Vitality Practice

When was the last time you took time to dream with your practice in mind?

It’s good to dream!  Dreaming gives us hope.  It also connects us with our purpose in life and expands our vision.

In your practice a dream can give you and your staff energy, focus and motivation.  For your next staff meeting why not have a “dream storming” session.  Encourage everyone to dream for a moment – ask them to dare think “what if …?”

Patient education has been an important focus of chiropractic for many years.   A majority of the population still does not fully understand what we do and how our natural approach to health is so effective –  so we will always need to teach, to educate.

It’s graduation season and many proud students are walking across the stage to receive their diplomas. They received an education, but the more important question is, “what did they learn?”

The same holds true for our patients.  They may attend a Spinal Health Class and nod affirmatively when we hand them our latest education brochure, but at the end of the day what have they really learned?

Here is a great quote I recently found that can give us direction,

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember.  Involve me and I learn.

~ Benjamin Franklin

What percentage of your patient education efforts fall into the “Tell Me” category only?  As we “tell” our patients about their condition and how chiropractic can help them, some of what we say does become a “teachable” moment and the patient actually remembers. That’s a great first step!

It’s time to go to the next level.  Think about how you can “involve” your patients in the healing process as much as possible – then they will learn.

• Have a defined Home Health Plan for every patient including exercises and new lifestyle habits. Recommend products they can use at home including TENS/EMS, portable ultrasound, pillows, supports etc.

• Ask patients to set one or two simple health goals for themselves.  Create an easy way to for them to track health habits they have committed to – this provides added accountability.

• Give them a Homework Health assignment.  Ask them to do research on a health topic or condition and report back to you.  Suggest several respected health websites for them to search from.

• Ask patients to keep different forms of a Health Journal. Have them write down details about their pain levels, lifestyle habits, exercise sessions or food intake and give them feedback.

• Encourage patients to share as they learn from you. Anyone will learn more when they teach it themselves. Ask them to partner with you to “Share Good Health” by referring others.

It may be time to update your Patient Education plan.  Find ways to involve your patients and it will add a new sense of Vitality To Your Practice.

Written by Mark Mandell, DC, MBA a third generation chiropractor, medical entrepreneur, motivational lecturer and author of “Spark Your Sales.” Currently, he is President of The Vitality Depot, where he brings innovative products and equipment to chiropractors at extraordinary value.

Would you let any of your patients leave your office with a 20 lb bowling ball hanging around their neck without offering a solution? The Forward Head Posture (FHP) epidemic can cause at least 10 major detrimental effects to overall health.  This is one of the most common patient conditions today.  Fortunately there are now cost-effective easy to implement clinical solutions.

RESEARCH
Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states, “Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity.”

According to A. I. Kapandji (Physiology of the Joints, Volume III), for every inch your head moves forwards it gains 10 pounds in weight.  This relates to the muscles in the neck and upper back which have to work harder to keep the head from dropping onto your chest.   This also forces the suboccipital muscles to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the suboccipital nerves.

Like reading research papers?  Here are web links to speciific research relating to FHP

Top 10 Detrimental Effects Of The Forward Head Posture Epidemic

1)  Increases Neck Pain Disability
2)  Contributes to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
3)  Postural Cause of Cervicogenic Headaches
4)  Chronic Trigger Points in Suboccipital Muscles
5)  Causal Factor in TMJ Syndrome
6)  Higher Risk of Oseoporotic Fractures
7)  Associated With Dizziness and Vestibular Function
8)  Reduced Respiratory Function
9)  Often Found with Persistent Asthma
10) Higher Mortality Rate Among Elderly

A TAPING SOLUTION
Kinesiology tape is an amazing simple rehab tool that improves posture – and patients can tell the difference immediately. Click here for a courtesy education PDF handout you can print and share with your patients.

Either buying tape in rolls and trimming it yourself, or using pre-cut tape sections, the application for a structural protocol has the patient stand in an optimal vertical posture and the tape is stretched slightly to give support in the mid back region.  This helps keep the shoulder blades back simulating an improved posture.

Applying kinesiology tape in Postural and Cervical applications helps hold adjustments and retrains spinal postural muscles and the nervous system. For larger patients, adding an additional strip above and below the Postural application supports the retraction of the scapula. Because of the chronic nature of postural distortion, many patients benefit from repeated taping applications up to 12 weeks for optimal rehab.

Applied to the mid back of the patient, kinesiology tape may be worn continuously for up to five days in which the client can exercise and shower. This is an innovative functional medicine approach to modulate pain and myofascial dysfunction.

Structural applications are designed to dynamically support better static and dynamic postural positions, provide relative immobility in order to prevent harmful ranges of motion without a hard end feel, and reduce strain on affected muscles and joints.

The improvement in posture and scapular stabilization allows for overhead arm elevations without the risk of impingement. Once the scapula is stabilized, the client can then condition the appropriate musculature to develop the proper strength and length/tension relationship of the muscles involved.

After a busy morning with patients it’s lunchtime – you start thumbing through the chiropractic magazine that just came in the mail.  A few products catch your eye.  You check out several websites. You think to yourself, “I wonder if that would be a good product to add to my practice for my patients?”

When is a product more than just another product to buy and resell to your patients?  When is a TENS unit more than a TENS unit?  When is a SpiderTech application more than kinesiology tape?  Answer – when they are “Products With A Purpose.”

The right product recommended at the right time can be a great tool to help your patients get well and stay well.  Products can complement your clinical treatment, pain management plan and patient quality of life.

Products involve patients in the healing process.  When they use Bio-Freeze, sleep on a contoured pillow or adjust their back brace, they are more involved in their clinical care.

Products provide a needed service to patients.  They appreciate not having to make an extra trip to a medical supply store across town.  Having the right products to support your clinical care shows patients you care about them.

Products can generate additional income and new profit centers.  An increase in office services is a reflection of the high quality of clinical care you offer.  Products support other treatments and can have a synergistic effect in the healing process.

Products provide solutions to problems such as helping patients with their posture and lifestyle as well as pain control.  Timely products can be effective in health maintenance and prevention of future problems.

Okay it’s time to make a decision and order . . . just remember to think about adding “Products With A Purpose” to your practice.

Written by Mark Mandell, DC, MBA a third generation chiropractor, medical entrepreneur, motivational lecturer and author of “Spark Your Sales.” Currently, he is President of The Vitality Depot, where he brings innovative products and equipment to chiropractors at extraordinary value.