CHIROPRACTIC CARE

At Goonellabah Family Chiropractic, we work on the understanding that the function of your spine and nervous system are deeply connected. When something disrupts this connection — whether from injury, poor posture, stress, or everyday strain — it can impact how your whole-body functions. Chiropractic care aims to restore this balance by identifying and addressing the root cause of your symptoms, not just the pain.

AREAS OF CONCERN

Some of the common concerns we see in our practice include:

  • Lower back pain

  • Neck pain and stiffness

  • Headaches and migraines

  • Sciatica

  • Poor posture

  • Shoulder pain including bursitis

  • Elbow pain

  • Carpal tunnel

  • Joint discomfort (shoulders, knees, hips)

  • Pregnancy-related discomfort

  • Growing pains or postural issues in children

  • Mobility and balance support for older adults

  • Injury prevention and recovery for athletes

Our goal is always to address the root cause of your symptoms — not just provide short-term relief.

 
 

WHO CAN BENEFIT

INFANTS & CHILDREN

The spine plays a vital role in a child’s growth and development. Many parents choose to have their children checked by a chiropractor early on, as the birth process, learning to walk, falls, and heavy backpacks can all impact the spine and nervous system.

Dr Bridie is experienced in caring for people of all ages, including newborns and children. Chiropractic care for kids can be gentle, safe, and often enjoyed by our young patients. Examining and detecting spinal problems in early childhood allows us to offer expert treatment and advice to achieve the best outcome for your child.

Safety

Chiropractic care for children is extremely gentle and tailored to their growing bodies (2). Most adjustments are done using an activator (a light tapping instrument) or gentle hand pressure—no more than you'd use to check if a tomato is ripe.

These gentle techniques support proper spinal alignment and posture and may improve quality of life (1).

PREGNANT WOMEN

Pregnancy brings significant changes to a woman’s body, including shifts in posture, weight distribution, and hormonal fluctuations — all of which can lead to discomfort, especially in the lower back and pelvis (3).

Chiropractic care may offer support throughout pregnancy, which can help to ease physical stress, improve spinal alignment, and enhance floor mobility (4). Our adjustable tables create space for a growing belly.

Mothers also reported that their babies had fewer feeding problems, sleep issues and excessive crying with chiropractic care. Their babies were also happier in tummy time for longer and had better neck movement after receiving care (6).

ATHLETES

Chiropractic care can play a crucial role in helping athletes optimise their performance
and prevent injuries (7, 8). Intense physical activity can place significant stress on the body, leading to muscle tension, joint misalignments, and overuse injuries.

By maintaining optimal spinal health and joint function, athletes can experience improved range of motion, reduced pain, and better proprioception - sense of joint position or coordination (9).

THE ELDERLY

For older adults, chiropractic care can offer a natural and effective approach to maintaining mobility and quality of life (10,11). Adjustments may help to protect against age-related decline (14) and seniors show a high level of satisfaction with care (14). This may help them manage the effects of arthritis (12,13), improve balance to reduce fall risk, and support overall wellbeing, which may allow seniors to stay active and independent for longer.

EVERYONE

Chiropractic care is for everyone! No matter your age or stage of life, Dr Bridie believes consistently looking after your body is key. From growing children to busy parents, athletes to retirees, chiropractic can help improve posture, reduce tension, and enhance overall wellbeing.

From growing children to busy parents, athletes to retirees, chiropractic can help improve posture, reduce tension, and enhance overall wellbeing (1, 11).

References:

1. Doyle M. Is chiropractic paediatric care safe? A best evidence topic. Clinical Chiropr. 2011. Sept;14(3):97-105.

2. Alcantara J, Whetten A, Ohm J, Alcantara J. The quality of life of children under chiropractic care as measured by the PROMIS parent-proxy short forms. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020 May;39:101-134.

3. Katonis P, Kampouroglou A, Aggelopoulos A, Kakavelakis K, Lykoudis S, Makrigiannakis. A, Alpantaki K. Pregnancy-related lower back pain. Hippokratia. 2011 Jul-Sept;15(3):205-210.

4. Haavik H, Murphy B, Kruger J. Effect of spinal manipulation on pelvic floor functional changes in pregnant and nonpregnant women: A preliminary study, JMPT. May 2016; 39 (5).

5. Alcantara J, Nazarenko AL, Ohm J. The use of the patient reported outcomes measurement information system and the RAND VSQ9 to measure the quality of life and visit specific satisfaction of pregnant patients under chiropractic care utilizing the webster technique, Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine. 2018;24(1):90-98.

6. Miller J, Hanson H, Hiew M, Lo Tiap Kwong D, Tee Y. Maternal report of outcomes of chiropractic care for infants. JMPT. 2019 Mar-Ap;42(3):167-176

7. DeVocht J, Vining R, Smith D, Long C, Jones T, and Goertz C. Effect of chiropractic manipulative therapy on reaction time in special operations forces military personnel: arandomized controlled trial. BioMed Central. 2019 Jan;20(1):5.

8. Niazi I.K, Turker K.S, Flavel S. et al. Exp Brain Res. 2015;233:1165.

9. Haavik H, Murphy B. Subclinical neck pain and the effects of cervical manipulation on elbow joint position sense. JMPT. 2011 Feb;34(2):88-97.

10. Jones D, Glucina T, Cade A, Sherson M, Russell D. Changes in quality of life in four older adult patients receiving manual chiropractic care for the correction of vertebral subluxation: a case series. CJA. 2018 June;46(2).

11. Holt K, Haavik H, Lun Lee A C, Murphy B, Elley CR. Effectiveness of chiropractic care to improve sensorimotor function associated with falls risk in older people: A randomised controlled trial. JMPT. 2016 May;39(4):267-78.

12. Grocholski M, Jordahl J. Treatment of wrist and metacarpal phalangeal joint effusion related to rheumatoid arthritis with therapeutic ultrasound: a case report. CJA. 2017;45(3):230-235.

13. Lewis K, Battaglia P. Differentiating bilateral symptomatic hand osteoarthritis from rheumatoid arthritis using sonography when clinical and radiographic features are nonspecific: a case report. J Chiropr Med. 2019 Mar;18(1):56-60.

14. Weigel P, Hockenberry J, Wolinsky F. Chiropractic use in the Medicare population: prevalence, patterns, and association with 1-year changes in health and satisfaction with care. JMPT. 2014 Oct;37(8):542-51.

15. Holt K, Haavik H, Lun Lee A C, Murphy B, Elley C R. Effectiveness of chiropractic care to improve sensorimotor function associated with falls risk in older people: a randomized controlled trial. JMPT. 2016 May;39(4):267-78.