Our Techniques. The primary adjusting techniques we use include: Diversified

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1 Our Techniques We use a number of highly-effective adjusting approaches to help improve spinal biomechanics and reduce nervous system interference. The approach we use is based on our judgment and years of experience. The primary adjusting techniques we use include: Diversified Think of an adjustment as "tuning" a piano, adjusting each string so it produces the perfect tone. After identifying which spinal bones have lost their normal motion or position, a specific manual thrust is administered to free up stuck joints... Read More Activator Methods 1 / 12

2 This is a system of spinal evaluation combined with a handheld adjusting instrument that delivers a consistent, low-force thrust... Read More Gonstead Named for its developer, we conduct a thorough evaluation using full spine X-rays and a heat-sensing instrument for accurate adjustments... Read More Thompson Thompson Terminal Point technique is a system of analysis and a special table that reduces the amount of energy needed to adjust your spine... Read More Vibracussor Vibracussor therapy is an exciting new treatment approach for muscle and ligament problems and related myofascial conditions. The Vibracussor Instrument is used by many professional sports teams to enhance rehabilitation and help reduce pain and discomfort among their top players. Now that same technology is available at Shelby County Chiropractic.{slidetoggle=R ead More} The Vibracussor delivers waves of percussive impulses deep into the tissues of the body. The percussion waves promote an increase in circulation and lymphatic flow and a decrease in muscle spasm. Additionally, these waves heighten neurological awareness of specific areas of the body and facilitate energetic normalization. The repetitive pumping action of the Vibracussor is ideal for releasing joints. The power of multiple percussive waves accumulates to loosen up stuck areas without using heavy thrusting forces. Vibracussor therapy is very effective for relaxing muscles. The Vibracussor can be used to warm-up muscles and setting proper tonus prior to athletic 2 / 12

3 events. Vibracussor therapy can be used following an event or exercise to flush muscles and help minimize soreness. The Vibracussor Instrument can also be used to gently change the flexibility of shortened ligaments. This can help increase limited ranges of motion and improve postural distortions. The Vibracussor is also highly effective in treating fascial restrictions. Restrictions at the shoulder, hip and knee joints can be treated successfully with minimal discomfort. Vibracussor therapy often helps frozen shoulders to become mobile in just a few treatments. The Vibracussor is also very helpful with scars and adhesions associated with surgery. Who Can Use Vibracussor Therapy? If you have any of the following then Vibracussor therapy is ideal for you. Joint Fixations Postural Distortions Myofascial Restrictions Trigger Points 'Frozen Shoulder TMJ Problems Scar Tissue {/slidetoggle} ArthroStim If you don t like the popping sound from a Chiropractic adjustment then the ArthroStim may be right for you. The ArthroStim is an instrument that delivers incremental thrusts per second. By dividing the energy of a single thrust into rapid successive inputs, the ArthroStim instrument modulates the force. This allows your Chiropractor to administer an extremely comfortable and highly effective Chiropractic adjustment. {slidetoggle=read more} The secret behind the instrument s effectiveness comes from its controlled repetitive input. This input produces a cumulative snowballing effect on neural receptors. This allows the ArthroStim instrument to create extensive neurological feedback to the brain, using greatly reduced forces. By utilizing controlled, incremental thrusts, the ArthroStim instrument is also able to stimulate specific neural receptors (mechanical and propioreceptors) without activating undesirable pain receptors. The ArthroStim instrument allows your Chiropractor to maintain the effectiveness of your 3 / 12

4 adjustment while reducing the amount of force that is applied. This dynamic combination allows your Chiropractor to comfortably manage a wider range of conditions. You might say the ArthroStim instrument can t be used on just anybody, but it can. It may be especially beneficial to the following individuals: Infants and young children Individuals in acute pain Particularly sensitive people Individuals who don t like to be cracked Elderly individuals Larger and stronger individuals who are difficult to adjust Your Chiropractor may use the ArthroStim instrument by itself or in combination with other adjusting methods, depending on the approach they feel is best for your specific case.{/slidetog gle} Cold Laser/Low Level Laser Therapy Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) or "cold laser therapy" is on track to become one of the most important developments in life sciences since the discovery of penicillin. LLLT dramatically reduces musculoskeletal pain and inflammation as well as promoting tissue repair wherever the laser beam is applied.{slidetoggle=read More.}This is not a heat treatment, the effects are photochemical. Low-level laser light is compressed light of a wavelength from the cold, red part of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. It is different from natural light in that it is one precise color; it is coherent (it travels in a straight line), monochromatic (a single wavelength) and polarized (it concentrates its beam in a defined location or spot). These properties allow laser light to penetrate the surface of the skin with no heating effect, no damage to the skin and no known side effects. Laser light directs biostimulative light energy to the body's cells which the cells then convert into chemical energy to promote natural healing and pain relief.{/slidetoggle} Vibration Therapy 4 / 12

5 Vibration Therapy is an exciting new treatment approach for muscle, ligament and joint problems and can also be used for weight management. Vibration Therapy is used by sports teams, fitness professionals, health care professionals and celebrities to enhance rehabilitation, reduce pain and manage weight problems. Now Shelby County Chiropractic has a Vibration Plate to offer the benefits of Vibration Therapy to our patients. {slidetoggle=read More..}Vibration Therapy is the influence of speed/frequency/hertz delivered into muscle that allow them to involuntarily contract and expand. This rapid cellular movement increases the resistance against the next and then the next contraction and expansion. This increase in resistance is measured in magnitude/ amplitude/force of gravity. Applying this involuntary contraction and expansion movement to your body for only 10 to 15 minutes a day will actually deliver the equivalent of a whole hour of weight training at the gym. Vibration therapy exercises the muscles of your entire body at once instead of a specific muscle group that depends on the weight and repetition of each movement that is routinely done at a gym. Also, with a conventional work out at the gym you only exercise 40% of the muscle fibers while with Vibration therapy you near the 100% mark. What Are the Benefits of Vibration Therapy? Increases Your Muscle Strength up to 50% in as little as 3 weeks Improves Blood Circulation and Lymphatic Drainage Builds Bone Density and Fights Osteoporosis Reduces Back and Joint Pain Dramatically Increases Your Flexibility Improves Your Sense of Balance and Coordination{/slidetoggle} Aqua-Water Therapy Our Aqua-Water Massage therapy is an exciting new treatment approach for muscle problems and related myofascial conditions. The Aqua-Water Massage technology is used by many professional sports teams, doctor offices and health spas to enhance relaxation and help reduce pain and discomfort among their top players and clients. Now that same technology is available at Shelby County Chiropractic. 5 / 12

6 {slidetoggle=read More...}Why Use Aqua-Water Massage Therapy? You remain clothed and dry for privacy and comfort with no post-session clean-up of oils or contaminated water. The optimized V-shaped spray bar, with 36 water jets that has been researched and designed in conjunction with medical professionals for maximum effectiveness forward and back, can massage the full length of the body or easily be selected to concentrate on a specific area. The water jets simulate a fingertip massage from the center of the body to the sides of the body. The force can be adjusted to suit the sensitivity of the client and with a consistency that cannot be duplicated by manual massage or other massage devices. The pulsating water jets can be adjusted from a relaxing 2 cycles per second up to an invigorating 10 cycles per second. The pulsation can be varied independent of water pressure for maximum effect and client sensitivity. The water temperature can be adjusted from approximately 90 F to 104 F using the electronic thermostat. Our Aqua-Water Massage therapy is very effective for relaxing muscles. It can be used to warm-up muscles and relax you prior to your chiropractic treatment. It can be used following an event or exercise to flush muscles and help minimize soreness. This can help increase limited ranges of motion and improve postural distortions. If you have any of the following then Aqua-Water Massage therapy is ideal for you. Myofascial Restrictions Trigger Points Scar Tissue Stress Muscle Strains Back Pain Neck Pain Headaches{/slidetoggle} Therapeutic Tape 6 / 12

7 The Chiropractors at Shelby County Chiropractic strive to stay up to date on the new techniques that the can offer to the patients. Therapeutic taping is a soft tissue technique that they have recently incorporated into their arsenal of treatments.{slidetoggle=read More...}Therapeutic taping is a technique based on the body s own natural healing process. The therapeutic taping exhibits its efficacy through the activation of neurological and circulatory systems. This method basically stems from the science of Kinesiology, or study of muscle. Muscles are not only attributed to the movements of the body but also control the circulation of venous and lymph flows, body temperatures, etc. Therefore, the failure of the muscle to function properly induces various kinds of symptoms. Consequently, so much attention was given to the importance of muscle function that the idea of treating the muscles in order to activate the body s own healing process came about. Using an elastic tape, it was discovered that muscles and other tissues could be helped by outside assistance. Utilization of therapeutic tape creates a completely new approach to treating nerves, muscles and organs. The tape is used in therapy to relax overused muscles and in rehabilitation to facilitate underused muscles. The method is to apply the tape over muscle to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24 hour per day basis. Advocates claim that the wave pattern found on the tape's adhesive has a lifting effect on the skin which can reduce swelling and inflammation by improving circulation and reduce pain by taking pressure off pain receptors. It is a non-restrictive type of taping which allows for full ranges of motion, contrary to traditional sports tape, which is wrapped around a joint for stabilization and support during a sporting event, obstructing the flow of bodily fluids as an undesirable side-effect. The use of therapeutic tape became mainstream when seen on Olympic athletes in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. Of these athletes, the most notable was Kerri Walsh who used the tape in competition following surgery on her rotator cuff. Lance Armstrong, winner of the Tour de France, talks about using tape in his book, where he describes the effectiveness of the treatment for his sore muscles. Serena Williams has also used therapeutic tapes during competition. University of Connecticut basketball player Hasheem Thabeet wore black therapeutic tape on his left shoulder during the 2009 Men's NCAA basketball tournament. 7 / 12

8 Therapeutic taping can be used on anyone with a soft tissue injury involving a joint, not just athletes.{/slidetoggle} Trigger Point Therapy A trigger point is characterized by a knot in a muscle fiber consisting of a mass of sarcomeres (muscle fibers) in the state of maximum continuous contraction.{slidetoggle=read More...}Normally, when a muscle is working, its sarcomeres act like tiny pumps, contracting and relaxing to circulate blood through the capillaries that supply their metabolic needs. When sarcomeres in a trigger point hold their contraction, blood flow essentially stops in the immediate area. The resulting oxygen starvation and accumulation of the waste products of metabolism irritates the trigger point. The trigger point responds to this emergency by sending out pain signals. The defining symptom of a trigger point is referred pain; that is, trigger points usually send their pain to some other site. This is an extremely misleading phenomenon and is the reason conventional treatment for pain often fail. Research has shown that trigger points are the primary cause of 75% of the time and are at least a part of nearly every pain problem. Trigger points can cause headaches, neck pain, jaw pain, back pain, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome. They are the source of the pain in such joints as the shoulder, wrist, hip, knee and ankle that is so often mistaken for arthritis, tendinitis, bursitis, or ligament injuries. Trigger points also cause symptoms as diverse as dizziness, earaches, sinusitis, nausea, heartburn, false heart pain, heart arrhythmia, genital pain and numbness in the hands and feet. Even Fibromyalgia may have its beginnings with myofascial trigger points. Trigger points are easily located and deactivated with the techniques of trigger point therapy. Myofascial release of the trigger point flushes the tissue and helps the trigger points contracted sarcomeres begin to release. In dealing directly with the trigger point, myofascial release is the safest, most natural, and most effective form of pain therapy. With trigger point therapy, myofascial pain can usually be eliminated within three to ten days. Even long-standing chronic conditions can be significantly improved in as little as six weeks. If you have any of the following then Trigger Point Therapy is ideal for you. 8 / 12

9 Myofascial Restrictions Trigger Points Scar Tissue Stress Muscle Strains Back Pain Neck Pain Headaches {/slidetoggle} Core Trainer Core conditioning and abdominal conditioning have become synonymous in recent years but the abdominal muscles alone are over-rated when it comes to real core strength or conditioning. In reality, the abdominal muscles have very limited and specific action. The "core" actually consists of many different muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis and run the entire length of the torso. These muscles stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. Core conditioning exercise programs need to target all these muscle groups to be effective. The muscles of the core make it possible to stand upright and move on two feet. These muscles help control movements, transfer energy, shift body weight and move in any direction. A strong core distributes the stresses of weight-bearing and protects the back. In fact, it is weak and unbalanced core muscles that are linked to low back pain. Weak core muscles result in a loss of the appropriate lumbar curve and a swayback posture. Stronger, balanced core muscles help maintain appropriate posture and reduce strain on the spine.{slidet oggle=read More...}Because the muscles of the trunk and torso stabilize the spine from the pelvis to the neck and shoulder, they allow the transfer of powerful movements of the arms and legs. All powerful movements originate from the center of the body out, and never from the limbs alone. Before any powerful, rapid muscle contractions can occur in the limbs, the spine must be solid and stable and the more stable the core, the most powerful the extremities can contract. Training the muscles of the core also corrects postural imbalances that can lead to injuries. The biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness - that is, fitness that is essential to both daily living and regular activities. Core strengthening exercises are most effective when the torso works as a solid unit and both front and back muscles contract at the same time, multi joint movements are performed and stabilization of the spine is monitored. 9 / 12

10 We utilize the Panasonic Core Trainer at Shelby County Chiropractic to work all the core muscles equally or enhance the strengthening of selected muscles. Whether physically fit or with exercise limitations, users can easily program the Core Trainer to meet their individual needs. The Panasonic Core Trainer works by constantly moving the user off their center of balance, forcing them to use core muscles to re-balance. With pre-programmed settings, variable tilt and speeds, you can build to an intense core workout. Simply sit and ride for 15 minutes for a complete core workout working all the core muscles equally or enhance the strengthening of selected muscles. It may not seem like it, but the machine does provide a workout. Using it for about 15 minutes a day, three days a week tones muscles, improves posture and increases metabolism, according to studies by Matsushita and a handful of universities. The Panasonic Core Trainer provides great flexibility in customizing workouts for serious athletes, beginners or others with exercise limitations, such as those who: Have difficulty tolerating pressure or stress on joints Have limited aerobic capacity Talk with your Chiropractor to see if core stabilization is for you.{/slidetoggle} Electrical Stimulation Electrical stimulation uses an electrical current to block the pain pathway to reduce pain sensation and to cause a single muscle or a group of muscles to contract.{slidetoggle=read More...}Electrical stimulation (e-stim) currently is one of the most commonly used forms of electro-analgesia (pain control from electrical device). Hundreds of clinical reports exist concerning the use of e-stim for various types of conditions, such as low back pain (LBP), myofascial and arthritic pain, neurogenic (nerve) pain, visceral pain, and postsurgical pain. The mechanisms by which e-stim produces neuro-modulation include the following: Presynaptic inhibition in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord 10 / 12

11 Endogenous pain control (via endorphins, enkephalins, and dynorphins) Direct inhibition of an abnormally excited nerve Restoration of afferent input The results of laboratory studies suggest that electrical stimulation delivered by an e-stim unit reduces pain through nociceptive inhibition (pain inhibition) at the presynaptic level in the dorsal horn, thus limiting its central transmission. Studies show marked increases in the body s own natural painkillers, endorphins and enkephalins with low-frequency e-stim. By placing electrodes on the skin in various locations the therapist can also recruit the appropriate muscle fibers. Contracting the muscle via electrical stimulation helps strengthen the affected muscle. The therapist can change the current setting to allow for a forceful or gentle muscle contraction. Along with increasing muscle strength, the contraction of the muscle also promotes blood supply to the area that assists in healing. Consult with your Chiropractor to see if electro-stimulation would be appropriate to be used in conjunction with your Chiropractic treatments.{/slidetoggle} Mechanical Traction Mechanical Traction reduces the pressure on the spine through a gentle traction force, or autotraction (use of the body's own weight to create the force) allowing for improved circulation and exchange of fluids within the spinal discs. This passive therapy uses a chiropractic roller to go up and down the patient s body as the patient lies on the chiropractic table. The rollers lift and separate each segment of the spine. The rollers also elevate to increase the level of pressure applied to the back. The rollers then move up and down the spine. Mechanical traction is often combined with electrical muscle stimulation to relax your muscles and ligaments, and will expedite the healing process.{slidetoggle=read More...}A majority of Chiropractic patients that use mechanical traction report some degree of pain relief after the first session. So to see if mechanical traction would benefit you with your Chiropractic treatment talk to your Chiropractor today.{/slidetoggle} 11 / 12

12 If you ve been to a chiropractor before and prefer to be adjusted in a particular way, let Dr. James Stapleton & Dr. David Dahlkamp know. We want you to relax, enjoy and fully benefit from your chiropractic care. 12 / 12