October 2010 Newsletter

Soulstice is pleased to feature this month's guest writer - Scott Vander Wall, D.C.  Scott is a Colorado native, practicing chiropractic medicine since 1990 and specializes in soft tissue chiropractic methods especially Active Release Techniques (ART).  Instead of high velocity adjustment techniques, Scott blends a variety of soft tissue adjustment into a gentle, new way of bringing the body into alignment. 

What is Soft Tissue Chiropractic?

 By Scott Vander Wall, D.C. 

Trees are designed to live and grow vertically, with their roots, trunks, and branches connecting earth and sky. Like trees, people are vertically oriented. Ideally, our energy should cycle freely up and down, grounded, unhindered, and flowing freely. The innermost core of the tree is called its heartwood. It is the source of its life and growth. The goal of soft tissue chiropractic is simply to restore balance around one's core or center. The art of soft tissue chiropractic lies in the ability to read a person's tissue signs, postural expression and energy; then rebalance opposing tensions which pull the body off center.

There are two muscular systems in the body. The core muscles, like the center of a tree, are more central and are not voluntarily controlled. They provide a strong upright trunk about which our limbs can move freely and powerfully. When a person is in pain, the core muscles are turned off - allowing us to sag and lean and twist as the larger, more superficial, voluntary muscles become tighter and tighter.

Every time a person is injured or emotionally overwhelmed, the body and mind react. Think of when you have stepped on a sharp thorn. You learn to compensate for the pain, to step around the sore spot and limp. If this pain continues for more than six weeks, the limp becomes chronic and the nervous system becomes adapted to that movement, considering it normal. The limp does not go away and that causes other weakness and wear and tear such as knee or low back pain.

In the same way, emotional stress often locks us into reactive postures. We forget to reset; to restore normal breath, circulation, posture and neuro/hormonal rhythms. These reactive patterns create misalignments and disharmony between regions in the body. This can persist indefinitely after a trauma or upset. Over time, these distortions accumulate and become painful, causing aging and degeneration of tissues. Normally, pain is a friend to us, telling us there has been damage and not to repeat it. However, when pain is ignored, the body's reactions only make things worse and harder to resolve.  

One of the most important benefits of the soft tissue approach is in restoring circulation and breath to various tissues. Tension and misalignment in the nervous system restricts the flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid around the brain. Good brain function requires a clear running stream of food and oxygen, not a stagnant pond of toxins.

 Overuse and injury in muscles cause poor circulation and scar tissue to form over time much like rust freezes parts together. Active Release Technique (ART) is a patented specific technique which allows me to find and release this rust in any area of muscle tendon or ligament. This quickly restores length, strength, alignment, movement and circulation in the limbs or body. Entrapped nerves can be released anywhere.

Many chronic problems like arthritis, tendonitis, asthma, depression, recurring infections, and digestive problems can be helped by the soft tissue approach. 

For more information regarding Scott Vander Wall, D.C., and his unique soft tissue chiropractic techniques, you may visit his website at HeartwoodSoftTissue.com 

Mention this Soulstice newsletter when scheduling your appointment and receive $30 off your first appointment with Dr. Vander Wall.