So, you have finished up your treatment plan and are feeling amazing, ready to tackle all of your life goals. On the last visit your doctor mentions maintenance care, and it’s maybe a term you have never heard before, or you’re unsure of why it can play a vital role in helping you to stay pain free. You could also be someone who has always thought there would be no reason to visit a chiropractor unless you had some type of pain. This blog serves to inform you of the benefits of receiving maintenance or wellness care, and why it is likely a smart decision in the long run- resulting in less pain, better movement quality, while also saving you money!
1. Be Proactive Rather Than Reactive
Whether it be your health, profession, finances, goals, etc it is usually better to be proactive than reactive. This seems obvious and should be universal knowledge, however most people do not adhere to this simple rule. Don’t get me wrong, it is understandable that sometimes things can get in the way and make it difficult to be proactive. Whether it be a busy schedule, financial obligations (more on that later), or any other justifications that may arise in life. We must try to avoid this trap and prioritize our health – otherwise, we may regret it later. When it comes to your health, it is our goal (and hopefully yours as well) to do everything possible to stay ahead of the symptoms and to strive to have the best quality of life possible.
It is important to remember that pain is the last sign of dysfunction, not the first. That said, just because you are pain free, that does not necessarily mean there is no underlying dysfunction. If left unmanaged, the underlying dysfunction can result in the pain coming right back. At our office, we pride ourselves in helping you achieve proper movement patterns which is something we can work with you on in an individualized manner. We utilize screens like FMS (Functional Movement Systems) or SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment) to determine where your movement may be lacking or where you may have a faulty movement pattern. This allows us to find and correct the underlying issues, in order to not only reduce the chances of future injury, but to improve function and performance. Perhaps you are wanting to run a 5K or a marathon this year, or maybe you are wanting to get back in the gym after being stuck at home resulting in less activity in 2020. Regardless of your individual situation, it would prove beneficial to consult with your provider to make sure you are moving in the most efficient way- otherwise, you are likely to pay for it later.
2. Maintenance Care Increases Your Pain Free Days
Maintenance care can be different for everyone whether this means being seen in the office monthly, bi-monthly, or a couple times a year. Maintenance/ wellness visits allow your provider to periodically check on your problem areas and make sure that you are moving well, despite the daily demands your body is required to go through. Just like our active care treatment plans, recommendations for maintenance / wellness care are individualized and tailored to the specific patient. A number of factors can play a part in determining your specific requirements, including the amount of daily stress you put on your body, type of job, hobbies, if you are preparing for an upcoming event, etc. A recent study that was released in 2020 revealed that patients who stayed on a maintenance care treatment plan had a higher number of pain free days before symptoms came about when compared to the control group who did not receive maintenance care. This study also showed flatter pain trajectories at each visit for the maintenance group… What this means is that they didn’t have as many episodes of increased perceptions of pain. This is promising research and further supports the necessity of maintenance visits.
3. Saves You Money
Now I know what you are thinking…It sounds like maintenance care is going to cost a lot of money. Well, this is likely not the case at all. Imagine you had maintenance visits monthly or every other month. This would result in 6-12 visits per year, and you’d be staying on the proactive side- decreasing your chances of future injury and living a life with less pain, and improved function and performance. In addition, usually when you are receiving maintenance care, less therapies are needed since you and your tissues are generally healthy. This reduces the cost of each visit. On the flip side, if you came in with an acute injury or a chronic condition that has been giving you pain for some time, it may require more than 6-12 visits to get your symptoms calmed down, while also addressing the root cause of the problem. With the management of acute and chronic conditions there also tends to be more therapies involved in the treatment to help speed up recovery, and decrease the pain associated with your injury.
EXAMPLE: Patient A and Patient B below have very similar injuries/ conditions, and very comparable overall health and activity levels, as well as similar work duties/ requirements.
Patient A presented with an acute low back injury in January 2020 for which he received 7 treatments to relieve his pain and improve his function and movement patterns. He then followed a maintenance care plan receiving treatment every other month to maintain his function and prevent injury. Total office visits over the course of the year= 12.
Patient B also had a low back injury in January of 2020. Patient B came in for 5 visits at which point he was pain- free, and so he discontinued care. Two months later patient B presented with the same injury, and this time he received 6 treatments to relieve his pain, at which point he discontinued care for the second time. Four months after this, he presents with the same injury and requires 4 treatments and again he discontinues care. Two months later- 5 more visits. Total visits over the course of the year = 20.
Patient B required 8 more visits/treatments than Patient A.
Patient B was consistently in more pain than patient A.
Patient B had to take time out of his schedule to come to the office 8 additional times.
Each of patient B’s visits were higher in cost than each of Patient A’s maintenance visits.
End Result: Patient A saved time and money, while also experiencing less pain. We see this exact pattern in our office very frequently!
Another thing we commonly see in our office is that people tend to wait until they can hardly bare their symptoms before seeking treatment. This way of thinking is not good for several reasons, but since we are talking about money, it is especially not good for your wallet. In certain conditions like disc pathologies, muscle strains, or impingement syndromes; if you wait too long to seek conservative care then you may only be left with the more invasive surgical option, which is generally far more expensive than taking the conservative route initially. In addition, you will likely still be paying for extensive conservative care following the surgery in the form of post- surgical rehabilitation.
If you are someone who has considered chiropractic care and how it could benefit you and your health, we would be happy to help address any questions you may have. Let us help you keep doing whatever it is you are passionate about, while also reducing your chances of injury! Call 913-766-7292 to schedule your appointment today!
Authors: Dr. Dustin Moses and Dr. Nathan Guthrie