New Patient First Visit

Upon entering our comfortable reception area, you will be given a past and present medical history questionnaire to complete, as well as a diagram to draw out exactly where your problem is located. Next, the doctor will meet with you to discuss your problem in more detail and address any other concerns you might have. The examination will then begin, focusing on your area of chief complaint. From your history and comprehensive physical exam, it will be determined whether your chief complaint is a soft tissue injury, nerve problem, or in very rare instances, a serious pathology. X-rays are taken only when indicated.

Once any red flags have been ruled out, we can progress to the functional part of the evaluation that centers on determining how well your muscles and joints are working. The doctor will watch you walk, check your posture, and then evaluate your muscular system in order to determine the cause of the dysfunction.

We utilize the Oswestry, Neck Disability Index, HSF-36, and Job Demands Questionnaire forms to help us objectively track your condition and improvement over time. Depending on your condition, you may be asked to complete one or more of these questionnaires at home before your next visit. These also help us identify any complicating factors that may prolong your recovery time. Please see our New Patient Forms page to download and print our forms.

For patients in acute pain, aggressive conservative care for symptom control consists of gentle manipulation/mobilization for joint dysfunction, muscle stretching & Active Release Techniques© for soft tissue dysfunction and/or trigger points, patient education, reassurance, activity modification, rest and ice (if necessary), and gentle exercise consisting of range of motion exercises and gentle stretches. Our primary goal is to move you from passive to active care as soon as possible, thus avoiding patient/doctor dependency.

Once your pain has reduced, a quantitative functional capacity evaluation (QFCE) will be performed. This evaluation not only helps us identify weak areas, but it serves as an outcomes assessment tool, which at this time will be used to establish a baseline for future progress in your treatment program. This exam will evaluate muscle flexibility, strength, endurance, stability, balance, and coordination.

During this time, in addition to manipulation/mobilization, therapeutic stabilization exercises and neuromuscular re-education activities are performed. These exercises consist of stretching tight/shortened muscles, facilitating weak/inhibited muscles, improving muscular strength, co-contraction, and endurance through stabilization exercise, thus improving your overall posture, balance and coordination. This will be accomplished utilizing various floor exercises (pelvic tilts, dead bugs, bridges, and quadrupeds), gym ball exercises, and rocker/wobble board activities.

Based on the most current scientific evidence and the latest governmental guidelines, chiropractic rehabilitation is one of the most successful approaches to treating soft tissue injuries. At Knight Family Chiropractic we are dedicated to providing the best possible care to our patients and we look forward to helping you become healthier and more active!