Is Chiropractic Health & Performance Care the Missing Piece in Your Healthcare Journey?
Healthcare systems worldwide are increasingly recognizing the importance of proactive healthcare approaches that focus on prevention and maintenance rather than solely on treating acute conditions. There is a study, The Nordic Maintenance Care Program, that has gained attention for its patient-centered approach to maintaining health and well-being. This program emphasizes ongoing care beyond the resolution of initial complaints, with the goal of preventing future issues and enhancing overall quality of life.
The Nordic Maintenance Care Program
The Nordic Maintenance Care Program (1) was rooted in the belief that chiropractic care should extend beyond mere symptom relief for low back pain into what they called Maintenance care. While many people seek chiropractic care primarily for targeted pain and discomfort, maintenance care takes a holistic approach, focusing on the optimization of overall health and well-being. In the study, one group was assigned to only receive treatment when they experienced pain and would then be placed on a care plan to treat the painful problem. The other group was provided treatment to care for the initial pain and then instructed to receive care every 1-3 months and before any real pain appeared thereafter.
The results of this study showed that the maintenance care group experienced on average 13 fewer days of pain over the course of one year compared to the symptom-guided group. The authors of the study concluded that the maintenance group needed less than two extra visits to their doctor of chiropractic over the course of the year to have 13 fewer days of pain. That's 13 fewer days being cranky, tired, and less able, with more possibilities to be present with your family, at work, and enjoying life. Pretty good results!
So what would Maintenance, or what we like to call Health & Performance Care, look like?
Health & Performance care involves periodic check-ups that might include, chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue care, rehab or functional movement training, nutritional and herbal supports, lifestyle guidance, health goal setting, and supporting athletic performance. If the person is experiencing any pain or dysfunction for an acute injury they are more likely to get the appropriate care earlier allowing faster healing and resume daily activities sooner needing less overall care in the long run. Not only is this approach helpful to decreasing the number of painful or dysfunctional days, it would decrease the overall money spent on care too. Win-win!
The whole point is to have a Patient-Centered Approach to Care.
One of the key principles of Health & Performance Care (Maintenance care) is to have patients as active participants in their healthcare decisions, and their preferences, concerns, and goals are taken into account. When the approach is collaborative, both trust and rapport between the doctor of chiropractor (or any doctor) and the patient allows for a long term partnership to health and wellness to occur. Long term partnerships when the doctor is invested in your overall health, performance, and life will almost always equal better care!
When under Health & Performance Care the Patient, You, Experiences:
Enhanced Quality of Life: Many patients who have participated in the Nordic Maintenance Care Program report a significant improvement in their overall quality of life. This is something we also see in patients that engage in regular health & performance care in our clinic. By addressing minor health problems, injuries, or dysfunctions before they become painful issues, patients experience increased mobility, reduced discomfort, and a greater sense of well-being. They are more able to achieve a higher levels of overall health allowing them more possibilities to enjoy their day to day lives.
Prevention of Recurrence: Patients are less likely to experience the recurrence of their painful complaints. This proactive approach to healthcare is highly valued by patients who want to avoid chronic or recurrent conditions or want to keep any chronic condition they are experiencing as minor as possible. A long term relationship can allow for new or novel treatments to be tried because the partnership of trust with each other is higher.
Empowerment and Education: When there is a partnership between the doctor of chiropractic and patient, patients are more likely to take an active role in their health rather than feel regulated to the side-lines. Dr Dobelbower often provides education on lifestyle choices, exercises, and ergonomics that contribute to better health. This empowers patients to make informed decisions about their health that really bring long term benefits to their, and their families, health.
Personalized Care Plans: Each patient's Health & Performance care plan is tailored to their unique needs and goals and can change over time based on each persons current needs. This individualized approach ensures that patients receive care that aligns with their specific circumstances, contributing to a more positive experience and better outcomes. This style of health care is based on helping people maintain and stay healthy rather than waiting on a disease to manage.
Reduced Dependency on Medication: Several of the patients who participated in the Nordic Maintenance Care Program reported a reduced need for pain medication. This aligns with what we see in many of the patients at Park County Chiropractic. And more importantly, there is a growing need of seeking non-pharmacological alternatives for pain management in the general population. Opioid dependency is a problem with dire consequences. NSAIDs and other pain management medications are also not without side-effects and really do not address the root cause for the pain a person is experiencing. Chiropractic care has always been a drug-free approach to health care and is well-established as one of the best ways to avoid opioid and other pain medications that can have serious side-effects or addiction potentials.
The Nordic Maintenance Care Program backs up what doctor's of chiropractic have recommended for decades. When we focus on long-term wellness and prevention over the traditional symptom-based approach, quality of life goes up and healthcare spending goes down. Patients who elect to be under wellness and performance care experience overwhelmingly positive results, with many reporting enhanced quality of life, a reduced risk of recurrence, and a sense of empowerment in managing their health. As healthcare continues to evolve, research like the Nordic Maintenance Care Program will continue to demonstrate the importance of proactive and patient-centered approaches in maintaining and improving overall well-being. That is why we recommend Wellness and Performance care to our patients. We believe that your health and quality of life is important, that being in partnership with you is important, and that health care is better than disease care.
Better Health, Better Function...More Possibilities
Kathi grew up having Chiropractic care and knows that value of wellness and performance care in her life. Being able to build health and heal quickly from injuries so she can continue to perform at a higher level is one of benefits of staying on a wellness routine that includes Chiropractic, nutritional and herbal supports, and functional training that is tailored to her needs. She loves helping other people know they have more possibilities when they feel and function better!
