Our Services
At Newnham Chiropractic, we offer a unique integrated treatment approach that combines the most useful elements from a variety of treatment techniques and therapies; individually tailored to each patient's particular needs and goals.
While chiropractic manipulation helps to relieve pain and to restore joint mobility and alignment, we also use many soft-tissue techniques to treat the surrounding muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues (fascia) that are often damaged or impaired as a result of an injury.
Targeted exercise prescription is often employed in the later stages of recovery to address any weaknesses or imbalances, and to encourage the body back to normal function.
In rare cases, where progress is slow or where a patient's recovery plateaus, we may also offer additional adjunctive therapies such as acupuncture.
This combined approach to treatment optimises effectiveness, and can often mean faster relief, fewer treatment sessions, and better results.
The following are short descriptions of some of the therapies that may be used as part of a standard treatment plan:
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is the primary treatment intervention used at the Clinic. It is safe and effective for people of all ages, including children, and can also be modified to be used effectively on more frail or elderly patients as required. It is most beneficial in cases of spinal discomfort (back pain, neck pain, etc), disc injuries, pelvic and hip joint problems, postural issues, nerve irritation (leg pain, sciatica, pins & needles in the arms, etc), and for headaches, but it is also very versatile as a treatment modality and can successfully be used in treating many other conditions. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore the normal alignment and motion of the joints and spine, which alleviates painful pressure and relieves the irritation of joints and soft tissues. Over a series of adjustments, chiropractic can often correct the root source of the problem by guiding the painful area back to normal joint function, restoring good balance of biomechanics, and normalising problematic neuromuscular reflexes to help undo the habitual component of the body's response to pain. This is why chiropractic is often more successful than pain killers and prescription medications in addressing stubborn and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Chiropractic has also received much attention and anecdotal support for its applications to general health and wellbeing, which is why many people opt to use chiropractic check-ups and occasional adjustments as a way to maintain their bodies' good function, to prevent and/or avoid potential problems, and to encourage good general health. For more information on chiropractic, please go to our "About" section on this website.
Myofascial Techniques
In conjunction with chiropractic treatment, we regularly use very specialised muscle manipulation techniques, or "myofascial" techniques, to support chiropractic treatment to a joint area and also commonly in the treatment of many sports injuries and other soft-tissue conditions. (Please note that "soft tissues" include muscles, tendons, nerves, ligaments, joint capsules, and connective tissues or "fascia".) With many injuries, the soft tissues in the surrounding area may become strained, damaged, or irritated, and the muscles will often tighten reflexively (a protective reponse), thus increasing the amount of pain, stiffness, and dysfunction experienced. Myofascial techniques typically involve stretching, contracting, or tensioning these muscles while applying precise pressure to both the injured soft-tissues and also to the related muscle“knots” that often develop, thereby quickly reducing tension and relieving pain.
Friction Techniques
Another hands-on therapy that may be used in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment is musculo-tendinous friction technique, a form of precise cross-friction massage used to break up troublesome scar tissue in a healing tendon or soft tissue structure. While this technique can be moderately uncomfortable for the patient, it is often very effective with soft-tissue injuries and stubborn forms of tendonitis that tend to heal slowly on their own or which become prone to re-injury. The precise pressure and friction break up scar tissue and mobilise your body's healing mechanism at the injury site to speed healing time and reduce pain. This is particularly critical for injuries to "load-bearing" tendons, such as your Achilles and plantar fascia, which often cannot heal fast enough before they are used ("loaded") and subsequently re-injured.
PNF Stretching
PNF is an acronym for "proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitatation". What a mouthful! And yet, PNF is the most effective stretching method known to increase flexibility. In a therapeutic setting, PNF is often utilised by your Doctor or therapist, in conjunction with other treatment techniques, to help stretch tight muscles and/or to reduce protective tightening reflexes that are engaged by the body around an injury. PNF is an assisted form of stretching in which a muscle is alternately contracted (by the patient) and then stretched passively (by the Doctor) to achieve maximum range of motion and to dramatically reduce muscular tension. While PNF stretching is best performed during treatment, the stretches can be taught for home use or for training purposes.
Exercise Prescription
Many injuries, especially those of a chronic nature, often result in a loss of normal muscle strength and conditioning. Even long after the pain has subsided, and the patient may believe the problem has resolved, muscle weakness and "dys-coordination" (poor control or recruitment of a muscle) will often persist. While most people are unaware of this residual weakness (because it is painless), it actually places them at higher risk for re-injury. In cases where an injury occurred to one side of the body, and/or to one side of a joint, it can also commonly contribute to the development of a significant muscular imbalance. This will definitely increase your odds of re-injury or even possibly a new injury. Therefore, to ensure a safe return to work, activities, exercise, or sport, we will often prescribe a personalised programme of progressive exercises to to do at home as a supplement to treatment or as a follow-up to care. The programmes are designed to strengthen, re-coordinate, and rehabilitate identified areas of weakness, and are usually simple enough to be performed at home or using inexpensive exercise aids.
Acupuncture & Dry Needling
Dr. Thirsk is also a certified "Clinical Acupuncturist", and although he relies mostly on chiropractic and soft-tissue techniques with most patients having common conditions, he does offer and employ the use of acupuncture and dry needling where he sees a potential benefit, or possibly a stubborn condition that is responding less favourably to other interventions. Acupuncture is an ancient intervention of eastern origin that uses the insertion of very thin needles into the body at key points for the purposes of achieving a reflexive and therapeutic effect. It is thousands of years old and is known to be effective with many conditions and afflictions. Acupuncture can treat almost anything as the underlying premise uses the concept of body energy flowing through a system of "meridians" channels to explain its therapeutic effects and to map its points on the body relating to the effect each point has when stimulated or needled. In modern times, the use of acupuncture has been adopted by doctors, chiropractors, and other practitioners, and when applied without the use of the more "traditional" energy healing concepts, it is often referred to as "Clinical Acupuncture" and/or "Dry Needling". Dr. Thirsk will often use dry needling in conjunction with other treatments to obtain faster or better results for particular problems, or to jolt a non-responsive condition into action if possible. Dry needling and acupuncture are particularly useful in chronic joint-muscle problems and with the whole spectrum of muscular and tendinous injuries. The potential applications however are almost endless. Electrical-stimulation acupuncture may also be used with certain conditions, whereby a flowing or pulsating current is run through the needles, often amplifying the therapeutic effect.
Gait Assessment using Gaitscan™ & Prescription Orthotic Insoles
Small structural or functional abnormalities of the feet (for example, flat feet, fallen arches, or over-pronation) can cause changes in your "gait" (the way you walk), and can lead to foot problems and/or pain and discomfort elsewhere in the body. If we suspect your feet may be partly or completely responsible for your particular pain or problem, be it back pain, leg pain, knee pain, a sport injury, etc, then we will recommend a computerised foot and gait assessment using the Gaitscan™ precision gait analysis system. This system uses a force plate with over 6000 tiny sensors to scan and analyse your feet at various points while you stand and walk, to precisely determine if a foot abnormality exists. If a problem is identified, orthotic therapy (prescription orthotics insoles) may be recommended to help restore normal foot function, to help balance your gait, and/or to help your body recover from injury or gain relief from a chronic or persistent problem. Most people underestimate the effect their feet can have on the rest of the body, however it is well known that a problem or imbalance at the foot or ankle can hinder or imbalance the entire body above that point, and can create many potential pains, problems, and injuries higher up the "mechanical chain". Therefore, if you have back pain, hip pain, leg pain, knee pain, a recurrent sports injury, or any other persistent musculo-skeletal problem, that responds to treatment but returns weeks or months later, you may be a candidate for orthotic therapy. Orthotic insoles are also often prescribed for kids (and adults) with flat feet, low arches, turned-in feet or ankles, knock knees, a pelvic tilt imbalance, and/or a spinal curve (scoliosis). You'll note our emphasis on kids - this is because problems corrected by orthotics in youth tend to help avoid many of the potential injuries and painful conditions we commonly see in many adults. In older people, orthotics are often used to address a wide variety of painful and unsightly foot conditions such as bunions, collapsed arches, plantar fasciitis and heel spur, metatarsalgia, hammer toes, and generalised foot pain from age-related changes of the feet. For more information regarding orthotics and orthotic therapy, please go to our "About" section on this website.
X-Ray & MRI
Chiropractors routinely refer patients, where warranted, for x-ray assessment. The reasons for this are many, and usually specific to the patient and their particular problem. However, not every patient, nor every problem, requires an x-ray to safely proceed with treatment. At the end of your initial consultation and examination (the end of your 1st visit), your chiropractic doctor will advise you if an x-ray is either suggested or required. X-ray is often used to confirm a diagnosis, assess an injury, identify the source of pain, to rule out unusual forms of illness and pathology, and to assess the patient's skeletal structure, which includes such things as bone density, spinal alignment, joint degeration and arthritis, disc degeneration, congenital and structural anomalies, fractures, and other bone and joint injuries. In the end, both you and chiropractor want the peace of mind to know that it is safe to proceed with treatment. If you do need or want an x-ray, as part of the diagnostic process, your chiropractor will refer you out to a local facility where the necessary films can be taken quickly and with least expense. Most x-ray facilities will give you your films upon leaving the facility, which can then be dropped off with your chiropractor for review and any necessary reporting. On your next visit, your chiropractor will review the films with you and comment on what information they provide as it relates to the diagnosis of your problem and the appropriateness to begin your treatment. Your films will usually be returned to you for safekeeping at the end of your 2nd visit, or within 1-2 weeks of your beginning any treatment. With some injuries and conditions, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is the preferred and most appropriate imaging of choice as it can provide superior quality pictures of certain structures of interest (eg. spinal discs for example). If you require an MRI for the assessment or diagnosis of your particular condition, your chiropractor will refer you out to a local facility where the necessary films can be taken quickly and with least expense. Many of the local x-ray and MRI facilities will also furnish a radiologist's report to your chiropractor, however, where this service is not provided, rest assured that your chiropractor is fully qualified and trained to read your films and explain them to you.
Ergonomic Consultation
"Ergonomics" is the science of making your environment “fit” your individual body size and type for a particular activity. Improperly-sized or ill-fitting equipment, either at home, at work, in the car, or for sport, can lead to a variety of aches, pains, postural problems, imbalances, and possible injuries. Therefore, with some people, as part of their treatment programme, recommendations on making specific changes to improve the ergonomics of the space in which they work or play may be made to help them recover more quickly and prevent recurrence of injuries.
General Health Information
Beyond the formal therapy provided during treatment sessions, your chiropractic doctor is always available to provide information, offer advice, or to discuss general health issues, including diet and exercise, manual handling, posture, nutritional supplementation, or anything that will help enhance the benefit of treatment and promote healthier lifestyles. Chiropractors also commonly make themselves available to speak to groups, businesses, teams, clubs, or associations about chiropractic, sports injury management, and other health topics.
Products
While the Clinic does not generally stock retail health products, your chiropractor may identify that you would benefit from any one of a number of helpful support products. This would include such things as cold packs, therapeutic (elastic) banding, joint support devices, foot care products, and various spinal support aids such as lumbar cushions and orthopaedic pillows. If we feel you would benefit from one of these items, we will direct you as to where you can obtain them, or alternatively in some instances we can order the item for you to dispense at the Clinic if required.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is not presently offered at the Clinic, and does not generally fall within the remit of your chiropractor's scope of expertise. However, in some instances, massage therapy can prove useful, both on its own and when combined with chiropractic and other manual therapies. In fact, chiropractors and massage therapists often work under the same roof and/or refer patients to one another in such cases. If your chiropractor feels you would benefit from massage therapy, he will usually refer you to someone local.
While chiropractic manipulation helps to relieve pain and to restore joint mobility and alignment, we also use many soft-tissue techniques to treat the surrounding muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues (fascia) that are often damaged or impaired as a result of an injury.
Targeted exercise prescription is often employed in the later stages of recovery to address any weaknesses or imbalances, and to encourage the body back to normal function.
In rare cases, where progress is slow or where a patient's recovery plateaus, we may also offer additional adjunctive therapies such as acupuncture.
This combined approach to treatment optimises effectiveness, and can often mean faster relief, fewer treatment sessions, and better results.
The following are short descriptions of some of the therapies that may be used as part of a standard treatment plan:
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is the primary treatment intervention used at the Clinic. It is safe and effective for people of all ages, including children, and can also be modified to be used effectively on more frail or elderly patients as required. It is most beneficial in cases of spinal discomfort (back pain, neck pain, etc), disc injuries, pelvic and hip joint problems, postural issues, nerve irritation (leg pain, sciatica, pins & needles in the arms, etc), and for headaches, but it is also very versatile as a treatment modality and can successfully be used in treating many other conditions. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore the normal alignment and motion of the joints and spine, which alleviates painful pressure and relieves the irritation of joints and soft tissues. Over a series of adjustments, chiropractic can often correct the root source of the problem by guiding the painful area back to normal joint function, restoring good balance of biomechanics, and normalising problematic neuromuscular reflexes to help undo the habitual component of the body's response to pain. This is why chiropractic is often more successful than pain killers and prescription medications in addressing stubborn and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Chiropractic has also received much attention and anecdotal support for its applications to general health and wellbeing, which is why many people opt to use chiropractic check-ups and occasional adjustments as a way to maintain their bodies' good function, to prevent and/or avoid potential problems, and to encourage good general health. For more information on chiropractic, please go to our "About" section on this website.
Myofascial Techniques
In conjunction with chiropractic treatment, we regularly use very specialised muscle manipulation techniques, or "myofascial" techniques, to support chiropractic treatment to a joint area and also commonly in the treatment of many sports injuries and other soft-tissue conditions. (Please note that "soft tissues" include muscles, tendons, nerves, ligaments, joint capsules, and connective tissues or "fascia".) With many injuries, the soft tissues in the surrounding area may become strained, damaged, or irritated, and the muscles will often tighten reflexively (a protective reponse), thus increasing the amount of pain, stiffness, and dysfunction experienced. Myofascial techniques typically involve stretching, contracting, or tensioning these muscles while applying precise pressure to both the injured soft-tissues and also to the related muscle“knots” that often develop, thereby quickly reducing tension and relieving pain.
Friction Techniques
Another hands-on therapy that may be used in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment is musculo-tendinous friction technique, a form of precise cross-friction massage used to break up troublesome scar tissue in a healing tendon or soft tissue structure. While this technique can be moderately uncomfortable for the patient, it is often very effective with soft-tissue injuries and stubborn forms of tendonitis that tend to heal slowly on their own or which become prone to re-injury. The precise pressure and friction break up scar tissue and mobilise your body's healing mechanism at the injury site to speed healing time and reduce pain. This is particularly critical for injuries to "load-bearing" tendons, such as your Achilles and plantar fascia, which often cannot heal fast enough before they are used ("loaded") and subsequently re-injured.
PNF Stretching
PNF is an acronym for "proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitatation". What a mouthful! And yet, PNF is the most effective stretching method known to increase flexibility. In a therapeutic setting, PNF is often utilised by your Doctor or therapist, in conjunction with other treatment techniques, to help stretch tight muscles and/or to reduce protective tightening reflexes that are engaged by the body around an injury. PNF is an assisted form of stretching in which a muscle is alternately contracted (by the patient) and then stretched passively (by the Doctor) to achieve maximum range of motion and to dramatically reduce muscular tension. While PNF stretching is best performed during treatment, the stretches can be taught for home use or for training purposes.
Exercise Prescription
Many injuries, especially those of a chronic nature, often result in a loss of normal muscle strength and conditioning. Even long after the pain has subsided, and the patient may believe the problem has resolved, muscle weakness and "dys-coordination" (poor control or recruitment of a muscle) will often persist. While most people are unaware of this residual weakness (because it is painless), it actually places them at higher risk for re-injury. In cases where an injury occurred to one side of the body, and/or to one side of a joint, it can also commonly contribute to the development of a significant muscular imbalance. This will definitely increase your odds of re-injury or even possibly a new injury. Therefore, to ensure a safe return to work, activities, exercise, or sport, we will often prescribe a personalised programme of progressive exercises to to do at home as a supplement to treatment or as a follow-up to care. The programmes are designed to strengthen, re-coordinate, and rehabilitate identified areas of weakness, and are usually simple enough to be performed at home or using inexpensive exercise aids.
Acupuncture & Dry Needling
Dr. Thirsk is also a certified "Clinical Acupuncturist", and although he relies mostly on chiropractic and soft-tissue techniques with most patients having common conditions, he does offer and employ the use of acupuncture and dry needling where he sees a potential benefit, or possibly a stubborn condition that is responding less favourably to other interventions. Acupuncture is an ancient intervention of eastern origin that uses the insertion of very thin needles into the body at key points for the purposes of achieving a reflexive and therapeutic effect. It is thousands of years old and is known to be effective with many conditions and afflictions. Acupuncture can treat almost anything as the underlying premise uses the concept of body energy flowing through a system of "meridians" channels to explain its therapeutic effects and to map its points on the body relating to the effect each point has when stimulated or needled. In modern times, the use of acupuncture has been adopted by doctors, chiropractors, and other practitioners, and when applied without the use of the more "traditional" energy healing concepts, it is often referred to as "Clinical Acupuncture" and/or "Dry Needling". Dr. Thirsk will often use dry needling in conjunction with other treatments to obtain faster or better results for particular problems, or to jolt a non-responsive condition into action if possible. Dry needling and acupuncture are particularly useful in chronic joint-muscle problems and with the whole spectrum of muscular and tendinous injuries. The potential applications however are almost endless. Electrical-stimulation acupuncture may also be used with certain conditions, whereby a flowing or pulsating current is run through the needles, often amplifying the therapeutic effect.
Gait Assessment using Gaitscan™ & Prescription Orthotic Insoles
Small structural or functional abnormalities of the feet (for example, flat feet, fallen arches, or over-pronation) can cause changes in your "gait" (the way you walk), and can lead to foot problems and/or pain and discomfort elsewhere in the body. If we suspect your feet may be partly or completely responsible for your particular pain or problem, be it back pain, leg pain, knee pain, a sport injury, etc, then we will recommend a computerised foot and gait assessment using the Gaitscan™ precision gait analysis system. This system uses a force plate with over 6000 tiny sensors to scan and analyse your feet at various points while you stand and walk, to precisely determine if a foot abnormality exists. If a problem is identified, orthotic therapy (prescription orthotics insoles) may be recommended to help restore normal foot function, to help balance your gait, and/or to help your body recover from injury or gain relief from a chronic or persistent problem. Most people underestimate the effect their feet can have on the rest of the body, however it is well known that a problem or imbalance at the foot or ankle can hinder or imbalance the entire body above that point, and can create many potential pains, problems, and injuries higher up the "mechanical chain". Therefore, if you have back pain, hip pain, leg pain, knee pain, a recurrent sports injury, or any other persistent musculo-skeletal problem, that responds to treatment but returns weeks or months later, you may be a candidate for orthotic therapy. Orthotic insoles are also often prescribed for kids (and adults) with flat feet, low arches, turned-in feet or ankles, knock knees, a pelvic tilt imbalance, and/or a spinal curve (scoliosis). You'll note our emphasis on kids - this is because problems corrected by orthotics in youth tend to help avoid many of the potential injuries and painful conditions we commonly see in many adults. In older people, orthotics are often used to address a wide variety of painful and unsightly foot conditions such as bunions, collapsed arches, plantar fasciitis and heel spur, metatarsalgia, hammer toes, and generalised foot pain from age-related changes of the feet. For more information regarding orthotics and orthotic therapy, please go to our "About" section on this website.
X-Ray & MRI
Chiropractors routinely refer patients, where warranted, for x-ray assessment. The reasons for this are many, and usually specific to the patient and their particular problem. However, not every patient, nor every problem, requires an x-ray to safely proceed with treatment. At the end of your initial consultation and examination (the end of your 1st visit), your chiropractic doctor will advise you if an x-ray is either suggested or required. X-ray is often used to confirm a diagnosis, assess an injury, identify the source of pain, to rule out unusual forms of illness and pathology, and to assess the patient's skeletal structure, which includes such things as bone density, spinal alignment, joint degeration and arthritis, disc degeneration, congenital and structural anomalies, fractures, and other bone and joint injuries. In the end, both you and chiropractor want the peace of mind to know that it is safe to proceed with treatment. If you do need or want an x-ray, as part of the diagnostic process, your chiropractor will refer you out to a local facility where the necessary films can be taken quickly and with least expense. Most x-ray facilities will give you your films upon leaving the facility, which can then be dropped off with your chiropractor for review and any necessary reporting. On your next visit, your chiropractor will review the films with you and comment on what information they provide as it relates to the diagnosis of your problem and the appropriateness to begin your treatment. Your films will usually be returned to you for safekeeping at the end of your 2nd visit, or within 1-2 weeks of your beginning any treatment. With some injuries and conditions, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is the preferred and most appropriate imaging of choice as it can provide superior quality pictures of certain structures of interest (eg. spinal discs for example). If you require an MRI for the assessment or diagnosis of your particular condition, your chiropractor will refer you out to a local facility where the necessary films can be taken quickly and with least expense. Many of the local x-ray and MRI facilities will also furnish a radiologist's report to your chiropractor, however, where this service is not provided, rest assured that your chiropractor is fully qualified and trained to read your films and explain them to you.
Ergonomic Consultation
"Ergonomics" is the science of making your environment “fit” your individual body size and type for a particular activity. Improperly-sized or ill-fitting equipment, either at home, at work, in the car, or for sport, can lead to a variety of aches, pains, postural problems, imbalances, and possible injuries. Therefore, with some people, as part of their treatment programme, recommendations on making specific changes to improve the ergonomics of the space in which they work or play may be made to help them recover more quickly and prevent recurrence of injuries.
General Health Information
Beyond the formal therapy provided during treatment sessions, your chiropractic doctor is always available to provide information, offer advice, or to discuss general health issues, including diet and exercise, manual handling, posture, nutritional supplementation, or anything that will help enhance the benefit of treatment and promote healthier lifestyles. Chiropractors also commonly make themselves available to speak to groups, businesses, teams, clubs, or associations about chiropractic, sports injury management, and other health topics.
Products
While the Clinic does not generally stock retail health products, your chiropractor may identify that you would benefit from any one of a number of helpful support products. This would include such things as cold packs, therapeutic (elastic) banding, joint support devices, foot care products, and various spinal support aids such as lumbar cushions and orthopaedic pillows. If we feel you would benefit from one of these items, we will direct you as to where you can obtain them, or alternatively in some instances we can order the item for you to dispense at the Clinic if required.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is not presently offered at the Clinic, and does not generally fall within the remit of your chiropractor's scope of expertise. However, in some instances, massage therapy can prove useful, both on its own and when combined with chiropractic and other manual therapies. In fact, chiropractors and massage therapists often work under the same roof and/or refer patients to one another in such cases. If your chiropractor feels you would benefit from massage therapy, he will usually refer you to someone local.