Soft Tissue/Manual Therapy

Soft tissue or manual therapy services that we provide include:

• Myofascial Release or Trigger point therapy:  is done by applying increasing pressure to a muscle to facilitate the release of the spastic fibers.
  
• Vibration/Massage: handheld mechanical massage/vibration to relax muscles and decrease pain before an adjustment
• Gua Sha or Graston technique: utilizes a handheld tool to work through the spastic muscle fibers or scar tissue to break up adhesions.
  
• PNF Stretching (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation): is an active stretching method involving contraction and relaxation of muscle groups to improve flexibility and balance muscle groups.
  

Manual Therapy helps in the healing process by: 

​Rehabilitative Exercises

We all know that we should stretch and exercise on a regular basis, but when we are in pain or have an injury, it can be difficult to do, or we may not know what exercises are good for us or which ones may cause more harm than good.

• Stretching and exercise combined with Chiropractic manipulation is proven to be more effective and have longer lasting results.
  
• We provide case specific stretches and exercises are for every patient on their initial visit that can be done at home with no equipment necessary.
  
• Additional exercises are provided based on the patient’s progress and desire to continue with the home exercise program.
  
• See the Resources Tab for more information and some basic exercises

Chiropractic Manipulation

​​​Chiropractic Manipulation, Spinal manipulative therapy, or an adjustment is one of the best treatments for a dysfunctional or fixated joint and is the hallmark of Chiropractic Care.   At Bennett Chiropractic Clinic in Black Mountain, we utilize a variety of techniques based on the individual patient's needs.

• Chiropractic manipulation is a brief, sudden, anatomically directed force into the area of fixation with a specific amplitude and line of drive that maximizes patient comfort and safety.
  
• Manipulation of a joint helps to break up scar tissue and muscle spasm, restores joint motion and decreases inflammation.
  
• Chiropractic manipulation also acts as a "reset button" for the joint as it stimulates mechanical receptors within the joint that travel faster than our pain receptors which helps to decrease pain and muscle spasm.
  
• The motion from manipulation also enhances the fluid dynamics of the joint, increasing the flow of nutrients into the cartilage cells and helping eliminate waste products.  As a result, cartilage cell death may be inhibited and the progression of arthritis may be decreased.
  
• Chiropractic Care and spinal manipulation is one treatment that can affect the major pathological changes that contribute to arthritis: Spasm, Swelling and Scar tissue.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Electrical muscle stimulation is used on a specific area of the body to send a gentle electrical current through the skin into the soft tissues to:

• reduce muscle spasm and inflammation
  
• control pain
  
• increase blood flow and range of motion
  
• enhance soft tissue healing

Our Services Offered at Bennett Chiropractic Clinic in Black Mountain

Mechanical Traction

Mechanical traction or intersegmental traction is a relaxing passive therapy where the patient lies on their back on a table that has a system of rollers that gently roll up and down the spine.

The stretching and mobilization of the muscles, ligaments, and facet joints of the spine has therapeutic benefits including:

• Decreased tightness and joint restriction
  
• Reduction of muscle spasms
  
• Increased range of motion
• Reduction of adhesions in the spinal joints preventing abnormal wear and tear
• ​​Improved blood flow and joint fluid dynamics for the spinal joints and intervertebral discs
  
  • ​The discs in your spine have no direct blood supply and get their nutrients from the adjacent vertebra via normal joint motion which facilitates nutrient uptake into the disc and the removal of cellular waste products.
    

Moist Heat

• Moist heat is a relaxing passive therapy to help decrease muscle spasm and pain and increases blood flow, lymphatic circulation, and joint range of motion for sub-acute and chronic conditions. 
  
• Never use heat on a new injury.  See Patient Resources page for more information on ice and heat application.

• Decreasing muscle spasm 
  
• Decreasing pain symptoms
  
• Decreasing inflammation
  
• Breaking up adhesions and scar tissue

Maintenance/Wellness Care

Do you wait for your car’s engine light to come on before you change the oil?  Do you wait until you have a toothache to brush your teeth or go to the dentist?  These types of proactive strategies also work for musculoskeletal disorders and your body.

• Maintenance care is similar to going to your dentist for a cleaning to help prevent tooth decay or changing the oil in your car to get more life from your engine.
  
• Maintenance care along with regular stretching and exercise keeps us functioning better and can help prevent dysfunctional joints from becoming fixated, stopping symptoms before they start, or preventing them from becoming more severe and can also reduce the wear and tear on your joints slowing the arthritic process.
  
• Our bodies have a natural tendency to deteriorate just from our normal daily activities and stresses.  Addressing joint restrictions early on can help prevent symptoms before they start, or keep them from becoming more severe and keep your joints from wearing down.
  
• The majority of maintenance or wellness patients discover the benefits of preventative care after receiving chiropractic care for pain relief.  When their pain subsides, they transition to a maintenance care plan to help maintain their results.
  
• The frequency of maintenance visits typically fit into the range of twice per month to once every two months depending on the particular person and health history.
  
• There is no cure for the degeneration of our joints, so regular maintenance care that focuses on the prevention of and early treatment of dysfunction and fixation should be as normal as getting our teeth cleaned.
• You don't have to be in pain to benefit from Chiropractic care.
  

• Increasing range of motion
  
• Increasing the blood flow to the affected tissues
  
• Increasing the remodeling and repair of the affected tissues
  
• Improving body mechanics and posture