Chiropractic treatment is best-known as being a ‘hands on’ method. Unlike things like physiotherapy and Pilates, where the focus largely lies on restorative and strengthening exercises, chiropractic therapy is more about direct manipulation of the joints, spinal column and surrounding muscles and ligaments.

A chiropractor uses their hands to apply pressure in a safe, specific way to affected areas, to alleviate pain and stiffness and help restore correct positioning, stability, function and range of movement (mobility). They sometimes combine other techniques within their treatment too, including ice, heat, ultrasound and exercises, as well as lifestyle and posture advice in order to achieve the best long-term outcomes and help patients return to living full active and pain-free lives. Find out more about LPBC’s Clinical Lead Chiropractor, Roy Hammoud.

While chiropractic treatment can be highly effective, we appreciate that knowing whether it’s the most suitable option for you can sometimes be confusing. At LPBC, we’re big believers in treating every patient as an individual and our specialist team will be able to carry out a thorough assessment of your symptoms, taking into account your activity levels and lifestyle too, and advise on the best treatment approach for you. This often involves a multi-disciplinary approach in conjunction with our specialist physiotherapists.

Chiropractic treatment can be useful in a wide range of conditions but it’s particularly associated with back and neck pain, as well as shoulder and hip pain. This can include pain associated with things like poor posture, ‘text neck’ and spinal instability, as a result of joint or muscle injuries, or due to conditions like osteoarthritis and other disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Chiropractic treatment can help identify the root causes of pain and associated stiffness/movement difficulties, so that tailored techniques can be used to alleviate symptoms. As well as reducing pain in the short-term, over the course of your sessions, your chiropractor will aim to help restore stability, mobility and correct function in the affected muscles, joints and ligaments, to help prevent pain from recurring in the future and promote better movement, mobility and posture.

Your first session will start with a thorough consultation to discuss your symptom history and assess things such as your range of movement and pain response in affected areas, in order to identify any ‘triggers’ and underlying causes and how best to treat them.

Chiropractic treatment should not normally be painful – most of the techniques used are very gentle, although there may be some temporary discomfort. Also, depending on techniques used, you may experience some soreness afterwards, although lots of people will experience noticeable improvements very quickly too. Communication is key: Your chiropractor will talk you through the techniques being used and whether any discomfort is likely and normal. They’ll also advise you on any lifestyle factors (such as sitting correctly at your desk and sleeping positions) and exercises you can do between sessions to help towards your end goals.