify fixations.
Once a restricted joint is identified, the doctor works to mobilize
the fixated areas, helping restore function to these joints.
For patients, the Motion Palpation technique allows our doctors to
effectively diagnose the source of discomfort and design a treatment
program that will bring fast and long-lasting results. Motion Palpation
also helps Dr. Zupancich determine when a patient's irritation stems
from too much movement instead of fixation. It is a crucial skill
to possess because an adjustment in a hyper-mobile joint could not
only prove ineffective, but it could also further aggravate the patient's
condition.
In order to create better motion and function in a joint that is
fixated, the doctor utilizes chiropractic manipulation or an adjustment.
Generally, this technique utilizes 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 supports the role of chiropractic care and its
manipulative procedures.
Patients benefit from the manipulative therapy techniques utilized
by Dr. Zupancich, which are based on current medical research. Meaning,
the seated neck adjustments administered to our patients (no head
spinning) and evidence-based spinal and extremity manipulation have
been clinically proven as the preferred adjusting technique, achieving
long-term results with fewer treatments. Back To Top
Active Release Techniques (ART®)
Active Release Techniques are a series of hands-on, soft tissue,
treatment protocols that allow clinicians to diagnose and free up
areas of adhesions which can play a major role in the formation of
numerous conditions such as tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome,
golfer's elbow, trigger finger, low back pain, neck pain, headaches,
hip pain, leg pain, ITB syndrome, runner's knee, shin splints, achilles
tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, foot pain, toe pain and rotator cuff
problems. Our bodies have many layers of soft tissue such as muscle,
tendons, fascia, and nerves. Decrease in the ability of these structures
to move properly is thought to cause many of the problems like those
listed above. Dr. Zupancich is proud to offer this form of myofascial
release to speed the recovery and improve the function of his patients.
For more information on ART feel free to visit www.activerelease.com
or give us a call!
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Graston Technique®
The Graston Technique, originally developed by athletes, is changing
the way clinicians and patients view treatment of acute and chronic
soft tissue injuries. The Graston Technique is an innovative, patented
form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables
clinicians to effectively break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions.
The Technique utilizes specially designed stainless steel instruments
to specifically detect and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft
tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation.
For the patient, Graston Technique has brought a decrease in the overall
time of treatment , faster rehabilitation/recovery, reduction in the
need for anti-inflammatory medication, and also helped to resolve chronic
conditions thought to be permanent. Graston Technique has also shown
promise in treating a variety of other conditions and injuries. Back
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Functional Rehabilitation - Therapeutic Exercise
Functional rehabilitation consists of clinical lifestyle recommendations,
manual treatments, and functional exercises to help patients regain
normal function of their spine and extremities. In order to determine
the proper functional rehabilitation program, faulty patterns of movement
are identified such as poor posture, improper lifting mechanics, fitness
training errors or injury. Over time, these improper movements may
load certain joints in the body more than others. Early on, the 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
cause areas of restricted movement and a loss of proper joint function.
To effectively treat these dysfunctions, which often stem from patient's
daily activities, doctors may offer joint manipulation in conjunction
with specific exercises patients can use do at home. This comprehensive
and combined approach works to retrain muscles, restore joint function
and prevent recurring injuries and subsequent doctor visits. The effectiveness
of this treatment method depends on the patient's commitment to their
therapeutic exercises and doctor’s recommendations. Back
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Care For Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
The TMJ is the joint between the jaw or mandible and the skull, specifically
the temporal bone (hence temporomandibular joint). It is a very mobile
joint, not only providing rotation but also gliding motion during
mouth opening and closing. It is used every time we chew, talk, or
even swallow. Its anatomy as well as movements are very complex and
very often become dysfunctional. This dysfunction can cause pain in
the jaw or face, popping or clicking during chewing, limitation of
jaw movement, or even headaches/migraines.
Z Spine and Joint Center provides evaluation and treatment of this
orofacial condition. Some cases of TMJ dysfunction may require a consultation
with a dentist for fitting of an orthopedic appliance, and still some
cases may require surgery if joint derangement or pathology is present.
The doctors specifically test each patient to rule in or out the need
for non-conservative treatment. The current literature suggests that
a brief trial of conservative care should be tried before arthroscopic
surgery or microsurgery.
Our conservative approach to temporomandibular dysfunction consists
of a detailed examination of the joint and its function, as well as
function of the upper cervical (neck) spine and head/neck posture.
Treatment focuses on first releasing the tension of the proper soft
tissues, in some cases mobilizing the jaw or manipulating the neck,
and then teaching the patient how to retrain proper jaw motion with
rehabilitation exercises. Following treatment, very small lifestyle
changes must be implemented to avoid further injury to this joint.
The goal of this treatment is to restore proper function of the joint
and stabilize its motion. Many times, there is hope for a clicking
jaw, painful joint, or headaches even if a patient has been dealing
with the problem for years. Back To Top
Dietary Recommendations
A crucial part of each patient’s treatment is recognition of
eating habits to determine nutritional deficiencies and potentially
harmful food sources. A majority of the foods present in a typical
American’s diet lack many of the essential nutrients and minerals
not only needed to increase the efficiency with which the human body
might normally have to heal but also affect the patient’s ability
to live a more energetic, vibrant, and youthful life.
At Z Spine and Joint Center you may receive dietary recommendations
as part of your treatment plan. These recommendations may include
dietary restrictions, education on healthy eating tips, and nutritional
supplementation. These recommendations applied to the diet subsequent
to treatment help equip the patient with some basic principles that
can further contribute to the enhancement of daily life. Back
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