» Services

Chiropractic

Muscle Medicine is a groundbreaking approach to a lifetime of fitness.

Muscle and joint injuries are not just for sports superstars anymore. Back, shoulder, hip, and knee problems impact more of us than ever before, sometimes making even routine activities seem impossible. Now, two of America's top experts on muscle and joint health have teamed up to create a program that anyone can easily follow to feel great.

Muscle Medicine offers:

- A self-treatment, stretch, and strength regimen for the body's major trouble spots
- A nutrition program to give muscles and joints the healthy fuel they need for top performance
- Dozens of illustrated exercises for fitness, injury prevention, and recovery
- Advice about when surgery is necessary and what to ask a doctor in any consultation

Care for your body and enjoy a pain-free, active life, no matter what your age and activity level!

 

F.A.S.T: Facilitated Active Stretch Technique

We’ve modified ideas from a number of muscle therapies to create a new manual technique that you can do yourself. We call our self-treatment technique F.A.S.T.™, for Facilitated Active Stretch Technique tm. In simplest terms, you are using an external pressure - your fingers, a ball, a stick—to “pin” the muscle near a tight, restricted area. In a conventional stretch, most of the tension builds up at the end of the muscle at its junction with the tendon. When you pin a muscle, you replace the natural endpoint of the stretch with one you define. While maintaining this pin with external pressure, you take the muscle through a range of motion, putting the targeted muscle fibers under tension.

This allows you to focus your stretch at the area of tightness or damage. You can effectively control which part of the muscle you stretch, which makes your stretch versatile and therapeutic rather than unspecific. (For example, bring the back of your open hand toward your body as if you’re signaling “stop” and bend your elbow. With the thumb of the other hand pointing in toward the body, apply pressure down and in on the meaty, top part of the forearm muscle. While maintaining pressure, make a fist and curl it down, then straighten the elbow. You've just done a F.A.S.T. tm stretch to relieve the wrist extensor muscles that can tense up from too many hours at the keyboard).

Rob DeStefano et al, Muscle Medicine (New York, NY: Fireside, 2009) 74.

 

Active Release Technique (A.R.T.)

Active release techniques was developed specifically to deal with muscle and fascial injury and dysfunction. The use and abuse of the human body can damage muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves.   In response, your body tries to repair the damaged area.  The build-up of scar tissue over time results in the formation of fibrous adhesions, which prevent muscles and joints from moving freely.  These adhesions can often entrap a nerve or refer pain to other parts of the body.

 

Treatment

Active release technique can be used effectively to evaluate the function of the muscles, fasciae, tendons, ligaments and nerves surrounding the affected area.  Dysfunctional or abnormal tissues are then treated by the application of proper tension to the dysfunctional area with specific motion. (ActiveRelease.com)

The process involves the following protocol:

  • Evaluate involved region/s;
  • Treat involved structures, by reducing contraction and tension in the muscles, and helping to restore proper movement and function. The body has it's own ability to heal, and ART can help facilitate that;
  • Provide home care instruction;
  • Re-evaluate patient's progress after 6-8 treatments.

If the patient's examinations reveal that the individual has a structural issue - such as a tear of the labrum - then other diagnostic tools, including conservative treatments, are utilized to determine if the patient could be a surgical candidate, or would benefit by a complimentary treatment.

Who can benefit from Chiropractic and Active Release Technique?

  • Athletes- for injury prevention, peak performance, a safer workout & quicker recovery from injury;
  • Children- experience a drug-free approach to health;
  • Pregnant woman & infants- for a more comfortable pregnancy & for a healthier baby;
  • The elderly- for more energy and mobility;
  • Office workers- sedentary workers who often suffer from headaches, neck, shoulder, TMJ & wrist problems;
  • Families- to help the entire family get healthy and stay healthy!
 

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit the permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. They restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Their patients include accident victims, and individuals with disabling conditions such as low-back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and cerebral palsy.

Therapists examine patients’ medical histories and then test and measure the patients’ strength, range of motion, balance and coordination, posture, muscle performance, respiration, and motor function. Next, physical therapists develop plans describing a treatment strategy and its anticipated outcome.

Treatment often includes exercise, especially for patients who have been immobilized or who lack flexibility, strength, or endurance. Physical therapists encourage patients to use their muscles to increase their flexibility and range of motion. More advanced exercises focus on improving strength, balance, coordination, and endurance. The goal is to improve how an individual functions at work and at home.

Physical therapists also use electrical stimulation, hot packs or cold compresses, and ultrasound to relieve pain and reduce swelling. They may use traction or deep-tissue massage to relieve pain and improve circulation and flexibility. Therapists also teach patients to use assistive and adaptive devices, such as crutches, prostheses, and wheelchairs. They also may show patients how to do exercises at home to expedite their recovery.

As treatment continues, physical therapists document the patient’s progress, conduct periodic examinations, and modify treatments when necessary.

Physical therapists often consult and practice with a variety of other professionals, such as physicians, chiropractors, dentists, nurses, educators, social workers, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists.

Some physical therapists treat a wide range of ailments; others specialize in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics, sports medicine, neurology, and cardiopulmonary physical therapy.

 

Massage

If you are committed to a healthy lifestyle but are feeling wound up and run down, Massage Therapy can help you to dramatically reverse the damaging effects of stress by:

  • It's a great adjunct to the doctor's work: to prepare for treatment before, or to help integrate it afterwards.
  • increasing your circulation, therefore supplying more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles;
  • lowering anxiety levels;
  • giving you a sense of well being;
  • relaxing tight muscles;
  • releasing endorphins, the body's own natural pain killers.

Let massage relax your body and quiet your mind.

 

Exercise and Stretch Home Care

Dr. DeStefano has spent the last 25 years developing a very specific program of self treatment, stretch and strength exercises. These revolutionary home care procedures have been compiled and are available in Muscle Medicine, available 9.15.09. These are the same recommendations that are given to patients in our clinics everyday.

Every patient goes through 3 stages of care.

  • Pain Relief
  • Corrective Care
  • Home care instruction

These are very specific to each patient's condition.

 

Insurance Assistance

NY OFFICE: The DeStefano Chiropractic Billing office will always make the time to discuss our policies with you. Although we are currently non-participating providers, we will gladly submit all claims, including any notes, reports or dictations to your insurance company for you, and they will then compensate you directly. In New York, payment is required at the time of service, but we make it easy to keep your accounts up to date by accepting different forms of payment. Please call the office and ask for the billing personnel if you ever have a question or a concern.

NJ OFFICE: The DeStefano Chiropractic & Associates New Jersey Billing Department makes it our priority to assist patients with their insurance, claims, co-insurance, and Customer Service needs. We are here to assure that your treatment success will not be burdened by the stress of insurance confusion. Although we do not participate with any insurance payers, except Empire Medicare, Auto No-Fault, and Workmen's Compensation, we work with you to assure a smooth submission and payment process, and have many programs available if financial assistance is necessary. Billing personnel is available during most office hours to meet with you personally to further discuss your individual needs.