Chiropractic
Chiropractic Services on Salt Spring Island and in the Cowichan Valley.
Chiropractic is a physical medicine modality that is the art and skill of diagnosis and treatment of injuries, pain, structural imbalances, and movement dysfunction. It is an evidence-based and patient-centred approach. Chiropractors are practitioners with highly specialized training in the neuro-musculo-skeletal system i.e. the nervous system, muscles, and skeleton.
Chiropractic can support patients with the full spectrum of acute and chronic physical medicine conditions (see below for a list of examples). Our chiropractors use various hands-on techniques to release tension from the joints and muscles, restore alignment, and rebuild functional movement patterns. Although they are experts of the entire neuromusculoskeletal system, they also specifically work with the spine to optimize function of the nervous system, and to facilitate healing, health, and wholeness. As part of providing whole person care, they also address underlying systemic conditions or stored tension patterns from past overloads of mental-emotional or other stressors which may limit healing.
Our chiropractors combine current research with clinical expertise and an understanding of your needs and goals to create an approach and treatment plan unique to you. We aim to use the lowest force intervention first - chiropractic can often safely resolve physical issues without the use of medication or surgery.
Our approach is patient-centered, empowering, consent based, and trauma informed. Chiropractic care can alleviate pain, restore motion, as well as promote overall health and improve quality of life. Chiropractic care supports your ability to access your full potential in life.
Chiropractic helps with
Pain:
back, neck, shoulder, and hip pain
Sciatica & disk herniations
Head:
Headaches, migraines, jaw pain, concussions
Newborn care:
difficulties or discomfort following delivery
Optimizing athletic performance
Injuries:
sprains/strains, rehabilitation, sports injuries, car accidents, whiplash
chronic injuries:
chronic pain or movement dysfunction from old injuries
Posture
Pre/post surgery support
nervous system care:
Grounding, nervous system regulation, shifting sympathetic dominant nervous system
Stress, anxiety, hypertensioN & difficulty sleeping
Numbness & tingling
Mobility:
poor joint mobility, tension, imbalanced movement patterns
Tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis & carpal tunnel
Perinatal care:
concerns of pregnancy, preparing the body for delivery, postpartum recovery
Our Tools
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Also known as an “adjustment”or “manipulation”. These procedures improve motion and physical function by using a hands-on technique to apply a specific force through a joint. Typically combined with soft tissue work for better efficacy.
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Chiropractic adjusting with the specific goal of restoring the natural movement of the spine, which enhances the communication between the brain (via the spinal cord) and the body and organs to optimize function of the entire body.
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A manual therapy technique to help release tension and painful knots in muscles, tendons, and fascia.
Offered specifically by: Dr. Kate Schertzer
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A specific manual therapy technique to help release tension and scar tissue from muscles, tendons, and fascia.
Offered specifically by: Dr. Kate Schertzer
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Tonal chiropractic adjusting is done using gentle fingertip pressure to facilitate the body in accessing, unwinding, and integrating stored tension in the body, and is a more subtle method to facilitate healing, optimize nervous system communication, reduce discomfort, and improve motion and physical function of the body.
Offered specifically by: Dr. Holly Hochstadt
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Releasing fascial tension helps decrease pain, and restore mobility, and allow the body to function with more ease and better coordination of movement. This gentle hands-on modality can be performed by the chiropractor, or can be taught to the patient for at home care.
Offered specifically by: Dr. Holly Hochstadt and Dr. Kate Schertzer
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A type of soft tissue treatment utilizing an instrument to manipulate the skin and fascia, removing fibrosis and stimulating connective tissue remodeling.
Offered specifically by: Dr. Kate Schertzer
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Gentle functional movement of a joint in one or more directions for specific therapeutic benefit. Joint mobilization can help restore normal motion patterns, and resolve lingering symptoms in the joint. This can be very useful after injury or when range of motion and normal movement patterns are disrupted.
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The Activator adjusting tool allows chiropractors to deliver a comfortable, low-force chiropractic adjustment to restore the natural movement of the joints, and provide the same benefits of chiropractic adjusting. Often useful for sensitive or apprehensive patients, newborns, and elders.
Offered specifically by: Dr Holly Hochstadt
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Assessment of the body’s fundamental movement patterns to determine any deficits in stability and/or mobility that may be contributing to one’s injuries or impacting one’s quality of life
Offered specifically by: Dr. Kate Schertzer
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Functional movement assessment, prescription of exercises and other home care remedies specific to the individual, targeted at improving physical function, preventing recurrence of injury, return to sport, and/or enhancing athletic performance.
Offered specifically by: Dr. Kate Schertzer
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More advanced treatment and exercise prescription for sports related injuries and to improve athletic performance
Offered specifically by: Dr. Kate Schertzer
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Specific manual therapy methods during pregnancy and postpartum to address pain or discomfort associated with the perinatal stresses on the body. Chiropractic can help to improve mobility to prepare the body for labour and allowing the fetus more ease of movement throughout development in the womb and during delivery.
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Assessment of both acute concussion and post concussion syndrome, manual therapy to address any neuromusculoskeletal component, as well as specific exercise, and home care, prescription to assist in healing and recovery.
Offered specifically by: Dr. Kate Schertzer
Our Chiropractors
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Dr. Kate Schertzer, DC, ND
NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN & CHIROPRACTOR
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Dr. Holly Hochstadt, DC
Chiropractor