​Get a yearly physical, every six months get your teeth cleaned, but how often should you get adjusted?  While there isn’t quite yet a universal rule for how often maintenance adjustments (adjustments after your initial treatment plan) should occur, my guess is that day will someday come.

As a matter of fact, the founders and researchers of Atlas Orthogonal Technique (AOT) have recently established recommendations.   Last year at one of their advanced seminars, they recommended that AOT practitioners check and adjust (if needed) their maintenance patients on a quarterly basis (every three months).  AOT, however, specifically assesses and adjusts the vertebrae of the cervico-cranial junction, or upper neck.  With AOT, most people can hold their neck adjustments for relatively long periods of time.  However, AOT is a specialty and a general chiropractor may offer other recommendations.

Most often, chiropractors will utilize multiple techniques that assess and treat the entire spine and extremities.  Monthly assessment and adjustments are commonly recommended, however this is based on how the person’s body is likely to respond.  People who have physically demanding jobs or complicating conditions may require more frequent adjustment, while some people may do well going for multiple months between visits.  It is interesting to note, athletes training for sporting events may often receive benefit from adjustments weekly or in some cases, even multiple times per day.

Once a person becomes accustomed to getting adjusted, they tend to recognize right away when they feel “out of adjustment”.  This makes it an easy decision of when to schedule.  However until this occurs, talk with your chiropractor and determine a schedule that makes sense for you and your health.

Dr. Ryan Spurgeon, DC, BCAO – 3/2014 
Your Olathe and Kansas City Chiropractor and Upper Cervical Practitioner

Many patients are very curious to find out what I do when I need an adjustment.  Do I get adjusted?  Who do I go to?  While I may be more aware of what my spine and frame is doing and know the proper exercises to reinforce proper biomechanics, the fact of the matter is I benefit from regular adjustments just like anyone else.

As many people expect, chiropractors often trade services with each other.  Many DC’s (doctor of chiropractic) who practice in a group setting take advantage by getting adjusted whenever they want, often several times per week or month.  As I am in solo practice, I don’t have the luxury of getting adjusted as soon as I feel “out”.  So I try to schedule maintenance visits, knowing my body will benefit from getting an alignment on a regular basis.

Truth of the matter is that chiropractic can be a very physically demanding job, depending on the technique practiced.  I tend to do a lot of manual therapy along with traditional and upper cervical specific techniques.  After doing extended amounts of manual therapy my hands and forearms can fatigue, and I’ll compensate with my arms, shoulders, and torso.  Eventually my neck and back can suffer.  I’m never in the mood to schedule new appointments when I’m feeling bad, so again, having maintenance visits that I can rely on is a tremendous help.
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Dr. Ryan Spurgeon, DC, BCAO – 3/2014 
Your Olathe and Kansas City Chiropractor and Upper Cervical Practitioner