Parents Chiropractor

[Teammom]

Has a chiropractor helped your daughter in any way? Is it worth pursuing even if your daughter doesn't have any major issues?

 

[gymmomx2]

We go regularly even when not injured. I firmly believes it helps as he deals with any minor misalignments as they occur. FWIW both of mine have never been out of gym due to injury. I can't say it's 100% due to the Chiro but I think it's a factor.

 

[caligymdad]

We go regularly even when not injured. I firmly believes it helps as he deals with any minor misalignments as they occur. FWIW both of mine have never been out of gym due to injury. I can't say it's 100% due to the Chiro but I think it's a factor.

We go regularly and it has made a HUGE difference.

 

[thefellowsmom]

Absolutely!! I will caveat before I get going though that not all chiropractors are created equal. Be very careful who you take her to. Chiropractic care and manual thereby are tricky and possibly dangerous things and the quality of care can vary significantly.

Ours is both a chiro and a manual therapist. He is completely invested in my dd and might be the most thorough, thoughtful and insightful person I have ever met. He is a huge reason my dd is still doing gymnastics and I just want to squeeze him every time I see him, although that would be entirely inappropriate. I also think he would give my daughter and so some extent me all the credit and that makes me love him even more.

Dd has seen her chiro regularly for over three years. She had spondy issues and he was able to correct the underlying problems that were causing imbalances that led to her back pain. He flew to Texas to learn from his mentor and create a pt program that would help heal her and create the core stability she needed to keep excelling at this sport, which she is totally doing. She barely missed a beat and is now heading into her first level 10 season.

Now, he just helps keep her the finely tuned machine that she is. She sees him monthly. He keeps her back and hips all aligned and good so she doesn’t have any further back issues, identifies and treats any misalignments and prescribes at home therapy and exercises to help. He is generally our first line of defense.

 

[meganliz77]

I have taken my DD to the chiro a couple of times now and plan to regularly. She has flat feet which contributes to things getting out of alignment - particularly her hips. Last year she complained of hip pain, which was visible when she walked. It impacted her vault and floor and eventually had to sit out because of discomfort. Took her to the chiro for the first time and after one adjustment she felt immediate relief. Usually after one adjustment she is feeling tip top. Last month though, it took her two adjustments, and quite a bit of pain/discomfort before it was finally aligned properly. He said she had sprained her hip essentially. She rested for a few days and then felt amazing!

 

[Seeker]

We go weekly (sometimes every other week depending on schedule). Helps a great deal. Our chirp adjusts wrists, feet and ankles as well. Big improvement for my dd.

 

[profmom]

We have an excellent one whom my daughter's orthopedist recommended. Chiropractors can be quite variable in their training and approach, so if you are thinking to go this route, do a lot of careful shopping around. I think the best ones do as much PT/exercise advising as actual manipulation.

 

[thefellowsmom]

We go weekly (sometimes every other week depending on schedule). Helps a great deal. Our chirp adjusts wrists, feet and ankles as well. Big improvement for my dd.

Yes, ours too. This really contributes to being able to keep her whole body going strong. One time she was having a weird pain in her thumb and he took a look and was all “oh yes, right there” pulled on her thumb and bam! Pain gone. My daughter calls him her miracle worker

We have an excellent one whom my daughter's orthopedist recommended. Chiropractors can be quite variable in their training and approach, so if you are thinking to go this route, do a lot of careful shopping around. I think the best ones do as much PT/exercise advising as actual manipulation.

Yes! We found that this modality which is as much pt and manual therapy as it is chiropractic care to be by far the best. It took us several tries before we found him. He has taught me so much about how to care for her at home as well from an ongoing pt and manual care. No back cracking of course

 

[CLgym]

Can I jump in to ask some follow up questions? If you use a chiropractor, when did you start (age/level)? Also, what certifications, education, qualifications, etc. should one look for in a chiropractor? I have always been a little wary.... but also a bit uneducated about chiropractic practices.

My DD has been complaining of a lot of little aches and pains recently (age 9, Level 6), so this thread is timely for me too. Thanks OP for asking the question.

 

[LizzieLac]

Ours is a Board Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. We like a combo of soft tissue therapy, adjustment, and use of technology as needed. DD should probably go more often as preventative care, but she goes whenever something bothers her. He always gets her back on track!

 

[Teammom]

We just got back from our 1st chiro visit. It was eye opening. My DD is only 6, but a coach mentioned we should go. I thought I was being ridiculous taking a 6 year old. Come to find out, she has very little flexibility in her shoulders...like none!! I'm concerned, but the chiro gave her some excersises to do at home that will help. She was a gymnast herself. She acted like DD would be a very powerful at tumbling, bars & vault but would struggle on beam.

 

[NY Dad]

He always gets her back on track!

Nice pun!

 

[Mominmichigan]

Yes! We see one that specializes in Gymnastics as well as other sports, he works with USAG, my daughter didn’t believe him that he knows Coach Valeri Liukin so while at the ranch last weekend she asked Valeri if he knows her doctor/chiropractor and indeed he does My daughter was having some pain in her stomach muscles from them being strained and a couple visits with him she was pain free! He also helped her out with her sprained ankle, I would highly recommend one but make sure they are familiar with the sport!!

 

[duyetanh]

We use a manual one. No force. My kid LIVES for those visits. She wishes she could go daily, lol.

 

[nycgymmom]

Absolutely!! I will caveat before I get s both a chiro and a manual therapist. She had spondy issues and he was able to correct the underlying problems that were causing imbalances that led to her back pain.
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My daughter had same issue just this year. Is it to soon to see one and when you did what did you have to bring to appointment. Considering now seeing one for ,you L7 9yr old.

 

[Kkrrmt]

Has a chiropractor helped your daughter in any way? Is it worth pursuing even if your daughter doesn't have any major issues?

YES!! My DD has started going weekly for adjustments and they are doing a world of good! She does a scorpion at the end of her floor routine and she is no longer having any back pain with it!! YAY. Def recommend!

 

[thefellowsmom]

My daughter had same issue just this year. Is it to soon to see one and when you did what did you have to bring to appointment. Considering now seeing one for ,you L7 9yr old.

My dd was 9 at the time we started seeing our current chiro and training level 7. She struggled with pain on and off through most of her level 6 season while seeing the ortho and other practitioners regularly. Our situation was a little different in that it went on a long time before we got a final diagnosis. Our chiro is actually the one who finally diagnosed correctly. Ortho had it wrong the whole time. I didn't know enough to demand tests and such.

Before we finally found our current chiro we saw several PT professionals, including two at our university sports rehab facility that works with all the college athletes, including gymnasts. We had no luck with any of them. They simply didn't know what to do with a 9 year old that was that strong and flexible. They didn't identify the right weaknesses and simply put her through the normal protocol. I truly believe that this right here has so much to do with why so many of these back issues never get better or keep coming back. We also saw another chiro (a gymnastics specialist that most of you would know the name of) and a manual therapist that other teammates had had good luck with for other types of injuries. This type of back problem was not something that was common in our gym at all and my dd didn't fall into the normal parameters for this type of injury as well so I didn't have a ton of resources.

I believe a lot in my gut and intuition and I believe that is what led us to our current guy. I literally plucked him off the internet. It was like he jumped off the page at me. I emailed him and he got back to me within hours and she saw him the next day. Within a week we had an MRI and a diagnosis. It happened like a whirlwind pulling us along and I believe that that is a sure sign you are headed in the wrong direction. Unfortunately it was devastating news. But my dd wasn't ready to give up. He gut told her she wasn't done and I have taught her to trust that. After having the ortho tell us it was all over for my daughter and then me promising my daughter that I would do my best to at least find someone else who would talk to us and try to help her, I spent endless sleepless nights reading 100s of research papers and scouring the internet for any information I could find on her issue and possible treatments and outcomes. After all this I was convinced that sticking with our chiropractor was the way to go.

I don't think it is ever too soon to look for someone to help you and to educate yourself as much as possible. But again, be careful and trust your gut. A good practitioner would never rush into any treatments. Our took his time, did lots of tests and investigation and when treatments started he focused on her hips and pelvis which is where the problems actually lied. Her back was just the symptom and ultimate outcome of years of improper motor function.

Short answer. Yes, go. But listen to your gut and look for one that also offers other modalities (manual therapy, pt, acupuncture etc) either themselves or in their office. Look for someone who treats athletes and injuries and focuses on whole body treatment, not just spinal adjustments. And for sure avoid the ambulance chasers. They are as bad as their legal counterparts. Look for bachelors degrees in related fields. Look and ask about ongoing education.

Ask an open ended question about what new treatments they think are promising or something like that. How they answer can be extremely telling about how they think about things, how open they are to learn, how connected they are to different types of treatments and communities. Are they open to having these discussions with you or are they just telling you to trust them. We have a very open dialogue and he is always teaching me and I come with things I have read and he and I discuss them. We have mutual respect and mutual investment and keeping her going and allowing her to maximize her potential and reach her goals. I am very lucky.

What to bring? We didn't have anything to bring with us so we didn't bring anything. If you have copies of any medical records or tests then I am sure that would be helpful. Ours has seen all my dd's records at this point but I didn't have them to bring at first. It's really just like seeing any other medical provider. Or at least it should be. Nothing to be scared of, really.

My last piece of advice is that you have to follow through with what they say to do at home. If you can find the right PT program then it can work, but only if they actually do it. My daughter came home every day from school and did 20-30 minutes of exercises and stretches and then did this again after practicing for 4 hours before she went to bed. She still does exercises over three years later at least three days a week and stretches daily. We are continuously having to get creative and make it harder and harder. Good news is she has an iron core now. She is so incredibly strong. Our chiro now takes great pleasure in finding a little weakness somewhere as she really just isn't weak anywhere anymore. This is what it took and continues to take for my daughter to keep going. She was adamant and fully committed to the process. From my experience, it is the only way it works.

Sorry, I rambled again. Feeling emotional about all this stuff with @wallinbl and their situation today, another gymnast at my daughter quit today due to these exact issues (that is two this week, other one not for back issues but a good friend of my dds so really sad) and then there is all these people coming forward about sexual assault (so proud of all of them) and my own experiences with that being brought to the surface after spending my whole life pushing them away. So, I apologize if I am extra verbose and rambly today. I'm kinda a mess.