Chiropractic Medicine
Chiropractic medicine is the art and science of adjustment and manipulation of the body’s joints and soft tissues by hand. The word Chiropractic comes from the greek words “praxis,” meaning “to do work” and “chiros” meaning “by hand.” As utilized by the best practitioners in the field, chiropractic manipulation is scientifically proven to be the most rapidly effective treatment for back and neck pain. What you might not know is that manipulative therapy is also effective when applied to other joints of the body: TMJ, hips, shoulders, knees and feet. If you have an arthritic shoulder or you are an elite athlete training for your next triathlon, we have gentle, effective methods to bring your body up to its maximum potential!
We invite you to discover our superior approach to the medically-integrated practice of Chiropractic in Colorado. We are the trusted, preferred experts for many medical physicians and surgeons in Colorado. Our offices are conveniently located and easy to get to from anywhere along the Front Range.
What sets us apart
There’s an old saying in medicine: “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” For many colleagues, manipulations (or “adjustments”) are the one-and-only solution to any condition you may present to us. Here’s the newsflash: at the Center for Spine, Sport & Physical Medicine we recognize that you may have a condition that does need manipulation at all. Chiropractic adjustments are great — and we’re very, very skilled at this crucial form of treatment. But manipulation is not a panacea. That’s an important reason to consider our clinic. We use a variety of interventions that include manipulation and adjustments, but we use a wide variety of other techniques, therapies and approaches as well. Our goal: The fastest possible results!
As an example where manipulation is ill-advised, what if your shoulder pain related primarily to muscular imbalances and excessive movement surrounding your painful joint? Manipulation of a shoulder that is already “too loose” may, in some cases, not be helpful at all. In such cases our treatment focuses on increasing the stability of the shoulder, while addressing any concurrent spinal problems (by manipulation, soft tissue therapy and exercise) that may be contributing to or perpetuating your shoulder problem.
The right treatment for the right problem = Better Results!
There is an adage that says: “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This is the standard “one-size-fits-all” approach typically used elsewhere. Not so at our clinic! Just because we specialize in Chiropractic methods doesn’t mean that we are narrow in our consideration of what our patients need most. That’s why we are a multi-specialty clinic. You have easy access to multiple treatment options from an integrated team of 9 caring, compassionate, health care providers. You’ll get the treatment approach that’s right for you!
What can I do to help myself recover faster?
What a great question — and we LOVE to hear it! It’s what every active, outdoors-loving Coloradan asks us. Our answer to this question is our secret weapon: Active Rehabilitation. Dr. Jon Seeman, DC and Dr. Joel Carmichael, DC, DACBSP® have trained extensively in rehabilitation and chiropractic sports medicine. They are recognized as a leaders in active spine and sports injury rehabilitation protocols. They bring a wealth of clinical skill in helping patients realize their goals faster, more completely and more lastingly through combined exercise, manual therapy techniques, and a vast catalogue of home exercise prescriptions for core stability and balance. Scientific studies have consistently shown superior clinical results through combining chiropractic manual therapy with exercise rehabilitation. Patients are delighted with our expertise and enjoy the superior results only possible through the phenomenal changes in strength and balance they gain through rehab.
Most body pain is mechanical; our mechanical treatment matches the problem
A final note about low back pain, neck pain and headaches: A significant and still poorly recognized truth is the fact that the majority of low back pain, neck pain and headaches are either entirely mechanical in their origin, or have a significant mechanical component. That is, these conditions are often the result of mechanical problems with the body’s structure and musculature. At a very basic level, Chiropractic medicine is mechanical therapy for mechanical problems. And in combination with our integrated multidisciplinary approach, we are simply matching very common pain problems with their most natural and appropriate remedies.
Our unique approach
Our goal is to get you back to full health and full activity as quickly as possible. With a provider team led by our nurse practitioner under the direction of our medical physician, our chiropractors, our full rehabilitation center, and our integrated acupuncture and massage therapy services you will receive unsurpassed, world class treatment.
Check out these unique features of our practice we know you’ll appreciate:
No hype. No nonsense.
You want fast, effective, affordable pain relief, stress-reduction, and overall better health. You don’t want a bait-and-switch, high pressure, “sign-up-for-3-years” sales pitch. Our patients find it easy to refer others knowing that we practice with a very simple, no-nonsense approach. We accept insurance assignment and we will treat your auto injuries on a lien basis.
Results-oriented approach for spine and sports injuries
While many practitioners use adjustments, manipulation or mobilization to treat low back pain, neck pain, headaches, sports and auto injuries, few have the advanced hospital training or integrated provider “team approach” to practice like we do. Our practice is unique because our team approach is unique. Our protocols are rooted and grounded in clinical science. As our patient you can be confident your plan of care is based on the most current advances in the field of physical medicine and chiropractic. It’s called “evidence-based medicine.” It means you won’t receive unnecessary services or unnecessary diagnostic tests. You will receive all the care needed to get you on the road to recovery as quickly as possible!
Advanced post-graduate residency training
The Center for Spine, Sport & Physical Medicine is comprised of providers with advanced training in some of the finest medical institutions nationwide.
Dr. Carmichael’s one year hospital based residency, the first of its kind in the United States, included a rotation with renowned Canadian spine surgeon W.H. Kirkaldy-Willis, M.D., who helped shape much of our current understanding and treatment of low back pain syndromes. Dr. Carmichael is also board certified in chiropractic sports medicine and a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians.
Dr. Jon Seeman, D.C. joined our practice in the fall of 2006. He brings a high level of training in chiropractic sports medicine and examines in 2012 for professional distinction as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP®) and completed a chiropractic spine fellowship with us.
Multi-specialty, truly integrated care
We are a multi-specialty clinic combining the very best of integrated, multidisciplinary physical medicine. With many tools available to us in-house, our multi-specialty provider group meets daily with one another to formulate and track treatment plans that deliver the best results possible. In other words, we work together to achieve your goals for health rapidly and efficiently!
Three decades of cooperative, trusting relationships with medical physicians
If your condition requires medical consultation or co-intervention we are equipped to provide many of these specialized services right here. For those specialized interventions we are unable to provide, you will be given a short list of the best specialists to choose from, and we’ll teach you what you can expect when you go for the consultation. We work closely with the medical community because it is in your best interest. We have earned the trust of our medical colleagues. Many local physicians and surgeons refer their patients to us with conditions that require a very real team approach in order to achieve the best results. And we know how to work as part of the team. We’ve been doing it this way, as pioneered by Dr. Carmichael in a St. Louis medical hospital, since 1986. It’s part of our unique team-oriented approach to every patient.
Your initial visit with our provider team will provide all the information needed to determine the appropriate next step in your care. X-rays are not routine, but are obtained when necessary. Once we’ve identified the cause of your problem you will receive detailed information about your condition and a plan of care formulated by our provider team. With few exceptions we expect our patients to improve quickly and steadily. If your progress is slower than expected, we will change your treatment promptly. All care plans include what you can do at home to help you recover faster AND prevent a recurrence of pain in the future.
Our Blog gives you handy tips on: how to control pain at home and office through self-treatment; how to maximize your performance during sports & exercise; and how to eat well, get healthy, have more energy and live longer.
