Chiropractic manual medicine is the art and science of adjustment and manipulation of the body’s joints and soft tissues by hand. The word chiropractic comes from the greek words “praxis,” meaning “to do work” and “chiros” meaning “by hand.” As utilized by the best practitioners in the field, chiropractic manipulation is scientifically proven to be the most rapidly effective treatment for back and neck pain. What you might not know is that manipulative therapy is also effective when applied to other joints of the body: TMJ, hips, shoulders, knees and feet. If you have an arthritic shoulder or you are an elite athlete training for your next triathlon, we have gentle, effective methods to bring your body up to its maximum potential!
We invite you to discover our unique approach to the evidence-informed practice of chiropractic in Colorado. We are the trusted, preferred chiropractic referral for many medical physicians and surgeons in the community. Our offices are conveniently located and easy to get to from anywhere along the Front Range.
What sets us apart
There’s an old saying in medicine: “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Some believe that spinal “adjustments” by hand are the one-and-only remedy to virtually any health condition you may have. We believe a truly wholistic approach to health demands a broader view.
At the Center for Spine, Sport & Physical Medicine we recognize that you may have a condition that doesn’t need manipulation at all. (Some will gasp. Some will breathe a sigh of relief.) As a brief glimpse at our other webpages will prove, we do far, far more than spinal manipulation. We care for many types of ailments and spinal conditions, and the entire gamut of sports injuries.
You see, spinal manipulative therapies and chiropractic adjustments are great (and we’re very, very good at it) but, unapologetically, manipulation is not a panacea. This is an important reason to consider our clinic. While our treatment plans often utilize manual therapy, manipulation and chiropractic adjustments, we us a wide variety of other interventions as well to great effect. Why? Because in nearly 30 years of clinical practice we’ve found that we can achieve even faster results, more lasting relief, and happier, more energetic patients!
As an example where manipulation is ill-advised, what if your shoulder pain related primarily to muscular imbalances and excessive movement surrounding your painful joint? Manipulation of a shoulder that is already “too loose” may, in some cases, not be helpful at all. In such cases our treatment will focus on increasing the stability of the shoulder, while addressing any concurrent neck or thoracic spinal problems (by manipulation, soft tissue therapy and exercise) that may be contributing to or perpetuating your shoulder problem.
The right treatment for the right problem = Better Results!
There is an adage that says: “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This is the standard “one-size-fits-all” approach typically used elsewhere. Not so at our clinic! Just because we specialize in Chiropractic methods doesn’t mean that we are narrow in our consideration of what our patients need most. That’s why we are a multi-specialty clinic. You have easy access to multiple treatment options from an integrated team of 5 caring, compassionate, health care providers. You’ll get the treatment approach that’s right for you!
What can I do to help myself recover faster?
What a great question — and we LOVE to hear it! It’s what every active, outdoors-loving Coloradan asks us. Our answer to this question is our secret weapon: Active Rehabilitation. Dr. Jon Seeman, DC, CCSP and Dr. Joel Carmichael, DC, DACBSP have trained extensively in spine rehabilitation and sports medicine. Our provider team has extensive expertise in active spine and sports injury rehabilitation protocols. They bring a wealth of clinical skill in helping patients realize their goals faster, more completely and more lastingly through combined exercise, manual therapy techniques, and a vast array of exercise prescriptions for core stability, balance, flexibility and strength. Scientific studies have consistently shown superior clinical results through the combination of chiropractic adjustments with exercise rehabilitation. Like most all of our patients you will be delighted with our results-oriented care.
Most body pain is mechanical; our mechanical treatment matches the problem
A final note about low back pain, neck pain and headaches: A significant and still poorly recognized truth is the fact that the majority of low back pain, neck pain and headaches have a predominantly spinal or joint-mechanics component. That is, these conditions are often the result of mechanical problems with the body’s structure, musculature and supporting connective tissues. At a very basic level, Chiropractic medicine is mechanical therapy for mechanical problems. And in combination with our integrated multidisciplinary approach, we are simply matching very common pain problems with their most natural and appropriate remedies.
Our unique approach
While many practitioners use adjustments, manipulation or mobilization to treat low back pain, neck pain, headaches, sports and auto injuries, few have the advanced hospital training or integrated provider “team approach” to practice like we do. Our practice is unique because our team approach is unique. Our protocols are rooted and grounded in clinical science. As our patient you can be confident your plan of care is based on the most current advances in the field of physical rehabilitative medicine and chiropractic. It’s called “evidence-based medicine.” It means you won’t receive unnecessary services or unnecessary diagnostic tests. You WILL receive all the care needed to get you on the road to recovery as quickly as possible!
• No hype. No nonsense.
• Results-oriented approach for spine and sports injuries
• Advanced post-graduate residency training
• Multi-specialty, truly integrated care
• Three decades oftrusting relationships with referring medical physicians
If your condition requires medical consultation or co-intervention we are equipped to provide many of these specialized services right here. For those specialized interventions we are unable to provide, you will be given a short list of the best specialists to choose from, and we’ll teach you what you can expect when you go for the consultation. We work closely with the medical community because it is in your best interest. We have earned the trust of our medical colleagues. Many local physicians and surgeons refer their patients to us with conditions that require a very real team approach in order to achieve the best results. And we know how to work as part of the team. We’ve been doing it this way, as pioneered by Dr. Carmichael in a St. Louis medical hospital, since 1986. It’s part of our unique team-oriented approach to every patient.
Your initial visit with our provider team will provide all the information needed to determine the appropriate next step in your care. X-rays are not routine, but are obtained when necessary. Once we’ve identified the cause of your problem you will receive detailed information about your condition and a plan of care formulated by our provider team. With few exceptions we expect our patients to improve quickly and steadily. If your progress is slower than expected, we will change your treatment promptly. All care plans include WHAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME to help you recover faster AND prevent a recurrence of pain in the future.