FAQ Friday!

FAQ Friday!

“Why do you always check my feet during adjustments?”

We get this question every now and then from our curious, analytical folks!

It’s a great question!! The short answer is that we are checking the length of your legs and the tension in your heels. Your brain & body are always compensating to various physical, chemical and emotional stressors at a neurological level and leg length analysis is a window into your central nervous system and one of the most efficient ways to analyze how to objectively create balance in your brain and body. The long answer is quite “science-y” for our fellow science nerds who want to read on:

The vertebral subluxation complex impacts the spinal tracts and areas of the brain (listed below) at a number of levels.

The effect is multifaceted, ranging from neurological dysafferentation or dysefferentation, a direct impact of muscle tone due to misalignment, and even histochemical changes that create localized pockets of inflammation in afferent/efferent pathways.

There are various spinal tracts and areas within the brain involved in functional leg length changes:

⁃ The corticospinal tracts responsible for tonal changes in leg/limb musculature.

⁃ The pyramidal tracts play the part in delivering sensory input to the brain from the body.

⁃ The pontomedullary reticular formation (PMRF) is the center in the brain (specifically brainstem) that allows us to stay upright and resist the overall effect of gravity.

⁃ The ipsilateral cerebellum refines movement and is thought to be the brain center that “actions” the information gathered by the three areas mentioned above.

Adjustments balance the functional leg length discrepancies by making direct changes to the entire neurospinal system, removing interference & stress from your brain-body connection.

We truly love answering your questions about chiropractic, your body, your health, and your health goals! Keep them coming!!