What is ART® (Active Release Techniques)? ​ ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles. How do overuse conditions occur? Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways: acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc), accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma) not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia). ​ Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness. What is an ART treatment like? Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements. ​ These treatment protocols – over 500 specific moves – are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.

Diversified adjustments and mobilizations are what you would traditionally associate with Chiropractic care. The diversified adjustment is characterized by a high-velocity low-amplitude manipulation technique. The objective of Diversified technique is to restore proper motion to the spine and other joints that have been found to be dysfunctional through motion palpation.

Cox Technique is an extremely safe & effective, non-surgical, and well-researched method of spinal care. It is most often performed by chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists and some medical doctors. The technique is based around a specialized treatment table built specifically for Cox flexion distraction therapy. The patient is positioned prone (tummy down) on the table. Through specifically located hinges in the neck and lower back regions of the table, the therapist can provide gentle flexion, side to side lateral flexion, rotational, and distraction stretches to the soft tissues around the spine. As the table is slowly moved, the therapist uses their hand to apply a gentle directional pressure to a specific spinal joint. These motions help alleviate pain by helping decompress the spinal joints, allowing greater mobility and less pain for the patient. ​ Cox Technique is one of the safest, most comfortable, and effective methods of treating pain in the back or neck from a variety of spinal conditions, including arthritis and simple strains/sprains. Patients commonly describe the therapy as ‘feeling like a combination of massage with specific stretching for the back and neck’. Cox technique has been shown to help safely relieve back and neck pain, allowing a patient to return to their normal daily activities. Research has shown that Cox Flexion-Distraction technique has the effect of: dropping intradiscal pressure (pressure within the disc spaces between the bones of the spine) widening spinal canal foramina area by 28%, thereby safely and effectively relieving pressure on spinals nerves (think SCIATICA!) returning motion to the spinal joints (the joints between the spinal bones), thereby slowing the progression of Osteoarthritis of the spine Providers: Dr Chad Wilson

Graston Technique® is a the leading instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization technique since 1994. This evidence based technique enables practitioners to detect scar tissue and and fascial restrictions and effectively break them down. Patients will benefit from Graston Technique as it: -Decreases overall time of treatment -Fosters faster rehabilitation/recovery -Reduces need for anti-inflammatory medication -Resolves chronic conditions thought to be permanent -Provides an efficient way to maintain optimal range of motion ​ Graston Technique® providers uses specially designed stainless steel instruments combined with therapeutic exercise to detect and treat areas of chronic inflammation or soft tissue fibrosis. They are also used diagnostically to follow the kinetic chain, locating and treating the cause of the symptoms as well as the specific area of pain. Graston Technique® is also used to help maintain range of motion. ​ Our Grasto

Neurofunctional Medical Acupuncture, also know as Contemporary Acupuncture, takes an ancient therapy and re-defines its mechanisms and effects using present-day scientific understanding of human physiology. While this at first glance may look strikingly similar to traditional Chinese acupuncture, it's Small thin needles are inserted into various points in the body, including hands, feet and scalp, and left in place for a period of time before removal. ​ Considerable differences exist between Contemporary Acupuncture theory and the traditional Chinese approach. In contemporary acupuncture, your practitioner (physician, physiotherapist, chiropractor etc.) treats you only after a conventional medical/neuro-functional diagnosis has been made. The practitioner will use acupuncture as a treatment modality along with other therapeutic approaches, as needed. The contemporary acupuncture practitioner applies treatment following a conventional (scientific) view and regards the acupuncture as having certain local tissue effects as well as providing segmental analgesia, extra-segmental analgesia, as well as central regulatory effects on the nervous system. In contrast, a traditional Chinese acupuncturist makes a diagnosis in terms of complex theories regarding disturbance in the body’s balance that needs to be corrected with needles. These imbalances will often be characterized by excess or deficiency with respect to what are considered the five elements, water, fire, earth, metal and wood. Traditional Chinese acupuncturists subscribe to the theory that certain points in the body are characterized by each of the five elements.