Kelian Family Chiropractic

The Therapy Room:

 

Hydrotherapy Table

 

 

The term hydrotherapy, by definition, refers to the use of water in the treatment of disease or trauma. In a broad sense, hydrotherapy includes water treatment utilizing any of the three natural forms of water; solid, liquid or vapor.

 

Hydrotherapy tables are a technological advance over whirlpools and immersion water therapy. The effects are very similar but the patient remains dry. The patient lies back, completely clothed, on the surface of the table. Just under the surface is a mattress filled with heated water. A pump propels the water toward the patient through three patented hydro-jets. The pressure of the water against the patient’s body provides the massage. Each jet spins at more than 200 revolutions per minute. A primary wave and a lighter secondary wave combine to produce an effective massage to all areas of the spine simultaneously. The therapy can be applied to nearly every part of the body by simply changing the patient’s position on the table. The combination of flotation, heat and massage produce the therapeutic effects and are described below.

 

Flotation: Water is extremely buoyant. When the body is placed on the water mattress, there is minimal strain on the weight-bearing joints.
Additionally, few if any muscles are required to hold the body up or in position. These two conditions combine to help the patient’s body relax resulting in an increased physiologic response to treatment.

 

Heat: Heat is evenly conducted through the skin and into the muscles and soft tissues of the body. The heat expands blood vessels, increases blood and lymphatic circulation, increases metabolism and has a sedative effect.

 

Massage: The pressure of the water on the body increases venous and lymphatic flow. One of the effects of the resulting stimulation is increased molecular motion in the skin that may aid the healing  process. Hydromassage helps works out trigger points in the muscles, which are localized areas of hyperirritability that induce a cycle of spasm, pain, tension, weakness and limited range of motion in the joints.

 

Hydromassage focuses on the muscular system, the fascia, the circulatory and lymphatic systems or a combination of these body systems. Fascia is the connective tissue that attaches organs to organs, muscles to bones (tendons) and bones to bones (ligaments). The lymphatic system carries lymph, a clear or yellowish substance that flows throughout the body, filtering foreign matter and removing excess fluid, protein and waste products from the tissues and transporting them to the blood to be circulated and eliminated.

 

Effects of Warm Dry Hydrotherapy

 

The major physiologic effects of hydrotherapy can be summarized as follows:

 

• Increases circulation and metabolic rates
• Increases mobility
• Relaxes and relieves fatigue
• Analgesia
• Sedation
• Promotes tissue healing and repair
• Relieves muscle spasms and pain
• Helps remove metabolic toxins
• Relaxes capillaries and other soft tissues
• Increases blood volume and oxygen consumption
• Relieves pain of myositis and neuritis
• Soothes irritated cutaneous nerves
• Lessens general nervousness
• Dilates blood vessels
• Soothes nerves of the visceral organs

 

 

Intersegmental-Traction Therapy Table

 

Introducing the Quantum 400 Intersegmental Traction Therapy Table

 

How does Intersegmental Traction Work?

 

At Kelian Family Chiropractic, intersegmental traction is delivered through the use of a traction table. You lay down on the table (on your back) and there are rollers just underneath the surface of the table. These rollers can be adjusted depending on your chiropractic condition and weight to gently and specifically elongate and stretch your spinal joints and muscles. This helps to reduce muscle spasms and increases your range of motion for your spinal joints (each vertebrae). When your muscles become more relaxed and vertebrae begin to move normally, your vertebral discs now have their normal space and can return to their normal position and functioning. This also helps to prevent abnormal wear and tear on the vertebral discs and prevents further injury and reduces the arthritis process.

Intersegmental traction is non-invasive and painless. Many of Dr. Kelian’s chiropractic patients find this form of chiropractic care to be relaxing. The gentle rolling action is restful, exercising the spine without effort. During a 10-minute session, the intersegmental roller table interacts with your body in a massage-like fashion 240 times. When your muscle become fatigued, traumatized or injured, muscle spasms will occur. At Kelian Family Chiropractic, we have different chiropractic modalities to relieve a wide-range of symptoms.

 

What are the benefits of Intersegmental Traction?

 

• Increases mobility and stretches ligaments and muscles
• Reduces muscle spasms and spinal subluxations
• Increases blood flow and oxygen to discs, ligaments and muscles, thereby improving balance, strength and mobility.