Question
Greetings from UK. I'm grateful for your valuable time. I'm a 'young' 71yrs. Trained as dancer from age 2, but failed entry to top ballet school through curvature of spine from birth. I'm still active, cycling, walking and eat healthily. Problem is lower half of body has always felt and looked 'heavy'(with excess fluid?), especially legs and feet, and even semi-fasting has minimal effect, yet I'm thin on top. In much earlier years several sporadic sessions of manipulation made legs feel much lighter and back straight, but each time after day or two spine clicked back into wrong position. Would like to know if it's possible at this late stage, say through muscle strength exercises on weak side of spine, (if that is the problem), to maintain result of new session of manipulation permanently. Treatment in UK expensive, so couldn't commit to regular visits, unfortunately, as our own work is done without charge. Many thanks.

Answer
Hi Diana,

First of all, there is no true re-positioning of bones with manipulation.  Manipulation will improve the joint motion, it will free-up a joint that is stiff or stuck, but it really doesn't reposition it.   There has never been any research to prove all of the parameters of joint manipulation.  We still are learning about what it is and what it does.   Nevertheless, it has been generally accepted that good posture/ergonomics, regular exercise, and clean lifestyle (e.g. diet, not smoking, etc) all can help keep you feeling good and functioning well between sessions of joint manipulation.  It is no guarantee, but likely will improve the odds of your body losing the effects of the manipulation.  There is no way to permanently maintain the improved joint movement or function from joint manipulation.   Some folks do very well with yoga.  Others find that yoga aggravates their lower back.  Some do very well with a regular gym program of weight training.   Some weight training exercises can also strain the back and unravel the benefits of your chiropractic treatment.   There is no magic formula, and it depends on nature of the individual as to how to best promote good spine function.  As for treatment, the current trend is to blend soft tissue therapy with joint manipulation and also to provide the patient with exercise (or be sure that the patient is exercising on his/her own).   The best soft tissue therapy systems I know of are Graston Technique, Active Release methods, and, currently the "Myofascial Manipulation" (as taught by the Stecco's of Italy).  There also is the FAKTR program that blends different soft tissue systems with exercise/rehab maneuvers at the same time, thus using the best approaches of different systems on the patient at the same time.    You can search these out on the internet or visit my web site: www.drgillman.com

Hope this helps,

Dr G