What is Chiropractic?
What if I told you that your body is self-healing; in the right environment and with the right support, your body is beautifully designed not just to survive, but to thrive through matrescence and beyond.
Chiropractors are experts in the nervous system and musculoskeletal system; we look for signs of dysfunction in the body, the cause of that dysfunction, and then work with you to restore function + health to your joints, muscles and, well, your whole body.
You might have heard that chiropractors only treat the back - this is a common assumption. But the truth is that we look at the whole body - top to toe - to work out how to help you feel your best. BUT we do focus on the spine, and for good reason.
Your spine houses the spinal cord and is the highway for communication between your body and your brain; it’s how your brain sends messages to your body and how your body sends messages back to the brain. This highway makes sure that we know how and when to run, jump, move, duck and dodge in response to movements, balance, uneven surfaces, sharp knives, hot stoves and all other sensory + tactile feedback from the external environment. It’s how we communicate, and respond to, musculoskeletal pain. Sometimes, the pain is external and we need to move away from it. Other times, the pain is internal and we need to change our actions or behaviours to address it.
It also plays a role in the modulation of the stress response, keeping us calm when it can and alert when we need to be. When the messages to the brain are altered (like when there is a fixation or loss of movement at a spinal level), the messages about how alert we need to be can be over exaggerated - you probably know this as your fight or flight response. As chiropractors, we remove the interference along the messaging pathways and restore function to your spine and your nervous system, allowing your body to return to it’s natural state of ease and balance.
Chiropractors look for spinal restriction, as well as function movement disorders, postural changes and other reasons why there might be an increased load on certain areas of your body, or increased stress to your nervous system.
This is why chiropractic care isn’t just about the hands-on treatment in the clinic, it’s also about lifestyle, exercise and so much more.
What is the Webster Technique?
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and gentle adjustment of the sacrum that reduces nervous system dysfunction so the brain-body connection can be restored.
In pregnant women, restriction in the pelvis and tension in the uterine ligaments may be restricting baby’s ability to get into the best position for birth. The adjustment balances pelvic bones, muscles and ligaments, and optimises the mother’s pelvic function in pregnancy and birth.
It is a beautiful tool to use during your pregnancy, but it can be used on any weightbearing individual, in any stage of life.
Chiropractic in pregnancy
Most people book a chiro appointment when they start feeling back pain during their pregnancy. For some this can be around the end of the first trimester, when they experience the first surge of the hormone relaxin. For others, it’s around the halfway mark or even later, once the physical changes are more pronounced and their bodies need some help adapting to a shifting centre of gravity.
BUT chiropractic care isn’t just about pain! It’s about optimal function of your nervous system, helping your body adapt to the physical changes that are happening before that bump starts poppin’, and keeping you moving well.
Did you know that by 5 weeks, your baby’s gender differentiation has already occurred? By 6 weeks, the foundations have been laid for what will become a four chambered heart, and by 10 weeks, you have grown an entire organ (the placenta) that will nourish + protect your baby until they are ready to join the world?
There is so much going on under the surface that requires intricate orchestration, and chiropractic care is just one way to nurture your nervous system (while your baby grows an entirely new nervous system!!) and ensure good communication between your brain and your body.
Why The Women’s Chiro?
So much of the established literature and research on health has been conducted on men, because the cycling hormones in women were considered an uncontrollable variable. Nevermind the fact that it’s that uncontrollable variable that is the very essence of being a woman and becoming a mother (and that ~50% of the population are women and ~50% of women in Australia have cycling hormones).
The reality is that we cannot separate any aspect of your health from your physiology as a woman, and doing so would be a disservice to you. So, at The Women’s Chiro, we use your period as a regular report card on your health, not looking to cover up your symptoms but to get to the root cause and restore function. We look at everything through the lens of cycling hormones (if that applies to you) and how we can create alignment in all areas of your life, not just your spine ;)
I’m here to celebrate your womanhood - the perfect, intricate design that allows you to create life, to nourish a child, to mother with ease and grace (and with rage and big feelings too) because you hold it all in your body and it you deserve a space to be held and heard and supported.
What to expect from your first visit:
Never seen a chiropractor before? Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect at your first visit to The Women’s Chiro at The Sana Co.
Before your appointment, you’ll be asked to fill in a Health Questionnaire. Depending on the reason for your visit, this might have questions about your general health history, your hormonal health and periods, your pregnancy journey and more. There will also be some questions about your medical history, medications and supplements, and anything else you think is important for me to know. Are you seeing other practitioners? Do you have other health complaints that are contributing to your overall health picture? Things like that might not be asked directly on the form but are an important part of why you’ve sought chiropractic support and how we can work together to get you feeling better.
Your consult will start with a chat as we get to know each other - we’ll talk about what you’ve written on the form, but also some other topics too. It’s about painting a picture of the things that have lead to where you are today, so we can take practical steps towards health.
I’ll do an assessment of your posture, range of motion, reflexes, muscle strength and look for any areas of joint restriction or movement dysfunction. What we find will determine what your treatment looks like, but it will likely be a combination of adjustments, mobilisations, soft tissue massage and some home management strategies, including stretching and strengthening exercises. All of my techniques are gentle, effective and optional. I’ll never do something without your permission, or anything that you’re uncomfortable with.
At each step, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and share any concerns you might have.
The important thing is that we are working together towards the same goals, and making sure that you’ve got the right people on your team.
Good health happens by design
I believe that good health doesn’t happen by chance, or by luck, but by considered, consistent, intentional decisions made day in and day out.
That means knowing your options and having as much information as you want and need to make an informed, well-educated decision.
It doesn’t mean that every decision is the ‘right’ one, but it means that you’re always striving to know more so you can be the best version of yourself.
In the clinic and in the studio, that looks like educating my clients about your bodies, why you feel the way you do, and how you can use that information to make decisions that most align with your health goals.
Making intentional decisions is the difference between
Playing a passive or active role in your health
Reacting or responding to a change in circumstance
Allowing others to tell you how to live or learning to make choices for yourself
Accepting only one form of management/treatment or exploring your options
Becoming complacent or empowered
There are many paths to a goal, and they won’t all be suited to you. Health happens when we make intentional decisions that all contribute to the bigger picture.