The full recipe
A bench full of tools, and one decision: which of them you actually need.
Four techniques worked by hand, the exam that decides between them, and what your first visit looks like.
01
The adjustment
An adjustment is a quick, controlled movement applied to a joint with restricted motion. It can improve movement and ease tension, while providing sensory input to the brain from the joints and surrounding muscles. This input helps your nervous system coordinate movement and muscle activity.
Adjustments can be performed by hand or with an instrument. We explain the options and choose an approach together, based on your needs and comfort.
- By hand.
- The classic adjustment, a highly skilled and specific movement.
- With an activator.
- A small handheld instrument delivering the same quick, low-force impulse without the cracking sound. It’s what we reach for when a gentler approach is needed, especially for children or the elderly, or on small joints that need the impulse in one exact direction.
- On a drop table.
- A section of the table drops a few centimetres under the impulse, so less force does the same job.
Common questions
Does every adjustment make a cracking sound?
Absolutely not. There are many different techniques. If something doesn’t feel right, tell us and we’ll change the approach.
Do you only treat spines?
No. Dysfunction can occur in any joint throughout the body. Whether you’re experiencing wrist pain from repetitive motion, ankle discomfort from an old injury, or shoulder tension from poor posture, the same thinking applies.
Does it hurt?
Generally not. Some people feel mild soreness afterwards, and many report feeling immediate relief and improved mobility after an adjustment.
02
Soft tissue work
Fascia is the connective tissue wrapped around muscle. After an injury, an operation, or years at the same desk, it can stick down and stop gliding. This impacts the joint, your spine, and overall movement.
Three tools do this job, and they push in three different directions:
Three techniques
- Myofascial release.
- Slow, sustained pressure by hand. Often it is performed on the spine before an adjustment, to loosen the segment and allow a better adjustment to occur.
- A steel instrument.
- Contoured to glide, so we can feel exactly where the scar tissue and restriction sit, then work over the area to bring new blood to it. It is extremely useful on areas of chronic inflammation and tendonitis. Used during active movement it’s called FAKTR, Functional and Kinetic Treatment with Rehab.
- Dynamic cupping.
- Silicone cups lift the skin rather than pressing into it, so the tissue underneath can glide again. Moving with the cups on can increase its effects by working on the entire muscle, instead of one spot.
Two of those happen while you move, on purpose. Tissue that only misbehaves under load has to be treated under load.
Common questions
What does it feel like afterwards?
An injured tissue is usually hypersensitive, so it can be a little uncomfortable to touch. Most people call it hurts-so-good. After the instrument work it is common to experience muscle soreness and possibly bruising for up to 48 hours, and afterwards you will feel better muscle engagement.
Is this Active Release Technique?
The treatments are very similar, though we cannot call it Active Release Technique. Carly held the certification before moving to Europe, and it is not valid without taking a course yearly.
03
Dry needling
Trigger points are caused by trauma to an injured area, and your muscles react by seizing up to protect it. That’s why they feel knot-like and painful under pressure, and why a knot in your shoulder can turn into a headache.
A thin needle goes into that band to get it to let go. The needles can reach the deeper muscles that hands and other instruments simply can’t reach. It is thought that dry needling changes the way the brain and muscles talk to each other, to let the system return to a more normal movement pattern. That mechanism is still being researched.
And the honest part: by itself, it’s really just a bandaid for the pain. It is always used as an adjunct to the chiropractic adjustment, never instead of it.
Common questions
What does it feel like?
A slight prick or tingling sensation as the needle is inserted, and sometimes a brief twitch response in the muscle being treated, which is a good sign: it means the needle found the trigger point. It’s not painful, but most patients describe it as feeling weird or uncomfortable. This feeling goes away as soon as the needle is out of the muscle, usually after a few seconds. As your muscles loosen throughout sessions, you may experience less discomfort.
04
Movement and exercise
The method Carly works with Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS), a rehabilitation approach out of the Prague School that rebuilds the deep stabilizers, the diaphragm, the pelvic floor and the deep spinal muscles, and the coordination between them. She is a certified DNS Exercise Trainer. Every chiropractor here builds your exercises around your goals, so what you do depends on who you see and what you need.
Your program You won’t be sent home with a photocopied sheet. Exercises are personalized to your goals, and you get a unique login and program designed just for you, with videos, instructions, and a list to tick off as you go.
Why do some exercises look like baby movements? If you work with Carly on DNS, the exercises follow the order you learned to move the first time: breathing and stabilization, rolling, planking, standing, and then walking. That sequence worked once already.
How we decide
Before anything gets treated, we look at how you move: the spine, and whichever limbs matter for your complaint. We’re looking for stiff joints due to tight muscles, decreased range of motion, and muscular weaknesses. What that finds is what decides your exercises. This is the part where the recipe gets written.
The aim isn’t just to settle the symptom, but to find what’s driving it.
What to expect
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing, and bring the whole story, so we can understand the full picture.
The first visit is a consultation and an examination before anything else happens. If what you need is imaging, or a different provider altogether, we’ll say so and refer you.
Nothing here is compulsory. You can always say no to a manual adjustment or to needling, and the technique is chosen for you rather than applied to you. Even between our chiropractors, there will be some overlap and differences in the treatments.
Common questions
Do I need a referral from my huisarts?
No, it is not necessary for treatment.
I don’t have pain, but I’d like to move better. Can you help?
Yes. You don’t need to be in pain to work on how your body moves. We focus on joint mobility, muscle function and how your nervous system coordinates movement, helping you feel more comfortable and confident in everyday life and during exercise.
Do I have to keep coming forever?
No. The treatment plan is based on individual needs and case complexity, not on predetermined treatment plans. After the initial plan, usually two to three months, there is a complimentary re-evaluation to check your progress and revisit your goals. Most of our patients choose ongoing care to support their active lifestyle, but the choice is always yours.
We’ll always take the time to help you understand what’s going on in your body, and what you can do between visits. This approach needs your participation.
Also on the bench
- Kinesiology taping
- Elastic tape with a unique elasticity that mimics the properties of human skin, so when properly applied it should not feel restrictive or uncomfortable. Most applications last three to five days, and you can shower and exercise with it on. We use RockTape.
- Network Spinal Analysis
- Gentle, light-touch contacts along the spine to release tension through the spine and nervous system. Many people describe the experience as soothing, calming, or deeply relaxing. Courtney is certified in Network Spinal Analysis.
- Strength and Rehabilitation
- A full hour: a short adjustment to prime the body for movement, then personal training on a medical footing. It can only be booked after a new patient intake and exam.
Where to go next
Pregnant, or recently postpartum? See
Training for something, or coming back from an injury? See
Looking for care for a baby or a child? That’s on
