My Chiropractic Journey

The Start

I decided to become a chiropractor at the age of 5. I remember the day's circumstances but do not remember the reason for my decision. I hadn't yet heard the story about how a chiropractor saved my mother's life or that my Great Uncle Henry was a chiropractor in the early 20th century. Many assumed these were the reasons for my decision, but I believe my decision was based on a 'calling'. Evidence of this 'calling' was expressed through a natural talent for massage, which I began doing as an adolescent. By all accounts, I was good at it, even though I hadn't received one myself.

Later in life, I became a certified massage therapist. My massage experience taught me how valuable working with muscles was for good musculoskeletal health. It seems evident to many, especially when you look at the name, which means muscle & bone (joint).

Valuable Lesson

At the age of 16 years, I started seeing a chiropractor. He recommended that I experience chiropractic care since I planned on becoming one. This rationale made sense; after all, I did experience an occasional 'twinge' in my low back. The result of following his recommended care of regular fortnightly treatments was chronic, everyday low back pain. Not knowing better, I increased the frequency of visits to manage the growing severity of pain. I eventually came to my senses and ended care. My back pain naturally became less severe and manageable. The style of chiropractic I received then is sometimes called "The Flying 7", which means administering seven indiscriminate adjustments to ALL vertebral joints of the spine (2 for the lumbar, 3 for the thoracic, & 2 for the cervical). The idea is that these chiropractic adjustments would lead to good health.

Chiropractic School

I maintained my path to becoming a chiropractor even after having a negative experience. I didn't know much about the profession when I started my chiropractic education. I had read a green book that explained the theoretical underpinnings of chiropractic while working as a massage therapist for a chiropractor. It talked about an 'intelligence' that flowed through the nervous system that kept the body healthy. I always wondered how such an 'intelligence' would be limited to the nervous system.

Fortunately, the school I chose for my chiropractic education didn't 'force-feed' a chiropractic paradigm. Instead, they focused on training excellent primary care doctors of chiropractic. The school encouraged students to learn as much as possible about the world of chiropractic. I took full advantage of the opportunities provided by the school. Among the techniques I studied was Sacro Occipital Technic (SOT), Direct Nonforce Technique (DNFT), Bioenergetic Synchronization Technique (BEST), Applied Kinesiology (AK), Neuroemotional Technique (NET), Drop-table Technique, Activator, and Nimmo Technique. Chiropractic is blessed with numerous techniques. There is something for everyone. Though I gained value from all of these techniques, what indeed resonated with me was the 'Functional Approach'. More on this later.

Faith Restored

I entered chiropractic school while suffering low back pain for a decade. I continued with occasional chiropractic care and received treatment from five chiropractors during my lead-up to chiropractic education. I believed I would live with my pain for the rest of my life. That was until I sought care from Mark Jagget, a 7th-term intern just starting his clinical experience. I saw him once a week for four weeks. In one month, my decade-long, everyday low back pain ended. My faith in chiropractic adjusting was restored. The difference between Mark Jagget and the other chiropractors was 'specificity'. With his sense of touch, he isolated the problematic joint. He skillfully positioned my body and delivered a deliberate force to affect that joint. This style of adjusting is what I ultimately learned at my school.

The Functional Approach

During my first trimester of school, I attended a symposium hosted by my school on managing low back pain. I was introduced to Janet Travell, Philip Greenman, and Vladimir Janda. Though not chiropractors, these doctors were leaders in their respective fields. They spoke about muscles, movement, and their role in managing back pain. They spoke a language I understood because of my massage background. They introduced me to the 'Functional Approach'.

The Functional Approach is a way of seeing a person and their experience of pain through a holistic lens. The approach views a person who comes for help not as a symptom but as a multifaceted individual. The Functional Approach taught me how emotions and beliefs affect the brain, which affects posture and movement. I also learned how the body operates collectively, not as isolated parts. A focus on the site of pain will commonly offer temporary relief. The Functional Approach calls for the chiropractor to look at the bigger picture, the whole picture. It teaches us to look for a cause of pain, not merely its source.

Modern Chiropractic

My study of the Functional Approach inspired me. I saw how it could revolutionise the chiropractic profession by shifting it from a paradigm of passive care (chiropractor delivered) to active care (self-treatment). I intensively studied the Functional Approach while studying my traditional chiropractic coursework. By the time I graduated, my school had decided to incorporate the Functional Approach into their curriculum and hired me to help deliver it. I taught this approach all over the US, Canada, and Australia. I even taught in the UK and Chile. In time, active care became a standard for chiropractic education worldwide. I am very proud to have been a part of this paradigm shift and growth of the chiropractic profession.

My Version of Chiropractic

When someone comes to me with pain, I first make sure something more sinister isn't responsible. When I am confident I can be of service, I begin by understanding how they function. The process starts with a careful history where I ask questions about how they manage their painful condition and its effect on their life. I use my eyes to evaluate functionality in posture and movement, then my hands to assess functionality in muscles and joints. Once I have a complete picture, I create a personalised treatment plan to restore their function. This restoration typically involves passive and active care. Passive care is prudently used to restore mobility and reduces pain. I deliver passive care with a great effort toward specificity. I use active care to help someone improve their coordination, strength, and stability. The only way to achieve lasting change is for a person to make the change themselves.

What now

Contact me for an appointment if you are ready to move past your pain and focus on your function. Experience my intuitively gifted and knowledgeable hands. Learn how to look after your body. After all, your body is the primary machine of your life.

Are you ready for a change?

Are you willing to be a part of that change?

Dr. Thor Rigney

Phone: 0421 559 911

Email: info@quintaessentiahealing.com

Web: quintaessentialhealing.com