Summary
Dr. Robert Prather and co-host Lisa Prather discuss why chiropractic care extends well beyond spinal adjustments to include extremity work on wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, feet, and even the jaw. Dr. Prather estimates that about 95% of patients who need spinal adjustments also require extremity adjustments, because misalignments in the feet, knees, or jaw can destabilize the entire spine. He shares patient stories illustrating how foot adjustments resolved issues that other practitioners missed. The episode covers how not all chiropractors are trained in extremity adjustments -- Dr. Prather learned foot adjusting from a library book on chiropody, as his chiropractic school focused exclusively on the spine. He discusses common conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome that are frequently misdiagnosed overuse injuries, TMJ problems linked to stress, and how the entire kinetic chain from feet to neck is interconnected. The underlying philosophy is patient-centered: whatever the patient needs to get well, including extremity work, should be part of the treatment plan.
Key Points
- About 95% of patients needing spinal adjustments also need extremity adjustments
- Misalignments in feet, knees, or jaw can prevent the spine from fully stabilizing
- Not all chiropractors are trained in extremity adjustments; some schools only teach spinal work
- The kinetic chain means foot problems affect the pelvis, low back, and neck in a connected cascade
- Carpal tunnel symptoms are often misdiagnosed overuse injuries that respond to chiropractic care
- Stress and jaw clenching (TMJ) can throw off body alignment and cause widespread pain
- Podiatrists historically performed adjustments (chiropody) before shifting to surgery in 1959
Key Moments
95% of adjustment patients also need extremity work
Dr. Prather reveals that approximately 95% of patients who come in for spinal adjustments also need extremity adjustments, because the body's interconnected systems mean problems elsewhere can prevent spinal stabilization.
"That we also need to adjust an extremity because as you have that connectivity throughout the body, then there are different types of changes that will occur."
TMJ misalignment drove a man to three suicide attempts
Dr. Prather shares the story of a friend who attempted suicide three times due to unbearable jaw pain. After self-teaching TMJ adjustment techniques from books, Prather was able to resolve the pain when no other specialist could.
"You know, I love working on people's bodies, which is great. But as I was going through school, I had a friend of mine who had actually tried to commit suicide three times because of the terrible, terrible jaw problems he had. It was just, it was pretty much unbearable, you know, what he was going through. And he was a good Christian guy. I mean, you know, he had a lot to live for. He was intelligent, smart."
The jaw has a direct nerve connection to the brain's emotional center
The TMJ joint uniquely has a disc with a muscle directly attached and a nerve running straight to the brain's emotional center, meaning jaw misalignment causes both excruciating physical pain and emotional distress.
"Not only has an effect on the pain centers just because of the innervation. It has, it's, the disc that's inside there is the only disc that has a muscle attached to it. Oh, wow. Directly. I never thought about that. And then it has a nerve that goes right from that joint to,"
