Dancers & Chiropractic treatment

Today I would like to highlight an interview by Susan Swarbrick for the Sunday Herald.

It’s called Me and my ... chiropractor

Susan talks to Scottish Ballet dancer Paul Liburd and his Chiropractor. Liburd was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours this month.

I’m a huge advocate of Chiropractic treatment, dancer or not.

I’m not familiar with the McTimoney chiropractic technique; my Chiropractor uses Applied Kinesiology, which tests muscle responses to diagnose a massive range of problems.

I am continually amazed by what can be discovered in this way. Nutritional advice can also given using Applied Kinesiology, and dietary supplements prescribed which are not available without a prescription.

Most Chiropractors use their own preferred method of treatment, and they do all vary quite considerably. It’s important to find a Chiropractor whose method you are happy with, because the treatment is likely to continue for a lifetime (if you are willing) and you will need to attend regularly at least in the initial intensive stage (so also needs to be local !). It's never a good idea to get straight in the car after an adjustment - a short walk is beneficial first !

Used in conjunction with other treatments such as sports (or deep tissue) massage (yes, it’s painful but effective), and other fitness sessions such as Pilates and Yoga, Chiropractic is supremely able to maintain good physical health.

Many people attend my Chiropractor rather than their GP if they are feeling unwell – a testament to the possibilities. I have seen the evidence where my Chiropractor manipulated a prolapsed disc back into position (over 18 months) – a condition routinely necessitating surgery.

I would suggest that anyone visits a Chiropractor for a health check if it’s possible; you never know what conditions will be healed without you even realising you had them ! Back pain is a common reason for a visit but it’s not the only one. Obviously the earlier you start with Chiropractic the better, but I have been surprised by the number of problems which can be remedied even later on.

Do you reach for a sports drink during or after exercise ? My Chiropractor carried out extensive research in this area and recommended Elete™. This contains electrolytes (minerals) required for optimal hydration, without any colourings or sugar.

One final point. Never before have I experienced such a level of care. It starts with a simple phone call to make sure that you are ok following your first adjustment, that you have information about the adjustments themselves and what they are doing & about what you should be doing i.e. drinking enough. I have been tested regularly about my quality of life and to make sure I understand that most of the healing takes place between adjustments. In that regard I find it unbeatable.