Here are some things I'm learning from my Advanced Biostructural Corrections (ABC)  Chiropractor. ABC Chiros claim to be different, better from the standard chiros, but I'll leave the readers to research YouTube on their own to find out how. I'm no expert  - I'll be honest.

oOo

Let's start with the brochure / handout that he gave to me:

Getting the best out of your Adjustment

Come to your appointment well hydrated and having eaten a protein rich meal

Come in with flat and flexible shoes* otherwise you will leave feeling achy

It is important to relax during the whole adjustment, but especially if scar tissue needs to be stretched

When getting in your car, make sure nothing is in your back pockets and your orthotic wedge** is sitting properly in your seat. If your seat is too soft put a cutting board under your wedge

(A picture here shoes how sitting on a wallet in your back pocket will misalign your back)

Sit on firmer surfaces to support your structure, not allowing your pelvis to roll backwards and twist up your spine

Sleeping on a firm bed; HR50 foam or C2 Sleep number are the best. Use towels or orthotic pillow to get proper height for side sleeping.

(Picture here shows towels folded into rectangles *** and a layered orthotic pillow)

Things that will hurt your spine

Improper adjusting of the body

(Picture here shows chiropractor having someone lay flat.)

(Picture here shows man with one hand on chin, one on head, head tilted as if he is about to pop his neck)

Yoga can reverse curves in your spine causing problems

Improper form when working out

Massage, foam rolling, and static stretching can loosen up tight muscles that are part of a compensation that act to protect your body

Unwinding

Pain traveling around is normal part of unwinding; use ice, never heat

Hydration, walking and dynamic stretching, 10x on each side, can help

(Picture here  shows 16 dynamic stretches, including one that says "Squat no more than 90 degrees")

Resources:

HR50 Bed address in my city

5.11 shoes website

Xero shoes website

Orthotics www.ezpostureproducts.com

-and that is the end of that brochure.

* Chiro confirmed that the flexible shoes were for the rest of life; No flat stiff shoes allowed.

**  Orthotics = See website under "Resources" at the end of brochure

*** Chiro didn't like my feather pillow. Encouraged folded (not rolled) towels for side sleeping. And encourage no pillow for back sleeping.  There is a way to estimate approximately how high your pillow / towels should be but it is complicated to explain. The orthotic pillow website should have instructions.

oOo

During my first treatment , after treating my back, he inserted the balloon into my lower left concha. He said that he would do another balloon treatment if my back treatment called for it but he wouldn't otherwise since it could be harmful rather then helpful.  If you look at ABC chiros treating  a patient on YouTube, you'll see that it is a little mysterious: I'll just trust that he knows what he is doing.

He helped my breathing a lot on that first day, not just with the nose but also getting my ribs unstuck. I no longer have the same desperate and unsatisfying sighs and yawns. 

After the second treatment I realized that I need to work on my forward head posture a lot more. So much of my sitting involved my head leaning forward relative to my body, and I hadn't even realized it. For example, it's next to impossible to work on my laptop in my car without my head forward.

oooOOOooo

My "Prescription of Care" handout had some additional instruction for me. I'll skip some and  list a few of them. A few are a bit repetitive but might help clarify the brochure.

Trauma

Avoid popping your bones

Do not use tennis balls or foam rollers to stretch out tight muscles or trigger points

No massage

If you ever get in a car accident, call us immediately

Flare Ups

* After your first adjustment expect to be sore as your structure has changed. Muscles, tendons and ligaments that were either stretched (too long) or contracted (too short) start to move to a more normal length. The force of gravity is now pulling in a new direction on your bones which can cause them to ache. Walking and plenty of water is your best defense as your body gets used to its new structure.

*Pain traveling around is always a good thing. Pain staying in the exact place shows us that your body structurally does not have the mechanical advantage yet to unwind past this point, or there is a sit, stand, sleep issue that keeps twisting your body back up.

*If the body gets tight or achy always use ice, never heat. Isolated heat in one area of the body  will cause muscles in area to relax while other muscles are tight causing problems. Hot baths, hot showers, and saunas are all ok because it is applied to the whole body.

Barriers to Reaching Goals:

1. Sleeping Incorrectly. (Must sleep on something firm, sleep on side or back, sleep on a flat orthopedic pillow)

2. Sitting Incorrectly. (Sit on firm furniture. Hips MUST be higher than knees at all times. Use posture cushion at all times) [He said he was ok with me sitting cross-legged on the floor though]

3. Shoe wear. Nothing can support your arches: Inside shoe must be completely flat [I showed him my shoes where I had already replaced the insole with a cushiony store bought insert. He was ok with them but he used a pair of scissors to chop off a bit of the inside edge where it was raised / fitted)

4. Three Ts : Trauma, Toxins, Thoughts

5. Not seeing you frequently enough to stay ahead of your unwind. [ He treated me twice but we were talking and he said I was stable and I could take a break if that's what I needed. Otherwise he recommended I come 2 times a week for two months. I plan on going back in three months and ideally complete treatment- there are several factors going into that decision. I feel I need to train myself to consistently sit correctly before doing anymore or else it seems like it will waste my money and his time. My insurance doesn't pay for it regrettably ]

Thanks for reading!