The C.H.A.D.A. Method of Manipulation, aside from my last name, is an acronym for: Cascading Hand Applied Dynamic Adjustment. As a long time patient of chiropractic care, I found that many Doctors of Chiropractic fail to take into consideration the human component of their particular adjusting style. Prior to beginning my education, I had been treated by countless doctors across 14 states. They all had in common, an aggressive, sometimes forceful cervical manipulation. The only reason I would return and continue care for the majority of my life, was the end result. I was, and always will be, a believer in the power of the human body.
I am also a believer in the logic that: a misalignment is NOT commonly created by a rapid twisting of the neck over the span of any given day. Therefore, it should not require such an aggressive motion to correct it. So, using over two decades of experience as a butcher, in combination with the same education every other chiropractor receives, I focused on a style that removes (or significantly reduces*) rotation from the cervical adjustment. This also allows for a reduction in the amount of pressure and force used in the remaining spine. Understanding joint mechanics, adapting to an individual’s muscle tension and being patient are the keys to delivering a less aggressive adjustment than many are accustomed to.
Cascading: Out of necessity, I have discovered that a ‘Top-Down’ approach has two significant benefits:
● By adjusting the cervical spine first, the anxiety associated with a fear of getting their neck ”twisted” or “ broken”, is resolved early in the visit.
● By taking advantage of the first benefit, the patient will be more relaxed and therefore the remaining adjustments throughout the thoracic, lumbar and pelvic regions require less effort. This results in a better overall experience.
Hand Applied: Chiropractic, by definition means ‘By Hand’. To treat a patient any other way is, for one, not chiropractic, and secondly, it does not allow the chiropractor to feel and control the adjustment. Every spine is unique, requiring unique tension and thrusts by hand.
Dynamic: Defined as “a system characterized by constant change, activity or progress”; dynamic is not only how the human body exists, but exactly what I hope to illicit in those within my care. Intent is paramount to any chiropractor who sets out to make a difference. Every bone I put a force into should create change in the body regardless of symptoms. It should set in motion change as well as support systems in progress.
Adjustment: This is the easiest and most important part in the pursuit of health and wellness. It is also the only process that requires effort from both of us. The body wants to achieve perfection at all costs, that is why it is in a constant state of adaptation. Pain, tenderness, swelling and or stiffness are the body failing to adapt to internal or external influences. I tell all of my patients that: “Lifestyle brought you to me and lifestyle will bring you back.” The more active a patient is in adjusting their lives, the less time we need to spend together. A better life begins with a Life Adjusted.
Experience the difference…
* If rotation is necessary due to an individual’s inability to relax, I will, with permission and demonstration, introduce a slight rotation. Most people do not even notice the rotary component during or after.
