Chiropractic Care in Knoxville

Chiropractor treating a patient at Knoxville Spine and Sports

Knoxville Spine and Sports specialize in delivering quality chiropractic care for patients throughout the Knoxville, TN area. Our Knoxville chiropractor, Dr. Bert Solomon, and the rest of the team are committed to providing chiropractic and wellness solutions to address your unique needs.

Chiropractic treatments are a drug-free, surgery-free natural form of health care and are often referred to as alternative medicine. The treatments involve spinal manipulation, rehabilitative exercises, and other therapies to counteract muscle, skeletal, and nervous system imbalances that negatively impact a patient’s overall health.

Knoxville Chiropractic treatments

A chiropractor’s goal is to improve functionality and reduce pain, and this is done by re-establishing optimal spinal mobility and nerve function. Chiropractors also educate patients on proper ergonomics and exercises to maintain optimal health. Spinal manipulation, also called chiropractic adjustment is the primary treatment and involves applying precisely directed and controlled manual forces to specific areas of the spine to restore spinal alignment and mobility of the joints.

These misalignments are called subluxations, and they impede the regular transmission of nerve impulses, thus creating issues far away from the spinal cord. Restoration of spinal alignment results in restoration of normal nerve transmission, which then allows the body to naturally heal.

Are Chiropractic Adjustments Painful?

One common misconception is that these adjustments are uncomfortable and painful. Chiropractic adjustments are very effective and very safe and rarely create discomfort, but a patient might have mild muscle soreness immediately following treatment.

If you are seeking pain relief after an accident, a sports-related injury, or a specific condition, we are here to help! For more information or to schedule an appointment with our Knoxville chiropractor, call (865) 337-5574 today!

Chiropractic FAQ

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a form of physical medicine whose main goal is to affect the nervous system through the correction of joint dysfunction. When joints are restricted and not able to move to their full capacity, nervous system control of the muscle and further anatomy in that region (organ function, etc.) is altered. Once the joint function has been restored, often through a chiropractic adjustment, the local interference of the nervous system is commonly removed. Since our bodies move through a specific sequence of muscle firing, local joint dysfunction can throw off the entire system causing imbalance elsewhere in the body. Chiropractic’s main goal is to restore those imbalances by way of chiropractic adjustment, muscle, and soft tissue manipulation, as well as specific, restorative, functional exercises.

What’s with all the popping? Do you have to do that?

The most effective way to restore the function of a restricted area is to adjust or manipulate that joint. This is the notorious “crack” or “pop” that is associated with chiropractic. The bones that make up a joint can be pulled out of their optimal position for many different reasons (repetitive movements, muscle imbalance, poor posture, etc.). When they are out of position, the joint motion is always altered. The goal of chiropractic adjustment is to realign the joint thus increasing its function. The “pop” that you hear is no more than the joint capsule stretching as the bone moves back to its original position. When the capsule stretches, nitrogen gas escapes the joint and can make a small audible “click” or “pop” (but not always). So really, the pop is not at all what we go for. It’s merely a byproduct of realigning the joint.

Is it safe?

Chiropractic care is safe for all ages and demographics. The way that the adjustment is administered changes depending on the population. First, a thorough exam is always conducted to rule out any underlying pathology that would be contraindicative to a manual chiropractic adjustment. This adjustment looks very different for a child or infant than it does for a healthy adult and is different still for the elderly population. The force administered is specifically adapted for each demographic to allow for the greatest effect in the safest manner possible.

Do you work on more than the spine?

As sports chiropractors, we think that it is imperative to address the function of joints outside the spine as it relates to kinetic function. Every joint in the body can subluxate or move out of its ideal position, and thus all joints need to be assessed. The ankle, feet, and lower extremities are especially important to address as this can alter gait and affect everything in the body from the ground up. We have a comprehensive list of the Sports Injuries we treat and also conditions treated with chiropractic care.

Do you work with kids?

Kids, babies, and infants are in need of chiropractic care as much or more than anyone else. Trauma from birth, injury from wobbly falls, and kids just being kids all can culminate in joint dysfunction that can have far-reaching effects. As stated above, the actual adjustment itself looks drastically different in infants and children than it does in adults. The force administered is very light and is proportionate to their little bodies. Once these restrictions have been corrected, the change in systemic function can be radical. Some of the most impactful treatments that I’ve had as a chiropractor have been with children and infants, especially when it comes to chiropractic care in Knoxville.

I hear chiropractic is good for pregnancy. How does that work?

At Knoxville Spine & Sports we practice a technique known as Webster, which is specifically a maternal chiropractic adjusting technique. It addresses the osseous structures of the mom’s changing pelvis as well as some very strategic muscles and ligaments to allow maximal space for the child to develop. Joint restriction within the maternal pelvis can be an especially troubling thing that can cause torsion and undue stress to the uterus. This can cause more pain for the mom as her pelvis continues to change and even contribute to malpresentation (breech, transverse) of the developing child.

If you are interested in learning more about how Prenatal Chiropractic can help you throughout your pregnancy, you can learn more about it here.

Do I need a referral?

Chiropractors are considered primary care physicians in the state of TN. This means that no referral is needed to be seen.

I’ve heard that you have to sign up for a treatment plan with a predetermined number of chiropractic visits. Is this true?

Absolutely not. Yes, some chiropractic offices function this way but that isn’t the way that we do things at Knoxville Spine and Sports. We are a strictly results-based clinic where your treatment plan is only dependent on how you are progressing with care. You will be reassessed at every visit and once you have made the desired progress and are reaching the goals laid out in the initial evaluation, the frequency of your care plan changes. As you progress, we start emphasizing the therapeutic exercises that are to be performed at home with less time in the clinic until you are fully self-sustaining with regard to your initial complaint.

Can I use my insurance?

Our providers are in-network with many insurance companies. However, there are certain types of insurances we don't take so make sure to contact us before setting an appointment. Many plans cover chiropractic to some degree. If you have a high deductible and your co-pay is also high, inquire about our cash rate. This may save you money in the long run.

Do I need to come back forever?

That is entirely your prerogative. However, it’s much easier to keep people healthy than to try to get them better once injured. Maintenance care to some degree is always recommended.

How is Knoxville Spine and Sports different from other Chiropractic clinics?

KSS is a multidisciplinary healthcare facility consisting of chiropractors and physical therapists. This allows for a team of providers, each with a unique specialty and insight into patient care that can work together to optimize patient outcomes.

We understand that one person, and indeed one discipline, doesn’t have all of the answers and that a team approach to patient care guarantees the best possible results. A handyman carries many more tools with him than just a hammer. A healthcare facility should also have as many tools as possible so as to effectively complete the job at hand.