What is the end impact of just looking after a part of our body; of just strengthening a muscle to facilitate healing from injury?
Why did that area become injured in the first place?
I have had clients in the past tell me that they have had to have a hip or a knee replacement. I get it. People put their bodies through the ringer. Bodies that are designed to survive around 120 years with no guarantee or warranty. With medicine these days, it is wonderful, having spare parts for a body designed with more precision than the best car money can buy.
When these people tell me that they need a hip or knee replacement, I ask them what their doctor told then as to the reason behind the replacement. Inevitable the answer is “because I am getting old”.
And my reply is always the same. Tongue in cheek I will reply, “so you are getting both hips/ knees replaced then?”
Stunned silence, then “No, just the one. Why do you ask?”
“Because both of your hips/ knees are the same age. If your problem was due to age, then wouldn’t it make sense that both would be replaced at the same time?”
Yep, a black sheep thinking in a white sheep’s world of medical intervention. It is much like this. Let’s say that the front right tyre of your car is ‘scrubbing’. That is, it does not line up correctly and eventually there will be wearing on the inside (say) of the tyre. You take it to the tyre shop and say that the front right tyre only is wearing and that you need to replace that tyre.
The salesman comes back to you and mentions that the scrubbing is due to misalignment of the tyres and not only does the tyre need to be replaced, the wheels need to be aligned otherwise they will continue to scrub and unevenly wear.
What do you do? Do you trust the ‘salesman’ and pay extra to realign the tyres, or do you just get the new tyre fitted? Of course you can see the logic behind what the salesman says, but you are in a hurry. Your insurance does not cover wear and tear, the scrubbing and misalignment is not really irritating, or having an effect upon you now so you just get the new tyre fitted and drive off.
Fourteen months later you are back at the tyre shop. This new tyre that your salesman sold you must be soft. It has worn our quicker and even before the old tyres. Added to this you are now not getting the same kilometres per litre and you are having to pay more for fuel.
Again the same scenario at your tyre shop. Again the salesman tries to ‘upsell’ a wheel alignment with your now more expensive, firmer tyre.
Again you decline. You have just shelled out more money for this firmer tyre, and after all, your insurance does not cover wear and tear, the scrubbing and misalignment is not really irritating, or having an effect upon you now so you just get the new tyre fitted and drive off
A few months down the track a rattle starts in the car under the hood. You drive on it for a few weeks, then it becomes more frequent and then louder. I must book that car in for a service you think. A few more weeks go by and finally you have had enough. The rattle is doing your head in.
Everyone is looking at you in the street. By the way, how this usually pans out, it is your wife who tells you to stop complaining and go do something about it. This is after months of her harping and harping. Actually it is her who books the car in and tells you to go!
Your mechanic looks at the car and says that your car will be off the road for a number of weeks. You say, but it is only a worn tyre and a rattle. He looks back to you, asks you to follow him, and shows you the damage to the undercarriage, the suspension, axle, and to the engine bay… all due to a misaligned tyre.
What if something had been done years ago?
Back to the hips and knee. If the problems had been solely due to age, wouldn’t it make sense that both would be replaced at the same time? What if there was an imbalance in the body creating uneven wear and tear? What if this problem could have been addressed years ago?
Chiropractic care addresses to person, not just the part.
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