I Am a Chiropractor. Take two.

Leave a comment June 2, 2015 drworobec

1c25cea660395e6dd7a183c6208c9a2f I’ve been a chiropractor for nearly ten years. Ten years….. how did that happen so quickly? And as my practice has grown, I’ve been confronted with more and more misconceptions surrounding what it is that I actually do. These are some questions I’ve been asked in just the last couple of weeks (and if you click on the links, you’ll see I’ve written about all of them):

Do I treat children? Yes.
Do I treat muscular injuries? Yes.
Can I manage concussions and return-to-play protocols? Yes.
Do I think rehabilitation exercise is important for back pain? Yes.
Am I still accepting new patients? Yes.

In light of all this, I wanted to share with you a post that I wrote a couple of years ago when my blog was shiny and brand-new. This is my most-read post of all time. I hope that you enjoy it the second time around, and that it gives you a glimpse into the way that I work:

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I am a chiropractor. But my definition of what a chiropractor is might be different than yours. Is that because of the broad range of chiropractors out there? Is that because of the assumptions and misnomers surrounding chiropractic? Is that because of the way that I practice chiropractic?

Maybe it’s all of the above… My first involvement with the chiropractic profession began when I was 21. Fresh off a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary, I still didn’t know what I wanted to ‘be when I grew up’. A friend of mine was a chiropractor and needed someone to work at the front desk of his clinic and I needed a job while I figured out my next step in life. Enter Fate, stage left. My path in life was suddenly clear. I would become a chiropractor. I sent off my application immediately, and began my four years at CMCC (Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College) that Fall.

I am a chiropractor.

This is what I do: I do treat pain related to the spine, pelvis, nervous system, and joints of the body. I do not only treat back pain and neck pain.

I use rehabilitation exercises, Active Release, acupuncture, Graston, and adjustments. I am a chiropractor who rolls around on the ground to demonstrate exercises. I am a chiropractor who watches you run if it hurts when you run, and who watches you throw if it hurts when you throw.

I do believe that the adjustment is a powerful tool, but it’s one of many and it’s not always appropriate. I do not only use adjustments when treating an injury.

I am a chiropractor who believes that less-invasive is better than more-invasive. I am a chiropractor who pays attention to research. I am a chiropractor who pays attention to my patients. I am evidence-based. I am holistic.

I do enjoy working with those who want to heal quickly and are willing to be an active participant in their care. I do not only treat sports injuries and athletes.

I am a chiropractor who makes you work. I am a chiropractor who doesn’t want to see you week after week for months.

I do believe that chiropractic can benefit children, and both my babies had their first chiropractic treatment when they were a few days old. I do not only believe that chiropractic can benefit adults.

I am a chiropractor who thinks that we should get our bodies checked like we get our teeth checked. I am a chiropractor who has been called a ‘body mechanic’. I am a chiropractor who thinks anatomy is fascinating.

I do agree that many patients can benefit from wellness/maintenance care, but this is not the case for everyone. I do not agree that ‘once you see a chiropractor once, you have to keep going’.

I am a chiropractor who thinks that you know your body better than I do. I am a chiropractor who will find the source of the injury, not the symptom of the injury. I am a chiropractor who will do my best to find a clear diagnosis and give you a careful explanation.

I am a doctor. I do think that the chiropractic profession needs to do a better job of communicating to the public, so that patients can select a chiropractor that can best meet their needs. I do not like that there is a great divide within our profession, leading to confusion surrounding what we can do.

I am a chiropractor who believes in a broad scope of practice. I am a chiropractor who keeps taking courses to broaden my knowledge and abilities. I am a chiropractor who thinks that chiropractic is not the answer for everything.

I am a chiropractor.

Helping you to Heal Faster

Leave a comment April 28, 2015 drworobec

Healing takes time.

Wellness takes time.

Back-to-normal takes time.

Pain is often the last indicator that something is wrong, so by the time you’re feeling sore, your body has already been in injury mode for awhile.

I view my role as helping you to heal faster. Our bodies are smart, they know what to do to fix themselves, and I don’t claim to know any better; however, it’s my job to nudge things along. But here’s the deal- you need to play your part and keep your end of the bargain. Let’s do the math: even if you’re in my office three times per week (which is on the very high side of normal for an injury) you are receiving 1.5 hours of treatment in a 168-hour week. This means you’re only spending 0.8% of your time with me, and 99.2% of your time without.

I often tell my patients that the more they do at home, the less time they’ll need to spend at the clinic. YOU are the most important person in your recovery. From rehab exercises to nutritional changes to activity modification, the decisions you make in the 166.5 hours/week outside the clinic are going to greatly speed or slow your progress.

A few years ago, I wrote a post called ‘I Am a Chiropractor’ that tried to explain what it is that I actually do during the day-ins and day-outs of my practice. That post was well received by my colleagues and patients alike, and is still my most-read blog post to date. Today’s post is another attempt at explaining where my priorities as a healthcare professional lie.

I want you to be an active participant in your recovery.

I want to help you heal faster.

We’re in this together.

Leonardo-Da-Vinci-Vitruvian-Man

Burlington’s “BEST” Chiropractor

Leave a comment February 3, 2015 drworobec

Monday, February 2nd, 2015. Groundhog Day. Ontario’s Wiarton Willie did not see his shadow; an early Spring, if you’re keeping track.

As I write this, Burlington is in the midst of a snow day. The City has essentially shut down, as all the schools and municipal buildings are closed and the plows are busy clearing the 35cm that fell quietly last night. We even declared a snow day at Burlington Sports & Spine Clinic, not something we take lightly; the parking lot hadn’t been cleared, roads were treacherous, and more snow was predicted to fall. Winter is here and making its presence known. Mother Nature, you continue to impress.

I’m sitting with a cup of coffee in front of the computer (flavoured with coconut cream and Stevia, as per the Whole Life Challenge guidelines that I’m following for eight weeks. Please, sob, can I just have a tiny bit of cream and sugar?) My six-year-old has the stomach flu, and my mama-senses are heightened and alert. This computer break is intermingled with forehead checks, cool, damp cloths, and worry. My two-year-old is content with making Valentines playing keep-up with a balloon. I am feeling blessed and grateful for this extra day.

But my reason for this post is to write about Burlington’s annual Reader’s Choice Awards. You all rallied around me in my bid to become the community torchbearer for the Pan Am Games, and I’m asking for your support again (as an aside, Pan Am makes their official torchbearer announcement on March 23rd). I have been nominated in the “Best Chiropractor” category. This is the first time in my nine year career that this has happened, and the nomination fills me with honour, flattery, and a whole lot of humility. You see, the word “Best” is a hard one to place upon yourself, isn’t it?

Then I watched the Always’ “Like a Girl” campaign commercial. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can watch it here.

This is Always’ official statement:

Using #LikeAGirl as an insult is a hard knock against any adolescent girl. And since the rest of puberty’s really no picnic either, it’s easy to see what a huge impact it can have on a girl’s self-confidence. We’re kicking off an epic battle to make sure that girls everywhere keep their confidence throughout puberty and beyond, and making a start by showing them that doing it #LikeAGirl is an awesome thing.

So, with that, I shed the discomfort and lingering uneasiness of calling myself the best. I am the best that I can be.

I am the best wife I can be.

I am the best mother I can be.

I am the best friend I can be.

And, guess what, I am the best chiropractor I can be.