Learn More About Our Services:
Instrument Aided Muscle Mobilization
Gait Analysis and Orthotic Therapy
The Sports Clinic @ Ducat Chiropractic & Wellness Center
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can you fit Chiropractic into your busy schedule?
- Is Chiropractic care affordable?
- What will my first visit be like?
- The Research Behind Chiropractic Medicine
- Why use Complementary and Alternative Medicine?
- Commonly Treated Conditions
Can you fit Chiropractic into your busy lifestyle?
We have convenient office hours available so you can choose which time best suits your lifestyle. Our minimum-wait scheduling allows us to respect your time and busy schedule. There’s no overbooking or tight scheduling.
Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 10:00am-12:30pm & 3:00pm-7:00pm
Tuesday & Thursday: 3:00pm-7:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am-12:00pm Massage Therapy Only
Is Chiropractic care affordable?
Our services are covered at “in-network” rates by most major insurance carriers. If you do not have insurance or are underinsured, we work with you to keep costs within your reach. We’re within the network of Aetna, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Cigna, Medicare, PHCS, Unicare, and United Health Care. If you have a HMO plan, please bring your referral with you to your first appointment.
What will my first visit be like?
Our doctors will take you through one of the most complete evaluations you will ever experience. After talking with you about your concerns, they will give you a series of movement-based tests that will allow them to compare your performance to others in your age and gender.
Based on your goals and expectations, in addition to her findings, Drs. Ducat and Campione will determine the cause of your problem by pinpointing where you are tight, weak and deconditioned. They will also be able to tell you which parts of your body have been affected by trying to make up for the incorrect movements and develop a personalized course of treatment to put your body back into correct alignment.
The Research Behind Chiropractic Medicine
The popularity of chiropractic is at an all-time high.
According to the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (2005), chiropractic is the nation’s third largest primary health care profession, surpassed in number only by practitioners of medicine and dentistry. There are approximately 69,000 active chiropractic licenses in the United States alone, with many more throughout the world.
Chiropractors undergo vigorous education and training.
Before becoming a board-certified chiropractor, a student must complete a minimum of 90 credits of undergraduate coursework in the sciences and then complete a five-year, 4,860 hour chiropractic program at one of the 16 accredited institutions in the United States.
Chiropractic care is very effective for treating musculoskeletal conditions.
Several studies of neck, back and shoulder girdle pain showed greater improvement in pain and functional disability in patients that received chiropractic care versus traditional medicine.
- Bergman et al (2004) stated that more patients in the manipulative therapy group (chiropractic) reported full recovery or very large improvements from shoulder girdle injuries than those in the medical only group.
- 72% of chiropractic patients rated their treatment as “very helpful” for pain in more than one area in comparison with 19% of medical patients in the journal Spine (2003).
- Nyiendo et al (2000) reported that patients with chronic low-back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction at one month than patients treated by family physicians.
Chiropractors as first contact physicians is a cost-effective solution.
Manual therapy or spinal manipulation is more effective and is one-third the cost for treating neck pain than physical therapy or care by a general practitioner as reported by Korthals-de Bos et al, (2003) British Medical Journal.
Why use Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?
CAM is a broad term that describes therapies which fall outside the traditional medical model in the United States. Instead of treating disease through pharmaceutical and surgical methods, CAM seeks to prevent illness through practical lifestyle changes and assists the body in the healing process through drug-free and non-invasive methods. Although some patients still require traditional medicine, many have found that they can live healthier lives by utilizing CAM for many common health conditions.
What is Chiropractic Medicine?
History
Chiropractic is the largest and highly regulated form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the United States. Spinal manipulation or “adjustments” were discovered by David D. Palmer in 1895 and have been safely used for over a century to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.
The Purpose
The purpose of an adjustment is to restore muscular balance to a joint that is not moving correctly or causing pain. This imbalance in the muscles surrounding a joint is sometimes called “dysfunction” or “fixation”. If the imbalance in the joint is significant enough, it can even cause nerve injury in the area.
Thorough Examination
First, we analyze your spine. This usually involves a case history, examination and possibly x-ray pictures of your spine. We may have you turn and bend to feel how your joints move. We may also check your posture, alignment, balance and leg lengths.
The Adjustment
With the dysfunction of one or more joints identified, a specific manual thrust is administered. The direction, speed, depth and angle that we use is the result of experience, practice and a thorough understanding of body mechanics. Sometimes, the energy delivered during the thrust produces a slight “popping” sound from shifting gas and fluids in the joint. This sound is not an indicator of the value or effectiveness of the adjustment. While improving spinal biomechanics can reduce pain, virtually all joints of the body can be adjusted to help restore proper range of motion.
After Your First Adjustment
It is normal to feel anywhere from slightly sore to entirely pain-free after your first adjustment. Your body has been through a dramatic alignment change and may take some time to relax. For minor discomfort, we suggest taking a hot shower or using an ice pack on the area. However, if your pain becomes severe or unusual, please call our office or receive emergency medical attention.
What is Medical Acupuncture?
History
Acupuncture, simply stated, is a health science which is used to successfully treat both pain and dysfunction in the body.
Acupuncture has its roots deeply planted in China. In fact, authorities agree the science is between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. Its use spread throughout ancient Egypt, the Middle East, the Roman Empire and later into Western Europe as merchants and missionaries to China told of the amazing discoveries the people of the Orient had developed. Acupuncture did not become known on a national level in the U.S. until 1971 when diplomatic relations between China and America were relaxed.
How does it work?
At first glimpse, Acupuncture appears strange, as its primary notoriety is the utilization of needles placed in the skin at various locations to relieve pain or affect a body part.
Early Chinese physicians discovered there is an energy network traversing just below the surface of the skin which communicates from the exterior to the internal organs and structures at over 1,000 “Acupoints” on the body. This energy works in harmony with the body’s circulatory, nervous, muscular, digestive, genitourinary and all other systems of the body. When this vital energy becomes blocked or weakened, an effect in a body system or anatomic location becomes evident. Stimulation of one or a combination of key “Acupoints” on the body may restore harmony to the afflicted area.
Historians have stated, “More people have benefited from Acupuncture over the course of fifty centuries than the combined total of all other healing sciences, both ancient and modern.”
Does it hurt?
One would assume inserting a needle into the skin would be painful since must of us can relate to being stuck with a pin or having a hypodermic injection. However, four Acupuncture needles can easily be inserted into the hollow tube of a hypodermic needle. Because of the extreme slenderness of the needle, most people compare the sensations “less than a mosquito bite.” Needles are generally inserted and the patient relaxes for about 15-20 minutes before they are removed.
What is Physical Therapy?
Rehabilitation, or physical therapy, has been used in a variety of settings from re-educating patients after amputation to prevention of sports injuries to recovery from common musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain. When combined with chiropractic and acupuncture, rehabilitation is very powerful in the healing process by stabilizing the painful area and taking pressure off inflamed joints.
Which came first?
Most musculoskeletal conditions are accompanied with muscle weakness and/or hypertonicity. It is difficult to tell which came first, the injury or the muscle imbalance, but the end result is the same: poor biomechanics in the affected body part. If you treat the pain without fixing the biomechanics, there is a great likelihood of relapse.
Integrating Rehabilitation into Chiropractic and Acupuncture
During your treatment, the doctors will use a variety of techniques derived from chiropractic, acupuncture and rehabilitation. Many patients start their treatment with electrical stimulation and myofascial release to decrease muscle spasm and pain. As the patient progresses, they may also start a program of active rehabilitation over 4-6 weeks that helps re-educate their movement by using “core muscles” instead of overloading their joints.
Rehabilitation Helps Patients Become More Independent
After completing a rehabilitation program, patients are equipped with the stretches and exercises to perform at home that will help them stay pain-free and in proper alignment with fewer chiropractic adjustments. The “core muscles” of the body that are strengthened during rehabilitation act as a sling of support around the spine, supporting it and protecting it from injury.
Adopting a New Lifestyle
Rehabilitation is only the beginning of your new healthy lifestyle. It is important to start an aerobic exercise program as well as maintaining your exercises at home. Many patients find it valuable to take classes in Yoga or Pilates to keep their bodies on track.
What is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy is an excellent compliment to chiropractic, medical acupuncture and rehabilitation because it treats the muscular tension caused by stress, injury or degenerative conditions. Massage therapists must be licensed in the State of Illinois and have completed coursework in anatomy, physiology as well as massage therapy techniques.
Physical and Mental Benefits of Massage Therapy
- relaxes the whole body
- loosens tight muscles
- relieves tired and aching muscles
- increases flexibility and range of motion
- diminishes chronic pain
- calms the nervous system
- lowers blood pressure
- lowers heart rate
- enhances skin tone
- assists in recovery from injuries and illness
- strengthens the immune system
- reduces tension headaches
- reduces mental stress
- improves concentration
- promotes restful sleep
- aids in mental relaxation
Our massage therapist, Ms. Paulette Koch, received her massage therapy certification at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard IL (Dr. Ducat’s alma mater). She is experienced in several techniques including Swedish relaxation, deep tissue, myofascial release and pre-natal massage.
At Ducat Chiropractic & Wellness Center, is never an “upcharge” for specific techniques and your session is designed around your needs. Health insurance does not cover massage therapy at this time and payment must be made by the patient. You can pay for your massage using your Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Accounts. Gift certificates are available.
Massage Therapy Hours
Monday-Friday 5:00pm-8:00pm
Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm
Commonly Treated Conditions
- Headaches and Migraines
- TMJ Dysfunction (Jaw Pain)
- Neck and Shoulder Blade Pain
- Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and other Nerve Compression Injuries
- Elbow Pain (Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow)
- Carpal Tunnel and Hand Tendonitis
- Low Back Pain
- Spinal Disc Injuries (Degeneration, Bulge, Herniation, “Slipped Discs”)
- Sciatica
- Hip and Groin Pain
- Knee Injuries (Chondromalacia Patellae, Patellofemoral Tracking Disorder, Meniscus Tears)
- Ankle and Foot Pain (Plantar Fascitis, Bunions, Metatarsalgia, Neuromas)
Kinesiotaping
The Kinesio Taping Method has taken the Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine world by storm. Developed by Dr. Kenzo Kase nearly 25 years ago in Japan, Kinesio Taping has become the gold standard for therapeutic rehabilitative taping. The proprietary method of taping uses a uniquely designed and patented tape for treatment of muscular disorders and lymphedema reduction.
The Kinesio Taping Method involves taping over and around muscles in order to assist and give support or to prevent over-contraction. The first technique gives the practitioner the opportunity to actually give support while maintaining full range of motion, enabling the individual to participate in physical activity with functional assistance. The second technique helps prevent overuse or over-contraction and helps provide facilitation of lymph flow 24 hours per day.
Dr. Erin Ducat is a Certified Kinesiotape Practitioner had is proficient in using the Kinesiotape Technique for hundreds of applications from head to toe. For more information, go to www.kinesiotaping.com
Instrument Aided Muscle Mobilization
Many chronic injuries form 
layers of scar tissue along muscles and tendons which prevent the body from fully healing. The first step in treating these chronic injuries is to break up the scar tissue and allow the muscles to regenerate with proper flexibility. Tough to treat areas that do not respond to traditional massage or stripping may show better results when using a tool to increase blood flow to the area such as Gua Sha (traditional Chinese tools) or Graston Technique (stainless steel tools).
Drs. Erin Ducat and John Campione has been instructed in the proper use of the Graston tools and also utilizes the Gua Sha Chinese tools in their practice. Common conditions that require this technique are chronic neck muscle knots, rotator cuff syndrome, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ITB syndrome, patellofemoral tracking syndrome, shin splints and chronic ankle sprains.
Gait Analysis and Orthotic Therapy
Lack of proper care, ill-fitting shoes and general foot neglect are responsible for the majority of foot problems.
It’s important to understand your feet have direct impact on the rest of your body and support you with each step. A small abnormality in foot function can have a large impact on joints higher up in the body, causing pain and discomfort.
When you are running, the pressure on your feet can be three or four times your body weight. Even walking can produce more pressure than the sum of your body weight. The American Podiatric Medical Association says that the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. That adds up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime or more than four times the circumference of the globe. That is a lot of walking with ill-fitting shoes or painful feet!!
In some cases foot ailments can be an early signal of more serious medical problems like arthritis or diabetes. Women have four times as many foot problems as men because they have a long history of wearing high heels and/or pointy toe shoes. Orthotics and proper shoe fit are very important aspects of foot health. Remember if you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your ankles, knees or hip joints ….the direct cause may be the function of your feet or ill-fitting shoes.
Dr. Erin Ducat has been trained in the diagnosis of foot disorders and gait analysis. She utilizes the state-of-the-art technology of the TOG Gaitscan during her patient evaluation process to determine if the patient’s feet are affecting their current condition.