Chiropractic Care
Pirraglia Chiropractic specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal problems and knows that a healthy body is achieved through a healthy spine, nervous system, muscles and joints.
Pirraglia Chiropractic offers a multi-disciplinary team approach to chiropractic care. Whatever pain or discomfort you have, we can evaluate, diagnose and treat it, all within the comfort of our office.
Many painful conditions are caused by a misalignment of the musculo-skeletal system, especially of the spine and joints throughout the body. This can have effects on your general health, including the nervous system. The best chiropractic care is focused on alleviating many types of pain through gentle manipulation of the spine, joints and muscles.
Pirraglia Chiropractic believes in a wholly integrated approach to health care. All of our doctors and therapists work together. You can make an appointment with our board-certified chiropractors to begin immediate treatment for your pain disorder. If needed we offer referrals to some of the top orthopedic specialists in Westchester County for co-treatment.
You’ll find we offer treatment for a wide variety of physical disorders and pain conditions, as well as sports or accident related rehabilitation. Call, email or visit us today to find out how we can help you. Below are some of the techniques employed at Pirraglia Chiropractic .
Active Release Technique®
Active Release Technique®
Active Release Technique (ART) is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles. How do overuse conditions occur? Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
• Acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc.)
• Accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
• Not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia)
Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness. What is an ART treatment like? Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements. These treatment protocols – over 500 specific moves – are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach. What is the history of Active Release Techniques? ART has been developed, refined, and patented by P. Michael Leahy, DC, CCSP. Dr. Leahy noticed that his patients’ symptoms seemed to be related to changes in their soft tissue that could be felt by hand. By observing how muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves responded to different types of work, Dr. Leahy was able to consistently resolve over 90% of his patients’ problems. He now teaches and certifies health care providers all over the world to use ART.
Kinesio Taping®
The Kinesio Taping Method has taken the Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine world by storm. Developed by Dr. Kenzo Kase nearly 25 years ago in Japan, Kinesio Taping has become the gold standard for therapeutic rehabilitative taping. Our proprietary method of taping uses a uniquely designed and patented tape for treatment of muscular disorders and lymphedema reduction. The Kinesio Taping Method involves taping over and around muscles in order to assist and give support or to prevent over-contraction.
The first technique gives the practitioner the opportunity to actually give support while maintaining full range of motion, enabling the individual to participate in physical activity with functional assistance. The second technique helps prevent overuse or over-contraction and helps provide facilitation of lymph flow 24 hours per day. It is most commonly used in the acute stage of rehabilitation. Correctional techniques include mechanical, lymphatic, ligament / tendon, fascia, space, and functional. Kinesio Tex Tape can be used in conjunction with other therapies, including cryotherapy, hydrotherapy, massage therapy, and electrical stimulation.
Kinesio Taping affects the activation of neurological and circulatory systems. Muscles are not only attributed to the movements of the body but also control the circulation of venous and lymph flows, body temperature, etc. Therefore, the failure of the muscles to function properly induces various kinds of symptoms.
Consequently, so much attention was given to the importance of muscle function that the idea of treating the muscles in order to activate the body’s own healing process came about. Using an elastic tape, it was discovered that muscles and other tissues could be helped by outside assistance.
Employment of Kinesio Taping creates a totally new approach to treating nerves, muscles, and organs. Since the introduction of Kinesio Taping into the US, medical practitioners from PTs, ATCs, OTs, DCs, MTs, to MDs have recognized and embraced this effective, safe, and easy-to-use modality. The method and tape allow the individual to receive the therapeutic benefits 24 hours per day because it can be worn for several days per application. Currently, Kinesio Taping is used in hospitals, clinics, universities, high schools, and by professional sports teams.
The Graston Technique®
The Graston Technique, originally developed by athletes, is changing the way clinicians – including athletic trainers, chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists – and patients view treatment of acute and chronic soft tissue injuries.
The Graston Technique is an innovative, patented form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to effectively break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions. The Technique utilizes specially designed stainless steel instruments to specifically detect and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation.
The Graston Technique offers many advantages and benefits
For the Clinician:
• Provides improved diagnostic treatment
• Detects major and minor fibrotic changes
• Reduces manual stress, provides hand and joint conservation
• Increases patient satisfaction by achieving notably better outcomes
• Expands business and revenue opportunities
For the Patient:
• Decreases overall time of treatment
• Fosters faster rehabilitation/recovery
• Reduces need for anti-inflammatory medication
• Resolves chronic conditions thought to be permanent
For employer, third party payer and the healthcare industry:
• Allows patients to remain on the job
• Reduces the need for splints, braces and job-site modifications
• Contributes to reduction of labor and healthcare costs, direct and indirect
Six stainless steel instruments form the cornerstone of Graston Technique
The curvilinear edge of the patented Graston Technique Instruments combines with their concave/convex shapes to mold the instruments to various contours of the body. This design allows for ease of treatment, minimal stress to the clinician’s hands, and maximum tissue penetration.
The Graston Technique Instruments, much like a tuning fork, resonate in the clinician’s hands allowing the clinician to isolate adhesions and restrictions, and treat them very precisely. Since the metal surface of the instruments does not compress as do the fat pads of the finger, deeper restrictions can be accessed and treated. When explaining the properties of the instruments, we often use the analogy of a stethoscope. Just as a stethoscope amplifies what the human ear can hear, so do the instruments increase significantly what the human hands can feel.