John Mayfield Chiropractic in Grass Valley, CA, helps patients understand why joint pain develops and how movement patterns, soft-tissue injuries, and daily habits make temporary problems seem so chronic. Dr. John Mayfield evaluates the affected joints along with posture, gait, muscle balance, and organ system dysfunctions that contribute to the problem. I use these findings to create a practical treatment plan so the patient can regain control of those parts of their body and resolve the traumas.

Our body is like a symphony of coordinated movement between our bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A sprain, repetitive movement, poor posture, or previous injury can disrupt this balance. When a muscle or ligament gets traumatized so it cannot provide normal support, the opposing muscles and ligaments cannot relax. Their tension keeps pulling vertebrae and other joints out of alignment.

The spinal corrective exercises Dr. Mayfield recommends realigns and stabilizes traumatized areas every time the patient performs them. The energizing exercises resolves a day’s worth of arthritic buildup every time they are performed. Then, by improving our gait and posture, many problems simply fade away.

Many of our musculoskeletal problems have to do with our organ systems that are having difficulty. Every organ system has a number of muscles that make energy for that organ. Simple changes in our attitudes or thinking immediately restores that organ system, and its muscles, to correct function. These simple changes in our ways of thinking has a lot to do with improving musculoskeletal problems.

Most of our joint problems are temporary, even though they may have existed for years. We may have postures and daily ways of moving that continually contribute to the instabilities our joints experience. By learning the correct way to move our bodies, we can improve our health every year from now on.

Joint problems do not always cause constant pain. We may notice stiffness after sitting, reduced ranges of motion, swelling, tenderness, or discomfort during specific activities. A joint may feel weak, unstable, or prone to giving way. Most of our dis-ease is only temporary and can be resolved with simple changes in posture and gait. Over time, dis-ease transforms into the diseases we can easily prevent.

Other symptoms may include numbness, muscle spasms, loss of balance, or pain that travels into an arm or leg. We recommend prompt medical evaluation for severe swelling, visible deformity, fever, sudden weakness, or an inability to place weight on the affected area.

I begin with a ‘symptom survey’ form that lets me see quickly where your problems are. As we discuss when symptoms started, which activities aggravate them, and whether a previous injury may be contributing to the problem, more of your health picture comes into focus. Watching you walk lets me see gait issues. Then a sitting and standing examination, in correct posture, allows me to accurately assess posture, gait, spinal alignment, joint movement, muscle strength, and areas of soft-tissue trauma. Checking for inflammation of organ systems and the muscles that energize those systems rounds out my examination.

I observe the body in kinetic units. For example: From the low back to the toes and back again is one kinetic unit. A problem anywhere in that kinetic unit can cause problems anywhere else in that kinetic unit. Where the pain is does not always coincide with where the problem is.

I also utilize the ‘five elements,’ the theoretical basis of classical Chinese acupuncture to explain to patients how their consciousness may have gotten out of balance, and how simple it is to bring their consciousness back into harmony with all life.

Then I demonstrate for the patient simple posture changes and spinal corrective exercises to strengthen and stabilize traumatized areas.

My belief is, the great healer is within you. Your body self-heals and self-regenerates every night. By helping you to stabilize problematic areas, you get in harmony with your own innate healing powers.

I use mostly gentle chiropractic adjustments, but for some people I use high velocity adjustment technics to improve motion in restricted joints. About half of my forty-minute office visits are focused soft-tissue work to address injured or tight muscles and ligaments that destabilize the joints.

Corrective exercises strengthen and stabilize under-functioning muscles to support more stable movement. I also teach patients how to improve posture, walking mechanics, lifting techniques, and movement on stairs or hills. These changes help reduce repeated stress between office visits and help them to progressively heal their injuries.

Treatment depends on the diagnosis and severity. When symptoms suggest a fracture, advanced arthritis, infection, or another condition outside our scope, we recommend appropriate medical care.

John Mayfield Chiropractic provides individualized care for joint pain in Grass Valley, CA. Dr. John Mayfield can assess your movement, identify contributing factors, and recommend treatment aimed at restoring stability and function. Call 530-272-8839 to schedule an appointment.