Get in touch
LOCATION
88 Cornelia Street West,
Unit A3,
Smiths Falls ON
K7A 5K9.
HOURS
Alternating Tuesdays 12pm to 3pm
Wednesday 10am to 12:30pm
and 2pm to 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am to 1:30pm
Saturday 9am to 12:30pm
Services We Provide
Dr. Bernicky’s extensive education allows her to expand her practice beyond a typical “Smiths Falls Chiropractor”. The following is a shortlist of chiropractic treatments and services provided at Ease Family Chiropractic in Smiths Falls. There is a lot more going on here than just neck and back pain relief! Dr. Bernicky continues to further her education to serve the needs of her practice members best.
Chiropractic joint manipulation, commonly referred to as “adjusting” or “an adjustment” is used to release restricted joints in the spine and other extremities. By applying an adjustment to a restricted joint, either manually or with an instrument, the joint regains motion that would be otherwise unattainable using only exercise or posture correction.
The body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, and maintaining proper musculoskeletal health is vital during this time. Studies have shown that pregnant women who receive chiropractic care during pregnancy have less pain and even shorter labour times than those who do not. Dr. Bernicky is a BIRTHFIT Leader in the area, helping pregnant women to continue safe activity during their pregnancy, for their health and their baby’s health. However, care does not need to stop once the baby is born! Prolonged labour, compound hands, breech babies, forceps or vacuum-assisted births, Cesarean section, and a host of other birth scenarios – even an unmedicated, vaginal birth – can lead to musculoskeletal pain or dysfunction in you or your baby. Chiropractic care is safe for infants and can help your little one latch on pain-free!
Adjustments are delivered in office. Practice members are encouraged to help themselves by participating in their care through various rehabilitative exercises at home.
Dr. Bernicky has observed that practice members who are active participants in their care and show up for their adjustments tend to have better outcomes and are more satisfied with their care.
Each practice member will undergo a gait analysis and functional screens to determine the root cause of dysfunction or pain.
While different for infants and children, all practice members go through individual analysis. Children need to develop functional movement patterns. The way we learn to move from birth establishes all of our movement patterns.
A thorough examination can determine if your child’s patterns are functional and give more information as to whether they are reaching their milestones.
Dr. Bernicky uses a chiropractic evaluation to assess pediatric practice members. With that information, Dr. Bernicky can determine a treatment plan for your child to ensure that they are as healthy and functional as possible.
Robin McKenzie was a physical therapist who spent his career dedicated to treating patients suffering from discogenic pain.
Patients who suffer from disc-related pain tend to have both movement and function loss due to pain and physical barriers related to disc protrusion or herniations.
When the centre portion of a vertebral disc is under too much pressure, it bulges through the cracks in the disc’s outer part, resulting in pain. If this bulge puts pressure on the nerves surrounding the disc, it can cause radiating pain down to the hands and feet.
If left untreated, this can eventually lead to loss of muscle strength and tone.
Utilizing the McKenzie Diagnosis and treatment approach, practice members learn self-treatment protocols for returning to function.
Nerve mobilization or “flossing” is a technique where practitioners can help practice members achieve a full, pain-free range of motion by eliminating adhesions or “sticky spots” along the course of a nerve.
If nerves are unable to glide without obstruction, the result is pain, tingling, or loss of function. By utilizing various nerve mobilization techniques, Dr. Bernicky can help alleviate the pain associated with entrapped nerves and assist practice members returning to pain-free movement.
When a muscle, tendon, or ligament is too tight, painful, or does not function well, Dr. Bernicky will use a soft tissue technique to help enhance care.
Dr. Bernicky has training in various soft tissue techniques:
- Active Release Technique (ART),
- Graston technique (GT),
- Gua Sha
- Lymphatics.
ART involves breaking up adhesions present in soft tissues by having the practice members go through various motions while the doctor applies specific pressure to the area receiving care.
GT uses instruments rather than hands to apply pressure to break up adhesions.
Gua Sha is also an instrument-assisted soft tissue technique to improve function.
Inserting fine needles into the skin as a therapeutic technique utilized to treat musculoskeletal issues.
Dr. Bernicky uses solid, thin, monofilament single-use needles to insert into the soft tissues to alleviate pain and improve function.
It is a gentle and effective technique; once placed, the needles are left in for 15-30 minutes. Dr. Bernicky has observed rapid and long-lasting results using this technique in her practice.
While the standard Canadian diet is very pro-inflammatory, Dr. Natalie promotes an anti-inflammatory diet to her practice members.
Inflammation is a crucial contributor to pain and an essential factor in most health conditions affecting the population today (cancer, diabetes, heart disease etc.).
Educating practice members on proper diet choices and providing supplement recommendations where appropriate can ensure long-lasting results concerning pain and also give a nutritional basis for a healthier, active lifestyle.
In addition to hands-on therapy, Dr. Bernicky also recommends taking on a more embodied approach to self-care, including meditation.
Dr. Bernicky has long been a Ten Percent Happier app user and highly recommends it as an additional stress management tool. The benefits of meditation are huge and extend well beyond yourself. Who knows, you just might like it!
For more information about the chiropractic and additional treatments we provide at Ease Family Chiropractic, contact us today.
