Chiropractic and Physiotherapy are two practices that overlap when it comes to rehabilitation. Both professions work with musculoskeletal conditions and involve a variety of hands-on treatment, exercise, and patient education towards recovery though may differ in approach.
Though versed in treatment of the musculoskeletal system, chiropractic care focuses mainly on conditions affecting the spine and joints. Their techniques usually involve joint mobilizations as well as high-velocity manipulations in order to bring alignment back to joints and the spinal column, which is the main premise of their practice. It is often advised to see a chiropractor regularly as their effects tend to be transient and require regular maintenance. It would also be helpful to remember that not all individuals may benefit from forceful manipulations, such as those suffering from osteoporosis or are prone to dislocations.
Physiotherapy, conversely, covers not only the spine and joints, but soft tissues such as muscles, ligaments, and tendons as well. Instead of focusing on alignment, physiotherapists will employ a range of techniques – both passive and active, with an emphasis on rehabilitation. These may include manual therapy, gentle mobilizations, and tasks that involve patient participation like performance of exercises, improvement of movement awareness to name a few. Though effects may not be as immediate as chiropractic, physiotherapy leans into long-term recovery by balancing pain management alongside strength and conditioning.
Seeking either of the two practices would be beneficial for an individual on the path to injury recovery and prevention. If you are looking for an immediate release or feel as if something just needs to be unlocked, chiropractic care may be the path to choose. It is a passive form of treatment. On the other hand, if you are looking to become more aware of your condition and build not only resilience to pain through exercise and self-efficacy, then physiotherapy might be a better choice. Physio aims to empower the client on how to self manage their condition and prevent it returning, how to improve biomechanics, strength, flexibility etc.
At The Performance Clinic we like to work with osteopaths and chiropractors rather than in isolation to ensure treatments are not counter productive and we are all working towards the same goals.