First of all, make sure it is a good time for you to get treatment. Please reschedule your visit if have a fever, cold, or are feeling under the weather. Give yourself enough time to arrive on time and unrushed. 

 

Before you arrive at the office

 

If it's your first time visiting me I need you to fill out a detailed health history form. You can find a link to the client intake form at the bottom of your appointment confirmation email. Or you can download the client intake form here. Please fill it out and bring it with you on the day of your appointment. and If you haven't had a chance to fill out the client intake form at home, please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.

 

There are A LOT of questions on the intake form. Some of them might seem unrelated to the reason you are coming to see me for. However, from experience, I know that oftentimes old injuries (no matter how long ago they happened) can play an important role in the layering of dysfunctions and could potentially be a high priority in the course of treatment. 

​

​

Clothing

​

Please wear stretchy workout-type clothing.
​

​

During your visit

​

• First, we will go over your medical history together. I'd like to learn as much about you as I possibly can. That also includes your goals for treatment, e.g. what you want to be able to do (again) when you're feeling better.
   

• Next, I will observe you in static posture and in active motion. I realize that it can make you feel quite uncomfortable to be stared at, but please bear with me here. I am not judging you but simply looking for asymmetries, areas you like to avoid (or favor), ease of movement, range of motion, etc.
   

• I might videotape or photograph you for before and after comparisons (only with your written permission, of course). 
   

• Then, I will test for 'normal autogenic responses'. That means I want to see if muscles in your body can contract and relax when they need to during a movement.
   

• Using manual muscle testing and palpation I look for inhibition patterns (i.e. neurologically weak muscles), the location of dysfunctional receptors, and areas of inflammation or lymphatic congestion.
   

• During manual muscle testing I will either directly test individual muscles by asking you to contract them against my resistance ('lift your leg', 'press out to the side', etc.) or I will use what is called an 'indicator muscle'. That's a muscle that I have tested and found to be in good working order (strong but able to inhibit). It helps me to assess structures in your body that are not directly testable (ligaments, joint capsules, cranial sutures, etc.). 
   

• Tapping, slapping, finger-snapping, tuning forks, etc - what's with that??? Different sensory receptors react to different stimuli. Some of them respond to a stretch, some to a gentle impact (aka a light slap), some to the sound of a snap, some to a pin prick or a vibration. By stimulating them with their proper stimulus followed by testing an indicator muscle I figure out which receptors are not reacting as they should (i.e. which are dysfunctional).
   

• Corrections are pain-free and quick: I co-stimulate the primary and main secondary dysfunctional receptor and elicit a deep tendon reflex. 

• We then re-assess your range of motion and your pain level.
   

• Finally, I might recommend some corrective exercises for you to do at home to help integrate the changes made in session.