Wax On, Wax Off; for Lasting Adjustments

Everyone remembers the iconic film, Karate Kid, which engendered the classic trope- wax on,
wax off. This phrase is injected into discussions with patients routinely because it works. It puts
flesh on the bones of a concept which is crucial to one our most important clinical objectives
which is to graduate from simply getting adjusted to finding lasting adjustments: staying adjusted. A graduation it is as it
marks a point when a patient being managed rises above a regular pattern of treatment to be
pronounced PRN- patient request as necessary.

Finding Lasting Relief

This is by no means the only ingredient of success for patients under care. Bones and joints,
muscles and tendons, fascial issues and strength imbalances all amount to the nuts and bolts of
treatment. Lasting adjustments also demands organizational success.

Everyone remembers the first time you tried to ride a bicycle. You wobbled, wiggled and
wrangled until you managed to get it going. The next time you got on that bike you just jumped
on and went! How? Crucial to our motor function is an organ situated immediately behind your
brain; the cerebellum. You could never organize the muscle function necessary to even brush
your teeth without cerebellar control.  For good and for bad, the cerebellum doesn’t stop
programming once you learn a skill. It’s constantly at work doing many things to include
reprogramming our motor patterns to compensate for our failing frames. As joint motion and
muscle strength/balance decline your cerebellum remaps your motor function to allow you to
keep going, which is clearly wonderful when capacities are lost.

The Factor Preventing Lasting Adjustments

Unfortunately, wrong has now become right organizationally. We’ve had people who adjusted
very well but never held the adjustment. Their bodies had learned dysfunctional behavior,
posture and patterns. The beauty and value of the chiropractic process is in staying adjusted;
taking what you worked and paid for in the chiropractor’s office, taking it home and making it
your own.

We look forward to being part of your journey to health, longevity and quality of life.