Knowledge is power. In healthcare, that phrase is especially true. That's why we've put together some information of the most common, and not so common, problems our patients face. We invite you to browse our library and become a better informed, more knowledgeable patient.
Acupuncture is an alternative medicine methodology originating in ancient China that treats patients by manipulating thin, solid needles which have been inserted into acupuncture points in the skin.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized primarily by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone".
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. It is the displeasing feeling of fear and concern.
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints. There are over 100 different forms of arthritis.
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm.
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.
Back pain (also known as dorsalgia) is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine.
Carrying a heavy backpack can be a source of 'chronic, low-level trauma,'and can cause chronic shoulder, neck and back pain in children.
Nocturnal enuresis, commonly called bedwetting, is involuntary urination while asleep after the age at which bladder control usually occurs.
Bell's palsy is a form of facial paralysis resulting from a dysfunction of the cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) that results in the inability to control facial muscles on the affected side.
Cancer, known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a broad group of various diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement.
Chest pain may be a symptom of a number of serious conditions and is generally considered a medical emergency.
Throughout pregnancy, birth, and childhood, the chiropractic lifestyle offers choices and benefits for greater health and well-being.
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced
Substance dependence, commonly called drug addiction is defined as a drug user's compulsive need to use controlled substances in order to function normally.
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function.
Otitis, or ear infection, is a general term for inflammation or infection of the ear, in both humans and other animals.
Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your body and back may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety.
For the first time in the VA's history, veterans will be able to receive certified chiropractic care at 26 selected Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities.
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck.
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness (a state of health and well-being), and specific fitness (the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations).
If you suffer from a hearing loss, especially on the right side, you may want to consider chiropractic care; you may notice an improvement in your hearing almost immediately.
Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure, sometimes called arterial hypertension, is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated.
Chiropractic care is not just for adults and children. Infants can benefit from chiropractic care too!
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term.
Learning disability is a classification including several areas of functioning in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring.
Neck pain (or cervicalgia) is a common problem, with two-thirds of the population having neck pain at some point in their lives.
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body.
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease result from the death of dopamine-generating cells.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a collection of physical and emotional symptoms related to a woman's menstrual cycle. Medical definitions of PMS are limited to a consistent pattern of emotional and physical symptoms.
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute, viral, infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route.
During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrinological changes that occur in preparation for creating the environment for the developing baby.
Sciatica is a set of symptoms including pain that may be caused by general compression or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots that give rise to each sciatic nerve.
Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. The spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C", rather than a straight line.
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain".
An important advantage for seniors receiving chiropractic care is an increased range of motion in both the spine and limbs.
If you are having trouble sleeping at night, you are not alone. More than one-quarter of the U.S. population report they occasionally do not get enough sleep.
Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing (stenosis) of the spinal canal that may occur in any of the regions of the spine. This narrowing causes a restriction to the spinal cord, resulting in a neurological deficit.
Playing sports can cause all kinds of injuries for children as well as adults. Chiropractic care is critical to keep you on top of your game and performing at your best.
Contemplating surgery? It's a big decision. Chiropractic care is a non-invasive and safe alternative for some forms of surgery. Explore all your options before you commit to surgery.
TMJ is used to refer to a group of problems involving the temporomandibular joint and the muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and other tissues associated with them.
Vertigo (from the Latin vertō "a whirling or spinning movement") is a subtype of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary.
The visual system is the part of the central nervous system which enables organisms to process visual detail, as well as enabling several non-image forming photoresponse functions.
Whiplash is a non-medical term describing a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck associated with extension.
From the March 29, 2001 issue of the Miami Herald comes a story of how chiropractic care is helping those in a Miami drug addiction program. The story starts by explaining that patients in a residential drug-addiction program who received chiropractic care designed to realign their vertebrae completed the treatment program at a remarkable 100 percent rate.
Ninety-eight patients at Miami's Exodus drug-treatment program participated in the study that was featured in a Journal of Nature magazine called "Molecular Psychiatry". The study also reported that the patients involved in the study at the treatment center who received chiropractic care made fewer visits to a nurses' station and showed significant decreases in anxiety.
Dr. Jay Holder, medical director of the Exodus program and the chiropractor who conducted the study said, "Completing a 28- to 30-day program greatly enhances an addict's chances of staying clean, but nationally only 72 percent of participants make it all the way through such programs." Holder went on to say, "This correction of what chiropractors call subluxation results in a sense of well-being that allows patients to benefit more thoroughly from the group therapy and medical care of addiction treatment. "Chiropractic does not treat addiction -- it does not treat any disease,'' Holder said. "We're allowing those things that treat addiction to be embraced more thoroughly."
The participants were divided into three groups. One group got the regular regime of addiction care. The second group got "sham" adjustments, while the third group got actual chiropractic adjustments to correct subluxations. The group with the regular care and the sham chiropractic had a completion rate in the program of only 74% and 56%. The group that received the chiropractic care to correct subluxations showed a completion rate of 100%. The implications of completion of a drug treatment program are very important to preventing addicts from returning to drugs.
A new study from Italy published in the March issue of The Spine Journal, showed that chiropractic care was effective in helping patients with acute back pain and sciatica with disc protrusion. This randomized double-blind clinical trial involved 102 ambulatory patients with at least moderate pain or radiating pain, who had an MRI study showing disc protrusion.
The patients were divided into two groups. One group received chiropractic adjustments 5 days per week by experienced chiropractors, with a maximum of 20 visits. The second group received what the study termed, "simulated manipulations" in order to have a group for comparison to those receiving real chiropractic care.
The results showed that those who got the real chiropractic care improved significantly over the group that received the simulated manipulations. In the group that received the chiropractic care, 55% were free of radiating pain in the follow ups compared to 20% of patients who got the simulated manipulations. Additionally, when measuring local pain, 28% of those who received real chiropractic were free of local pain, versus only 6% of those who got the simulated manipulation.
The results also showed improvements in days of pain with the group that received the real care reporting 6 less days of pain than those in the simulated care group. In addition to these benefits the group with the real care reported using less medications to help with the pain as a result of the chiropractic care.
In this study none of the patients in either group had any adverse effects, and one from each group did report no results at all and were listed as "treatment failures". The researchers conclusions were, "Active manipulations have more effect than simulated manipulations on pain relief for acute back pain and sciatica with disc protrusion."
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wants to expand man’s exploration of space. What they also want is a chiropractic opinion on how spaceflight will affect the spines of the astronauts.
In a release dated August 2, 2012, and published in several news outlets, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) noted that NASA was addressing concerns about the heightened risk of musculoskeletal injuries threatening astronauts. To address these concerns, NASA conducted the Spinal Deconditioning Injury Risk Summit, in which chiropractic input was sought.
The F4CP release reported that "During the Summit, a multidisciplinary panel of experts addressed various issues including identifying impacting factors — such as microgravity exposure, flight weight and landing forces — and defining potential protection and prevention options. Going forward, NASA expects to develop and test new measures to counteract spinal deterioration in space crews, based on the panel's recommendations."
John Mayer, DC, PhD, a chiropractor from south Florida, participated on the panel and added input from a chiropractic perspective. He believes chiropractic represents advancement in prevention and protection protocols.
"Deconditioning — the breakdown of the spine's musculoskeletal support system — is a very common and serious condition occurring in astronauts," said Dr. Mayer, Lincoln College Endowed Chair in Biomechanical and Chiropractic Research, and associate professor, School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences at USF Health. "It is crucial that NASA continues to aggregate data and develop strategies to mitigate this problem. More times than not, this initial breakdown leads to other debilitating health concerns, such as disc herniation — an ailment space crews are five times more at risk for than average individuals."
"Possible options to enhance safety measures for astronauts can include everything from developing new equipment to altering spaceflight exercise procedures to new healthcare practices," says Dr. Mayer. "The use of an effective specialized musculoskeletal care, like chiropractic, may ultimately prove to be effective in reducing the incidence of injuries for individuals exposed to a variety of physical demands, such as astronauts."
The above is a direct quote from a headline that appeared in of all places, the November 17, 2005, Medical News Today. The article, also picked up by UPI news and several other sources, was reporting on a new study published in the October 2005 issue of the scientific journal, The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT).
In this study 2780 patients with mechanical low-back pain referred themselves to 60 doctors of chiropractic and 111 medical doctors. These cases were reviewed for effectiveness of care and for costs. One of the articles noted that back pain care in the United States alone is estimated to reach $48 billion this year, and, at any given time, 80 percent of the U.S. population suffers from back pain.
The results of the study showed several interesting facts. With regards to the outcomes, the study showed that both the acute and chronic patients showed better outcomes in pain and disability reduction and higher satisfaction with their care after undergoing chiropractic care, as compared to medical care.
The costs of the care for the medical and chiropractic showed different results depending on the usage. Without adding the costs of any over-the-counter drugs, hospitalization, or surgical costs, when you simply compared the costs of in-office chiropractic to in-office medical care, the chiropractic care was slightly more expensive. If you then add in the additional costs for any referrals made by the chiropractor or the medical doctor, the chiropractic care costs for chronic patients were then 16 percent lower than medical care costs.
The authors of the study, noting that the satisfaction for the chiropractic care was higher, and the overall total costs were lower, made a concluding statement urging more chiropractic utilization in the health care system. They stated, "With their mission to increase value and respond to patient preferences, health care organizations and policy makers need to reevaluate the appropriateness of chiropractic as a treatment option for low-back pain."
In a report from the Feb. 21, 2002Â PRNewswire comes a story of a national telephone survey conducted by Media General Research in December 2001, in which it was revealed that consumers rely most on chiropractic as the number one natural, non-drug choice for most pains and injuries. The survey found for example, that 42 percent of consumers have experienced back pain during the past year. The number one natural choice was chiropractic care. The study also found that of those patients who saw a chiropractor, 91 percent rated their care as "very" or "somewhat" effective.
The study also showed that while sixty percent of consumers said they would go to an MD if they experienced an injury causing pain to their back or neck, about 23 percent said they would go to a chiropractor. This number was more than physical therapists at 7 percent, massage therapists at 4 percent, and acupuncturists at only 1 percent.
While it is a common public belief to associate chiropractic with back and neck pain, the survey also showed another area that is becoming more recognized by the general public when it comes to choosing chiropractic care and that area is the care of headaches. Although using drugs is still the most commonly used treatment for those who had experienced headaches in the past year, the second most popular choice of care for headache sufferers was chiropractic care.
The report also noted that in 1998, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that chiropractic was the most frequently used drug-free treatment. Additionally the report mentioned that Chiropractic has been practiced in the United States for more than 100 years, and more than 3 million people visit one of the 60,000 chiropractors in the country every year.
Appearing in the March 2004 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, was a documented case study of a life changing case. The subject of the study was a previously healthy 17 year old who was involved in high school sports. On one particular occasion he was competing as a pole vaulter in a high school track meet when he had an accident in which he landed on his head from a height of 10 feet.
Immediately following the accident, the young man noticed the onset of neck pain focused at the base of his skull. In addition he started suffering from back pain, daily headaches, and migraine headaches approximately 3 times per week. He described his pain as an unbearable everyday occurrence. Additionally, several days after the accident he began experiencing 'blackouts' which were later diagnosed as petit mal seizures. These seizures continued to increase until he was experiencing them 4 times per day.
Things continued to get worse for the young man as during the first 6 months following the accident, he started experiencing the onset of depression. He described a complete loss of appetite, extreme lethargy, a lack of concern for himself, and an extremely erratic sleep cycle that often left him awake for several days followed by periods of 14 to 18 hours of sleep.
The patient and his mother reported that he consulted with approximately 24 practitioners during this time. Prescribed medications and therapies did not alleviate or reduce symptoms. To alleviate his pain and depression, he started using illegal drugs in an attempt to make himself feel better. After becoming addicted, his parents checked him into a drug rehabilitation program, which he completed.
It was after this long and horrifying 6 year period, that this young man sought chiropractic care from the chiropractor who authored the published study. An examination was performed and it was determined that the young man was suffering due to a subluxation in the upper neck. A course of corrective adjustments was begun to correct the subluxation and reduce nerve pressure.
The results as reported in the Journal was nothing short of life changing for the young man. After 1 month of care, the patient reported an absence of seizures and manic episodes and improved sleep patterns. After 4 months of care, seizures and manic episodes remained absent and migraine headaches were reduced from 3 per week to 2 per month. After 7 months of care, the patient reported the complete absence of symptoms. And eighteen months later, the patient remains asymptomatic. Needless to say, his life was changed!
A research journal, the "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" published a study that showed high levels of patient satisfaction for those who went to chiropractors with what was classified as severe to moderate pain in either the back or neck. A total of 369 patients were sampled who had gone to chiropractors with these problems. These individuals were asked to complete surveys tracking all kinds of information from the type and severity of their problem to their level of satisfaction with care.
The results showed a very positive response from the study group in both the results they felt and their overall level of satisfaction with their care. The results of the published study summed it up best; "Based on the results of this survey, it seems that patients suffering from back and or neck complaints experience chiropractic care as an effective means of resolving or ameliorating pain and functional impairments. Moreover, the patients surveyed demonstrated a high degree of satisfaction with the care they received. Numerous other studies have demonstrated that chiropractic is as effective, if not more effective than conventional medical management of such complaints."
A research journal, the "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" published a study that showed high levels of patient satisfaction for those who went to chiropractors with what was classified as severe to moderate pain in either the back or neck. A total of 369 patients were sampled who had gone to chiropractors with these problems. These individuals were asked to complete surveys tracking all kinds of information from the type and severity of their problem to their level of satisfaction with care.
The results showed a very positive response from the study group in both the results they felt and their overall level of satisfaction with their care. The results of the published study summed it up best; "Based on the results of this survey, it seems that patients suffering from back and or neck complaints experience chiropractic care as an effective means of resolving or ameliorating pain and functional impairments. Moreover, the patients surveyed demonstrated a high degree of satisfaction with the care they received. Numerous other studies have demonstrated that chiropractic is as effective, if not more effective than conventional medical management of such complaints."
A November 7, 2001 report on a study conducted by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association showed that a chiropractic technique known as the "Webster Breech Turning Technique" was statistically very successful in resolving breech pregnancies without medical procedures. A Breech pregnancy is when the baby is not properly positioned in the mother's womb near the date for delivery. If the baby is not positioned head-first, the delivery may be difficult or even dangerous for both the mother and child.
This chiropractic technique was created by the late Dr. Larry Webster, who was affectionately known as "The grandfather of chiropractic pediatrics." The study entailed surveying members of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, Inc. throughout the United States and Canada. The survey noted that there were a reported 112 cases of breech recorded by the chiropractors. Of these, the results were 102 positive resolutions. This means that in 102 of 112 cases the baby turned properly after the chiropractic procedure was performed. This represents a success rate of almost 92%!
The conclusions of this study clearly stated, "When successful, the Webster Technique avoids the costs and/or risks of either, ECV, cesarean section or vaginal trial of breech. In view of these findings the Webster Technique deserves serious consideration in the health care management of expectant mothers exhibiting adverse fetal presentation."
As more athletes discover the benefits of chiropractic care not only for injuries but additionally for increased performance, more athletes and teams are using chiropractic to gain an important edge. A recent study published in the March/April 2002 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, (JMPT) examined the usage of chiropractic care by National Football League teams throughout the US.
The Journal article reported on the results of a survey of NFL trainers on their usage and referral to chiropractic care. Participants of the survey were head athletic trainers of the 36 National Football League teams. They were all men, and all had at least 17 years of experience and had served with their present team in their current position for a minimum of 1 year.
The results of the survey showed that 45% percent of the trainers themselves have been treated by a chiropractor. Presently 31% of NFL teams use chiropractors in an official capacity as part of their staffs. However, even though not necessarily on the staff of the NFL team a full 77% of the trainers have referred to a chiropractor for evaluation or treatment. Probably the most telling result of the survey is that 100% of trainers agree that some players use chiropractic care without referral from team medical staff.
Several other questions were also asked in the survey and the answers were as follows:
Should trainers refer players with suspected spinal subluxations to chiropractors? - Five percent of trainers strongly agree, 48% agree, 24% disagree, and 19% have no opinion. Is there a role for the doctor of chiropractic in the NFL? - Eighty-one percent agree that there is a role for the chiropractor in the NFL, 5% strongly agree, 14% have no opinion, and none disagree.
Is the role of the sport chiropractor different from that of the team physician? - All (100%) of the trainers see these roles as different from each other. In addition to NFL players, many athletes from many sports depend on chiropractic care. One such athlete is John Stockton, a professional basketball player and future hall of famer with the Utah Jazz. In an April 2, 2002 article that appeared in the Toronto Star, writer Doug Smith asks and answers the question concerning John Stockton's longevity, "What is the secret to John Stockton's continued success on the NBA basketball court at age 40? A Good Chiropractor." When asked to explain his usage of chiropractic John's response was, "I'm not a good enough expert on what that (chiropractic) entails, but it's not just adjustments, it's balancing muscles and overall health." John then added, "it's been great for me, and for my family."
The article reports that along with chiropractic, Stockton says that a love for the game and fun with his family are two other secrets to his continued success.
An interesting article appeared on the March 1, 2006 CNN.com health website, that came from the CNN partner MedPageToday.com. The story is of a Chiropractor, Dr. William Morgan who is the first chiropractor to receive hospital privileges at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda Maryland.
The story starts of by saying, "When a Supreme Court justice is nursing an aching back or a senator has a crick in the neck, Dr. William Morgan is the man they may call for help." Dr. Morgan is not new to the military. His history noted that after high school, he joined the Navy where he received training as a hospital corpsman, He was assigned to a Marine Corps reconnaissance unit and a Navy special warfare unit.
After his time in the Navy, Morgan did not know what career to follow. That is where fate seemed to step in. The story notes that he found a career after he injured his back. "For months I tried traditional treatments and had no relief," he said. "Finally, when I could barely walk, I went to a chiropractor. I was 90 percent better in just a week."
His experience led him to attend chiropractic school and he received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree. After school he started his chiropractic career with a three-month missionary team in western Africa. He then practiced for 13 years in California when he heard that the National Naval Medical Center was looking for a chiropractor. He commented, "From my time in the Navy I knew that Bethesda was a world-class medical center and that working there would be something very special."
With his history in the military, and his desire to serve at Bethesda, Dr. Morgan packed up his family and moved to Maryland, where he became a contract employee of the U.S. Navy. Since then he has enjoyed his time of being the chiropractor to many government officials. Dr. Morgan concluded the article by saying, "I have the best job in the hospital and I get immediate gratification for what I do. When people come to me they are at the end of the line. They have tried everything and nothing worked. So, when I try something and it works, I am gratified."
Thomas Bjorn is a professional golfer from Denmark who made a bit of sports history at the 87th PGA Championship when he shot a round of 63 and tied the record for the lowest score in a major PGA tournament. However, this accomplishment of sports history and Bjorn's second place finish in the 2005 PGA Tournament might not have been possible without the chiropractic care Bjorn received during the practice rounds prior to the start of the tournament.
The August 15, 2005 Daily Record of New Jersey tells the story of how a local Morris County chiropractor can take at least partial credit for Thomas Bjorn's record-setting round Saturday at the PGA Championship. Dr. Patrick Ryan was seeing patients when he received a call from a colleague in London who was the chiropractor for Bjorn. Shortly after this Bjorn, drove straight to Ryan's practice in Randolph NJ, complaining of a restriction in his neck that kept him from turning his head properly in his swing. According to the Daily Record, Bjorn had been forced to stop practicing after six holes prior to the tournament because of pain in his neck that affected his swing.
Dr. Ryan performed scans on Bjorn and reviewed information from his London chiropractor and came to the conclusion that Bjorn was suffering from a subluxation of the first thoracic vertebra, the point where the head and shoulders meet. This created severe muscle spasm at the base of Bjorn's neck and prevented proper rotation.
Bjorn then received an adjustment, and asked to return the next day. On the following visit a new scan showed Bjorn's imbalance had improved from severe to mild. Bjorn reported that he felt terrific. On Saturday, Bjorn shot a 7-under-par 63. That score tied the record for the best round of golf ever in a major tournament. In interviews after the tournament, the Danish pro credited a new pain-free swing.
A feature story appearing in the June 30, 2005 edition of the Catonsville Times in Maryland celebrated the 10 year anniversary that a chiropractor had been helping the Baltimore Ravens Professional Football team. Ten years ago the Ravens came to town. At that time Dr. Doug Miller (right) started his relationship with the team that has lasted since then.
Dr. Miller became the team's chiropractor by contacting the Ravens shortly after their move from Cleveland and telling officials about the services he provided to other sports teams in the area. He was on the playing field when the Baltimore Ravens won the 2000 Superbowl. He can also be found in the locker room and on the field on most Sundays during football season.
Raven's trainer Bill Tessendorf, refers most of the players that Dr. Miller sees for chiropractic care. Tessendorf, who has 32 years of experience as an NFL trainer explained, "A player favoring a knee or an ankle can cause alignment problems elsewhere. A chiropractor can help with a lot of those issues."
Dr. Miller explained that chiropractic care still remains misunderstood. Most of his services are not necessarily related to the treatment of injuries. He explains, "It's not just about relieving pain from backaches and injuries," he said. "It's about achieving optimum health. We can do a lot to help with the conditioning of muscles and joints."
The article notes that presently almost every NFL team has a chiropractor on staff.
The above headline excerpt is from the June 10, 2006 "Giants Notebook" section of the San Francisco Chronicle. This story reports on Dr. Ron Mitchell, a chiropractor who travels with the San Francisco Giants baseball team as their team chiropractor. The story starts by noting that Dr. Mitchell loves to watch Bonds hit home runs and during Bond's recent chase of Babe Ruth's record, Mitchell would stop adjusting, and run outside to see Bonds at bat. (Photo by Agncia Brasil)
Dr. Mitchell is present at the games adjusting players. The story also notes that pitcher, Jason Schmidt, also loves to get adjusted and typically does so during the games to avoid the rush of other players who get adjusted before the games. Ironically, Dr. Mitchell missed both Barry Bonds' 715th and 716th home runs as he was in the clubhouse adjusting Schmidt.
The story noted that Jason Schmidt offered to halt the chiropractic session when Bonds was at bat chasing home run number 715, but Mitchell showed his dedication and responded, "No, let's do what we've got to do. Let's get you treated and get you ready."Â The article reported that a few pitches later Bonds hit his 715th home run. After missing seeing the historic home run Dr. Mitchell commented, "Schmidty looked and me and laughed, and I laughed, and we kind of blew it off and that was it."
It was a few days later when Dr. Mitchell was once again adjusting Jason Schmidt while Bonds was at bat that Bonds hit number 716. After this repeat performance all Dr. Mitchell could say was, "There goes the next one."
In typical baseball superstition, the players even joked about it saying that they were going to schedule Schmidt for an adjustment with Dr. Mitchell whenever the Giants are behind so that Bonds would hit a home run and win the game.
Even Barry Bonds himself found the situation amusing saying, "I'm going to have to get on the table with him." Jason Schmidt, however, felt bad having caused Dr. Mitchell to miss two historic sporting events. Schmidt commented, "I kind of felt bad. ... He takes a lot of pride on working on Barry, so I felt kind of bad he wasn't able to be out there at the time. He's been out there so many times, and it's like, it's not going to happen this time, so let's take our chances."