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Dr. Larry Webster, Founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association discovered this technique as a safe means to restore proper pelvic balance and function for pregnant mothers. In expectant mothers who have pelvic or low back pain or have been told their baby is breech, this technique is performed with amazing results. According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (2002), an 82% success rate is seen by Webster Technique Certified Chiropractors who work with mothers with babies presenting breech or transverse. I have personally treated a mother to be that was 40 weeks pregnant with success. It has also successfully used with twins.

This technique is fast, safe, gentle and effective. We use this technique not only to help the pelvis loosen up by affecting the round ligament which holds the uterus in position but to keep the mother and baby relaxed throughout pregnancy. It is great for expectant mothers to prepare for vaginal birth as well by taking stress off the pelvis For more information please click this link Webster Technique.

In your third trimester it is common for your medical doctor to monitor the position of your baby in preparation for birth. If your baby turns on their own by week 36 unless there is a reason to have a C-Section, they will opt for a vaginal birth. Unfortunately, if your baby is in a breech position around 36–37 weeks, your doctor will probably suggest attempting an external cephalic version. This is a manual hands on technique when your doctor attempts to turn your baby while still in the uterus by pushing on the baby with his or her hands through your abdomen. This procedure can bring about complications including vaginal bleeding, premature rupture of membranes, fetal distress and premature labor. If there are no complications but your baby is still breech after this procedure, then a C-Section is scheduled. C-Sections are very invasive and have a long recovery time as well as losing the benefit of having a vaginal birth.

Some of the benefits of vaginal birth are:

1. Vaginal births typically require shorter hospital stays. Although state laws vary, the typical length of a hospital stay following a vaginal delivery is 24 to 48 hours
2. Risks associated with major surgery, such as severe bleeding, scarring, infections, reactions to anesthesia and longer-lasting pain
3. Because major surgery is not involved, a mother may be able to begin breastfeeding sooner.
4. Babies who are delivered vaginally will be able to have more early contact with their mother, who can initiate breastfeeding sooner
5. During a vaginal delivery, muscles involved in the process are more likely to squeeze out the fluid in a newborn's lungs, which is beneficial because it makes babies less likely to suffer breathing problems at birth.
6. Less likely for future birth complications

The Webster technique is safer, less invasive and it also prepares your pelvis for birth making it easier for you and your baby and avoiding C-section and a longer recovery after giving birth.

How did this technique become so effective with breech position?

The Webster Technique was not discovered as a "breech turning" technique. This technique balances the body to allow for optimal fetal positioning in preparation of birth. As defined by the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association), "The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation and Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction." The SI joint is located between the left and right hip and if mal-positioned it can decrease the space in the birth canal. The importance of regular chiropractic care and use of the Webster Technique during pregnancy is the potential for safer, easier births as a result of improved neuro-biomechanical function. So it is beneficial even if your baby is not breech and allows baby and mom to feel more comfortable and less stressed.

The Webster Technique uses specific methods to balance the round ligament, which connects the uterus to the pelvic bony structure. If the pelvis is out of alignment, it can pull on the round ligament creating an unbalanced and tightened uterus leading to a mal-positioned baby. It is proposed that sacral misalignment may cause the tightening and torsion of specific pelvic muscles and ligaments. It is these tense muscles and ligaments and their aberrant effect on the uterus which may prevent the baby from comfortably assuming the best possible position for birth.

Why does the Webster Technique focus on the Round Ligament?

Pregnancy can bring on a fairly common abdominal pain caused by the stretching of the round ligament. This is the ligament that holds your uterus in suspension within your abdomen. It originates at the uterine horns (the points at which the fallopian tubes enter the uterus), and attaches to the labia majora, passing through the inguinal canal.

As your pregnancy advances and your uterus grows in size and weight, this ligament becomes long and thin, stretching and tensing like a rubber band. When the ligaments become stretched they can pull on nerve fibers and cause a great deal of pain. The pain can be brought on by something as simple as rolling over in your sleep, exercise, or simply walking. Releasing the tension by a chiropractic adjustment and applying slight pressure on the ligament allows the body to relax and opens up the uterus allowing your baby to move about inside the uterus.

Learn more how Precise Moves Chiropractic can help you through your pregnancy.

Dr. Gregory is a Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner. After graduating from chiropractic school, she continued her education and has completed additional corrective care training set by the Council on Extremity Adjusting. The focus of extremity adjusting and analysis is to make sure the whole body is addressed, which includes your limbs.

We want to make sure all areas are functioning throughout and if there is a problem outside of the spine, it can be addressed. Many people have headaches, shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, ankle and foot pain that can not always be cured with a spinal adjustment and may need additional work. We want to make sure your whole body is balanced and working together harmoniously as a unit.

Dr. Gregory can perform and examination on your limbs and gently manipulate them to get them to move properly. She also uses SASTM (a Graston Technique). She was the first chiropractor to use this progressive therapy. SASTM is utilized by the Stanford University Athletic Department, collage sports, the ballet, dance companies and professional athletes because it has been proven to get results and help with getting back to doing the desired physical activity.

This technique uses specially designed instruments to separate and break down scar tissue that has accumulated in muscles, ligaments and tendons after an injury. Injuries (even minor ones) cause acute or chronic pain, inflammation and decreased movement. Your brain and body send signals up and down analyzing movement and if movement is not where it should be, the brain will shut off the area or send pain signals to alert you that there is a problem. After using this treatment, there is an increase in mobility, cellular activity, fibroblastic activity (tissue that plays a critical role in wound healing) and an accelerated amount of blood flow to and from the area.

This therapy promotes the healing process and allows tissues to realign in the appropriate manner without knots (inside scarring) or adhesions leading to decreased movement and elevating the risk of another injury. This is great for athletes, repetitive stress injuries and even people with desk jobs who sit for long hours at a time. SASTM is a Graston technique that is accurate at finding problems areas and working out these areas so your body can move the way it should without restriction.

Learn more about how SASTM can help you.

Getting into a car accident can be very serious, even if the impact was not at a high speed. Getting care quickly is best to avoid long-term problems that can occur if left untreated.

Some of the problems people may experience after an accident are whiplash, low back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, headaches, arm pain, weakness when trying to grip, insomnia, loss of memory, vertigo, and TMJ. When it comes to injuries after a car accident, time is of the essence.

Permanent damage can occur and scar tissue can develop very quickly without proper treatment in as little as 48 hours. Sometimes you may not feel the symptoms right away because of the shock of the accident but when they come, they are often severely painful. We are experts treating car accident victims and can help.

Find out more about our car accident rehabilitation care.

We provide special exercise programs designed just for you! These help strengthen and correct your own unique issues and improve posture. Depending on your vocation, we also offer ergonomic advice and help to make physical work stress decrease and your productivity and happiness increase!

We provide tutorials of all exercises, as well as online additional material patients can perform exercises in the comfort of your own home. Following through on recommended exercises can improve the effectiveness of your chiropractic corrections by as much as 30-40%.

When we work as a team, you reap the benefits!

As part of your chiropractic assessment and ongoing care, we may consult with you about your food choices, and make recommendations on nutritional supplements and healthy food choices to enhance optimal health. We also provide Nutritional Response TestingSM for patients that request this service.  This is great for patients who are looking to get off of pharmaceuticals or have physical problems such as digestion or organ deficiencies that they would like to combat with healthy food choices and natural, organic supplements (Note: nutrition is not covered under any insurance plan).