Search our sites for the information you need!

Dr. Brian Abelson DC.

Active Release Techniques Instructor

Chiropractic Manipulation Provides highly effective treatment for: Back Pain Disc problems Headaches Neck Pain Sciatica Sport Performance Whiplash Injuries	Get our popular and FREE Get Healthy, Stay Healthy Newsletter, packed with the latest news, techniques, and exercises to help you achieve optimimal health. This is health and wellness information that you can really use! First Name Last Name Email*
In this Page Chiropractic Care at Kinetic Health The Kinetic Health Perspective Our Clinical Philosophy Low Back Pain Chiropractic Manipulation also effects soft tissue How Manipulation effects the nervous system How motion restriction influences neurological function - Pain Gate Therapy Diagnosis Myths and misinformation What makes a good Chiropractor Whiplash Accidents How do I make an appointment at Kinetic Health?

Chiropractic Care at Kinetic Health At Kinetic Health, we approach Chiropractic Care from a neuro/biomechanical approach that is strongly supported by the latest scientific studies. We use Chiropractic manipulation to treat musculosketetal conditions, relieve pain, improve function by restoring freedom of motion, and improve nervous system function by manipulating both the spinal column and the body's extremities. At Kinetic Health, we use treatment methods that combine osseous manipulation (hands on adjustments) with soft-tissue techniques (Active Release Technique, Graston Technique). These treatments are supplemented by specific rehabilitation exercises that strengthen weakened muscle groups, improve flexibility and assist in preventing conditions from returning.

The Kinetic Health Perspective Chiropractic is a hands-on, manual therapy, that can achieve great results for many conditions. In fact if you review the most recent literature from recognized journals in conventional medicine (Spine, British Journal of Medicine) Chiropractic is considered to be the best choice for treating back pain. Chiropractic care has been shown to be the most effective method for improving and providing long-lasting quality of life for back-pain sufferers. See Cost effectiveness of physical treatments in primary care UK Beam Trial (Andrea Manca) British Journal of Medicine Journal 2004;329:1381 December 11, 2004. Chiropractors comprise the third largest segment of the health care practitioners in the United States, with over 50,000 practitioners. In the United States 21 to 28 million people now receive chiropractic services each year. Some of the most recent studies about chiropractic are not only showing how effective it is, but also how chiropractic treatments can help to lower overall health expenditures. This is being achieved by reducing the need for expensive diagnostic procedures, surgeries, and other health related costs. See Comparative Analysis of Individuals with and without Chiropractic Coverage Patient Characteristics, Utilization, and Costs. Archives of Internal Medicine. October 11, 2004;164:1985-1992 Low Back Pain (LBP) Low back pain is often difficult to solve. In fact the literature shows that there is little association between pathological physical findings and the patients pain and disability. In other words a lot is unknown about its cause from a conventional medical perspective. What we do know is that low back pain is second only to the common cold in visits to primary care physicians. In fact 43% of the population experience back pain in a given month. Direct cost of treating LBP is $33-$55 billion per year, and the indirect costs are $90 billion. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Volume 86-A - Number - August 2004 Many factors increase the incidence of Low Back Pain: Smokers have more incidences of back pain, more disc herniations, progressive disc degeneration, poor treatment outcomes and poor healing of injured backs and necks. Obesity contributes to back pain. Repetitive bending and twisting can increase the risk of low back pain and disc herniation. We know what works, and what does not work in the treatment of low back pain: Bed rest for more than two days is a very bad strategy in the treatment of back pain. Opioid drugs do not work for back pain over the long run and they lead to drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, respiratory depression and constipation. They are addictive and have reduced effectiveness after only a few weeks. We know all narcotics should be avoided in the management of back pain. Steroids are associated with substantial gastrointestinal injury, decreased bone mass, and degeneration of the bones of the legs. Muscle relaxants do not work for chronic back pain. Drugs do not achieve a lasting improvement in chronic spinal pain. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Volume 86-A - Number - August 2004 Chronic Spinal Pain: A randomized clinical trail comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation Spine July 15, 2003;28(14):1490-1502 What is an effective treatment for low-back pain? So what is the most effective form of treatment for back pain that can be scientifically validated? The answer is simple. Chiropractic Manipulation - In head to head comparisons with conventional medicine, Chiropractic care has been shown to be the best choice. For example in 2003, the Journal of Spine, the most prestigious medical journal published by the American Medical Association found that Chiropractic manipulation was five time more effective than the drugs Celebrex or Vioxx. This was a randomized clinical trial under the highest level of scrutiny. Chronic Spinal Pain: A randomized clinical trail comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation, Spine July 15, 2003;28(14):1490-1502 Joint restrictions lead to biomechanical restrictions, friction, inflammation and eventually degeneration. Chiropractic manipulation releases joint restrictions to restore normal range of motion. The Chiropractic adjustment helps to break up the restrictions of fibrosis that forms around spinal joints. These restrictions cause friction and increased stress on the normal joint function. This increased friction may cause inflammation or just wear and tear of the joints. This wear and tear is no small matter. Wear and tear causes Osteoarthritis, a progressive breakdown of cartilage. The cartilage is a very thin layer inside the joint. Thus it becomes very important to remove stress from the joint in order to prevent complete degeneration of the cartilage. Twelve percent of the population suffers from severe osteoarthritis. It is very important to restore joint function if you are experiencing an inflammatory reaction as a result of these joint restrictions, particularly if you have been experiencing repeated episodes of inflammation. Repeated episodes often lead to chronic problems which effect the surrounding structures: joint capsules, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. Spinal manipulation is a very effective way of alleviating these types of restrictions and preventing further problems. Chiropractic Manipulation also effects soft tissue, not just the bones. Patients often ask me how an adjustment of an osseous structure (Bones) can affect soft tissue (muscles). The answer is really quite simply. In your muscles you have stress receptors called Golgi Tendon Organs. These stress receptors react to situations where muscle tension suddenly increases such as with a Chiropractic Adjustment. These adjustments are low in force but high in velocity. This causes the stress receptors (Golgi Tendons) to inhibit all muscle activity in the surrounding area. It literally causes the entire muscle surrounding the joint to go into an instantaneous state of relaxation. A very important function when you are dealing with an acute episode of low back pain. (Guyton Textbook of medical physiology p691-692) This is why chiropractic adjustments when performed correctly are done very fast but with very low force. How Manipulation effects the nervous system This is by far the most important aspect of chiropractic manipulation. For years chiropractors have hypothesized on how adjustments effect the nervous system, we now can scientifically expand how this works. We can also validate our claims with research from the conventional research community. By conventional I am talking about accredited allopathic medical journals in the world not Chiropractic research. Some times I hear there is no scientific information out there to validate Chiropractic. Obviously these individuals are not familiar with current literature. One of the central hypothesis of the chiropractic theory is that dysfunction of the musculosketetal structures ( Relating to or involving the muscles and the skeleton) have a significant impact on the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that controls involuntary activities, including heart muscle, glands, and smooth muscle tissue. The autonomic nervous system is subdivided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Abnormal neurological input from dysfunctional musculosketetal structures (ie. injury, inflammation) increases sympathetic traffic or activity in this system. The sympathetic system is responsible for the "fight-or-flight" response we are hard wired with. An injury to the musculosketetal system result in an overall increase in the sympathetic nervous system activity. In fact injury to this system will cause a shift of the autonomic nervous system towards sympathetic dominance. The flight or fight response , also called the "acute stress response", was first described as early as the 1920's. The response was later recognized as the first stage of a general adaptation syndrome that regulates stress responses. The onset of a stress response is associated with specific physiological actions in the sympathetic nervous system, both directly and indirectly through the release of the hormone epinephrine and to a lesser extent norepinehrine from the adrenal glands (medulla). These are stress related hormones. The release of these hormones is triggered by a substance called acetylcholine which is released from the sympathetic nerves. Acetycholine is a neurotransmitter in the brain which helps to regulate memory, the actions of skeletal and smooth muscle in the pheripheral nervous system. These hormones ( epinephrine and norepinehrine) facilitate immediate physical reactions by triggering increases in heart rate and breathing, constricting blood vessels in many parts of the body - but not in muscles (vasodilation), brain, lungs and heart - and tightening muscles. How motion restriction influences neurological function - Pain Gate Therapy Injury to the back often involves injury to the facet joints of the spine or to the discs. These injuries are often caused by the non-voluntary contraction of the spinal segmental mover (muscles around the spine contracting such as the multifudus muscle). These non-voluntary contraction occur not only at the level of injury but several segments above and below the level of injury. This non-voluntary movement contraction locks what is referred to as the motor unit (two adjacent vertebrae, the disc between them, the nerves that goes through them, and surrounding soft tissues) into a certain position with reduced movement. This has the effect of opening what is called the "Pain Gait". Initially the Pain Gait theory was proposed in 1965 by Melzack and Wall based on the fact that small diameter nerve fibres carry pain stimuli through a 'gate mechanism' but larger diameter nerve fibres going through the same gate can inhibit the transmission of the smaller nerves carrying the pain signal.  Chemicals released as a response to the pain stimuli also influence whether the gate is open or closed for the brain to receive the pain signal.  This leads to the theory that the pain signals can be interfered with by stimulating the periphery of the pain site, the appropriate signal-carrying nerves at the spinal cord, or particular corresponding areas in the brain stem or cerebral cortex.  It is generally recognized that the ' Pain gate ' can be shut by stimulating nerves responsible for carrying the touch signal ( mechano-receptors) which enables the relief of pain. How this relates to Chiropractic Adjustments When a Chiropractor adjustment adjusts a section of the spine they cause the firing in of what is called high threshold mechano-receptors. This initiates a neurological sequence of events that causes pain inhibition (closes the pain gate), and inhibits the sympathetic nervous system. Considering the wide spread effects of being in a constant state of flight or fight, the ability to reduce these sympathetic activities with an Chiropractic adjustment is quite amazing. Poor healing of the back always results in fibrosis of scar tissue formation and adhesions. Chiropractic spinal adjustments are unique in their ability to break up these adhesions, close the pain gait, reduce involuntary sympathetic nervous system activity, and improve over all function. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological therapeutics January 2005, volume 28, Number 1 Chronic Spinal Pain: A randomized clinical trail comparing medication, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation Spine July 15, 2003;28(14):1490-1502 Gate control Theory of pain stands the test of time British Journal of Anesthesia. Vol. 88, No6, June 2002, Pgs. 755-757   Less side effects and a safe alternative. Research shows that chiropractic is significantly safer than comparable pharmaceutical and surgical treatments, and produces far fewer (4,000 times fewer) negative side effects. To further understand chiropractic's effectiveness, the Canadian chiropractic profession is currently involved in additional research to further examine neck adjustments. Recent research conducted at the University of Calgary, demonstrated that neck adjustment is done well within the neck's normal range of motion; that no force is applied to arteries during an adjustment; and that arteries are not stretched during adjustment. Internal forces sustained by the vertebral artery during spinal adjustment therapy, Herzog W, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Oct. 25(8): 504-20, 2002. Diagnosis.. All Chiropractors use standard procedures of examination to diagnose a patient's condition, and to arrive at an appropriate course of treatment. Doctors of Chiropractic use the time-honored methods of consultation, case history, physical examination, orthopedic analysis, neurological analysis and x-ray examination (as needed) as any other doctor. In addition, we also carry out a careful structural examination that pays particular attention to the bio mechanic's of the body.   What makes a good Chiropractor?-Same thing that makes any doctor good (More opinion of course) Patients moving to a new city often ask me for referrals to local Chiropractors. I am often asked about what they should look for in a good Chiropractor. Here are a few of the things I would recommend: Chiropractic Techniques - I cannot recommend any single technique as being better than another. In fact, I would be skeptical of anyone who claims their specific Chiropractic technique is the perfect choice for everyone. Chiropractors are trained to use a wide variety of techniques, and can choose from numerous treatment methods for any one condition. Their selected treatment method can vary depending upon: Patient response to treatment. Patient's request's for treatment,(some patients prefer certain manipulation methods). Patient age and overall health status. Communication: It is very important to talk to, and question your doctor. (Communication is critical with any medical professional, Chiropractic, Medical, Physiotherapist, etc.) If you have questions, ask them, and expect a reasonable clear answer. Question the logic of treatment. The more you understand, the better off you will be. If your doctor is always too busy to answer, or does not provide suitable responses, then consider looking at another doctor who does meet your requirements. Treatment Results: Expect results from the selected treatment therapy. Expect to see changes, whether it is Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Medicine, Acupuncture, or Massage therapy. If you don't get appropriate results, go somewhere else. Be reasonable, and provide sufficient time for the treatment to take effect. Ask your doctor to provide you with a copy or explanation of his/her proposed treatment plan. Your doctor should tell you how many visits they recommend, when the review date will be, and what results they are expecting. Remember A+B always equals C. In other words if you do the same thing over and over again you will always achieve the same result, good or bad. If you find the treatment you are using is not achieving the results you desire you need to consider other alternatives. If you don't achieve some results after a short period of time, then doing the same procedure 112 more times will probably not help. Rehabilitation: Rehabilitative exercises are fundamental to good recovery. Your rehabilitation program should address the four fundamentals of rehabilitation: Flexibility. Strength. Cardiovascular . Balance and proprioception. Note: if your doctor does not provide you with exercises for a musculosketetal condition, the doctor is missing he point. Exercise is not an option its fundamental.

Our Clinical Philosophy At our clinic, we believe that any treatment protocol must address the body at many levels. We strongly believe in using an integrated and holistic approach to your health. We combine essential aspects of numerous disciplines to provide a comprehensive, multi-factorial approach to your treatment protocols. For example, most patients are aware that Chiropractors improve bio-mechanical and neurological function by adjusting the spine. However, patients are often unaware that Chiropractors view health care from a greater perspective that includes exercise, diet, and life-style changes. Patients who do not exercise appropriately in conjunction with their Chiropractic adjustments will find that the adjustment gives them temporary relief by restoring their biomechanical and neurological function. However, their new found function will not last without regular exercise. This is because the body adopts muscle patterns that are based on existing physical activity. A Chiropractic adjustment helps to establish a new optimal pattern for the spine, and the muscles that hold the spine in position. Appropriate exercises act to ensure the muscles change their existing patterns to better maintain the optimal pattern set by the adjustment. At the same time, a patient who exercises, and has not addressed adhesion formation that has built up due to repetitive motion may see only limited results. This why we treat not only the osseous structures (bones), but also address soft-tissue restrictions by breaking up those adhesions. Soft tissue being: muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and circulation. Diet is also an important issue, poor dietary habits will always impair healing. This is common sense. The body cannot effectively repair itself if the fundamental building blocks of essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals are not present. Take a look at our dietary section to learn some fundamentals in accelerating the healing process. Our Treatment Objectives Resolve your condition. Our primary treatment objective is to resolve whatever condition you are dealing with. We are not interested in seeing you for the same condition over and over again. Our success rate is over 90% at resolving musculoskeletal conditions. Provide you with a rehabilitative strategy so your condition does not return. Every patient who is treated at our clinic is given appropriate rehabilitative exercises. These exercises focus on the four cornerstones of rehabilitation: flexibility, strength, cardiovascular and balance. We want you to understand why we applied the treatment protocols that we used. We like to explain our treatment protocols to our patients so they are comfortable with each procedure and understand the logic behind each treatment procedure. Each new patient at our clinic receives a complementary copy of our best sell book "Release Your Pain". Improve the services that we provide. We are constantly teaching or taking courses to further our knowledge to ensure we provide you with the best service possible. We want to know how we are doing. We work very hard at surpassing the treatment objectives for which you came to our clinic. To do this, we need your feedback, certainly we want to know if you are happy with the treatment protocols, but even more importantly, we want to know if we are not meeting your objectives. We will always do our best meet those objectives.     "If you have a soft-tissue problem, then read this book, and don't be satisfied with anything but the real solution. " Dr. Mike Leahy, developer of ART   Order Your Copy Today Questions we are often asked! What is your opinion about monthly Chiropractic adjustments? As we mentioned previously, our primary objective when you come to our clinic is to resolve your health concerns and have you reach a state of optimum health. If you have read the section on the left about the benefits of Chiropractic adjustments, you will quickly understand how your body can benefit from this type of treatment. The frequency of your adjustments is entirely dependant upon your individual needs. As you learn to 'read' and understand your body's requirements, you will find that you can identify when you need to come in for an adjustment. Symptoms such as restricted range of motion, headaches, high stress, and muscle/joint pain that does not resolve with exercise are all good clues and indicators that your sympathetic system is over-stressed and needs relief. Many of our patients choose to receive regular monthly Chiropractic adjustments because of the improvements they experience in form and function. Many of our patients are continually stressing their body to the maximum. Many of these individuals have indicated that regular Chiropractic care has been a major factor in their ability to cope with the daily stresses of their life. Other patients come in when they feel the need for care. A common comment from patients after a treatment include, "I forgot what normal range of motion felt like" or " I didn't realize how restricted I was". Chiropractic, besides being very effective at treating a wide range of conditions, is also a proactive treatment method as it helps to improve your overall health (as all the scientific evidence demonstrates). As a Chiropractor, I provide information to my patients and let them make their own decisions about how often they choose to come in for adjustments. As a marathon runner, triathlete, father, and husband, I and my family receive regular Chiropractic care. We also exercise regularly, eat well, and try to live a wholesome active life.     Chiropractic myths and misinformation? Click here to dispel a few myths about Chiropractic Care. Click here for information about "Cervical Adjustments".       Click the image for information about Dr. Abelson's publications. Click Image for Activerelease.ca Click Image for Active Release Techniques Web sites in Canada, USA or international sites.

Back to the top!

Download Kinetic Health Admittance Forms Please click on the following links to download our clinic admittance forms. Kinetic Health Admittance Form Massage Therapy Admittance Form Phone: 403-241-3772 Fax: 403-241-3846 email: abelsonb@shaw.ca These forms can be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Acrobat Reader you can download it for free by clicking the following icon.

New Patients We are pleased to offer our new patients a complementary copy of the best selling book, Release Your Pain, during their first visit with Dr. Abelson. Release Your Pain sells for $26.95 at all local booksellers. One copy per family.

Back to the top!