I was recently asked “Who is Capitol Rehab’s competition?” The question caught me off guard because I guess I never think of health care as a “competition sport.”  The question made me think about “what does Capitol Rehab do” to improve our clients’ overall wellness. It occurred to me that we are definitely different from most rehab facilities, sports therapy, and fitness programs in our area.

Admittedly, I have taken for granted how well (or, for that matter, how poorly) we have “branded” what we do for our patients.  Many of you may know that we have an integrated practice; a practice that offers, chiropractic, physical therapy and massage therapy.

But how many of you are aware that Capitol Rehab performs a very specific rehab sequence with our patients?  The rehab sequence follows six treatment steps that must be incorporated when moving an individual from injury to wellness.  The steps are as follows:

*          Treat Inflammation

*          Mobilize Fixated Joints

*          Reduce Tight/Hypertonic Muscles

*          Improve Motor Control

*          Improve Speed of Contraction

*          Increase Mass Movements

While most practices do a very good job in addressing one or two of these steps, we have highly trained professionals who, although capable of working within each of the six areas, are uniquely specialized in a few of each of the steps. We work together to cover the entire sequence.

Elsewhere, your medical doctor may do a great job to treat inflammation through drugs and medicines, but he is then likely to recommend you resume activities, such as returning to the gym, which is all the way down into step six. This prevents patients from actually retraining their bodies to avoid the same problem from occurring over and over again.

Since no patient is alike, our rehab sequence is tailored to mix and match a variety of options to address a patient’s needs and goals. A typical program goes like this:

— We reduce inflammation with very effective supplements that are pharmaceutical grade but all natural. This is designed to significantly reduce your pain and start the healing process.

— Our chiropractors are specialists in mobilizing fixated joints, which allows you to move with greater ease.

— Our massage therapists are specialists in treating tight and hypertonic muscles. This is more than a feel-good massage. This reduces scar tissue that results from poor posture, sports injuries, or repetitive wear and tear, enabling improved movement.

— Our physical therapists are highly trained in improving motor control and speed of contraction. You may think of this as “exercise,” but they think of it as brain training so that your body can relearn normal movements and rid itself of old, bad patterns.

— Our six-session class on increasing mass movements bridges the gap from rehab to full, everyday activity, including working out at the gym, participating in weekend sports, and improving overall wellness. Every patient who has been released or is about to be released from active care would benefit from this program.

I know this may sound like a lot of information and a heavy lift.  Please don’t hesitate to email me questions, I would love to hear from you.