At the Whyte Avenue Chiropractic and Wellness Centre, we invite you to:

• enjoy the benefits of reduced pain and maximized physical function and well-being
• learn about spinal health in a professional but non-intimidating, stress-free, and caring environment
• choose the most comfortable combination of traditional chiropractic care and the newer impulse instrument adjustment method, which delivers gentle, focused adjustments without the "twisting" or "cracking" that may be involved in traditional hands-on chiropractic care
• feel empowered to make informed health care choices for yourself or your family

Low Back Pain?

New medical practice guidelines recommend spinal manipulation (chiropractic adjustment) as the only non-drug first line option with proven benefits for acute low back pain, which comprises 80-90% of all incidents of low back pain. Spinal manipulation for low back pain is much safer than commonly used over-the-counter and prescription drugs

For low back pain lasting more than 4 weeks, medical practice guidelines recommend rehabilitation and exercise therapy, spinal manipulation, massage therapy, and acupuncture. All these services are provided at our clinic and may be part of your comprehensive treatment plan.

See the new guidelines for low back pain from The American College of Physicians and The American Pain Society.

Did you know? The US Consumer Reports Health Rating Center surveyed over 14,000 people to determine their preferred method of care for back pain. According to results reported in May 2009, chiropractic was the top-rated treatment method. 59% of those surveyed chose chiropractic, ranking it higher than physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, or care from an M.D., physician specialist, or primary care physician.

Neck Pain?

			Chiropractic treatment is covered under many private and workplace health-insurance plans. Chiropractic is a WCB-approved method of treating spinal and back pain. Your insurance covers chiropractic care if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident.

The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and its Associated Disorders has released its report. This is the most authoritative report to date on neck pain and stands to influence healthcare systems internationally. The report concludes that neck manipulation and mobilization are found to be safe, effective, and appropriate treatments for people with disabling neck pain.

Other treatments that have been found effective include education, exercise, massage therapy, and acupuncture. All these services are available in our clinic, and may be part of your individualized treatment plan.

Read more about the 7 year Task Force on Neck Pain.

Neck Adjustments?

Our chiropractic clinic offers non-forceful therapeutic alternatives to manual neck adjustments when such alternatives are indicated or requested. Patients may choose low force instrument (neuromechanical impulse) manipulation of the neck as an effective alternative to manual neck rotation. Patient requests to avoid the neck in treatment are respected. (Read about the safety of neck adjustments.)

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

Chiropractic is an effective treatment for many kinds of injury-related or chronic pain, including:

• back pain, neck pain, and headache
• shoulder and other upper-body joint pain
• knee, hip, and leg pain
• foot pain

Patients usually experience relief within the first 1-2 weeks of treatment. Typically, your doctor will recommend a two-week trial basis of care. Based on the results seen during that time, your doctor may recommend a treatment plan, which will generally involve 6-12 treatments over a 6-week period. In long-standing, chronic conditions, or in cases of more serious injury, treatment plans may be longer.

Once out of pain, many patients choose chiropractic preventive and maintenance care. The way we walk, sit, work, and sleep are affected by gravity, and the spine bears much of this stress. For some people, chiropractic treatment is like a regular physical tune-up to deal with the daily wear and tear of life.

Our patients enjoy a professional but non-intimidating, stress-free, and caring environment where they can learn about spinal health and feel empowered to make informed health care choices for themselves or their families.

What Will a Chiropractor Do?


Your body is designed for motion. Improper joint motion in the spine or body leads to changes such as strain or sprain, muscle spasm, scar tissue formation, joint shortening, pain, disc injury, and damage to joint cartilage (arthritis). Your chiropractor is trained to use skillful adjustments to restore joint function and reduce pain.

Maximum chiropractic benefit is attained when joint function is maintained through all phases of healing. Preventive stretching and strengthening exercises (rehabilitation) may be prescribed to maintain proper function during and following treatment.

Related treatments such as ultrasound therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, myofascial release, and ice/heat may also be used, depending on your individualized treatment plan. Dr. Christopher Brodeur and Dr. Mana Azizi also provide anatomical acupuncture as an adjunct to chiropractic adjustments.

What To Expect At The First Visit

Your first visit will include an assessment and treatment.

During your first visit, your chiropractor will want to know about your current complaint and health history. Your chiropractor will diagnose your condition using a variety of techniques, which may include physical examination, orthopedic and neurological testing, examination of your spinal muscle tone and symmetry with surface electromyography, examination of posture and range of motion, and direct palpation of spinal joint movement. In some cases, X-rays (covered by Alberta Health Care) may be ordered. Less often, your chiropractor may recommend more advanced imaging. When indicated, your chiropractor may order bone scans and bone density scans (covered by Alberta Health Care) or private MRI and CT scans (not covered by Alberta Health Care).

About Our Services

Chiropractic Adjustments
The central component of chiropractic treatment is the chiropractic adjustment. The adjustment, also know as spinal manipulation, is a specific and controlled pressure that reduces spinal joint motion restrictions, decreases pain, aligns the spine, and reduces muscle spasm. This procedure is believed to be over 4000 years old.

A relatively new method of delivering chiropractic care is the impulse adjustment instrument. The instrument, a small device controlled by micro-computer circuitry, produces a controlled force that can be precisely delivered to different areas of the body. In contrast to traditional hands-on methods, patients simply feel a light tapping sensation in the area being treated. This adjustment method eliminates the "twisting" and "cracking" motions involved in traditional chiropractic, making it ideal for seniors and those with increased physical fragility. In most cases, the treatment is painless, and after adjustment many patients feel relief of pain and improved mobility.

Custom Foot Orthotics
If you suffer from chronic back pain, leg pain, or foot pain, it could be a result of improper lower-body alignment. Your chiropractor may assess your foot biomechanics and, if necessary, recommend custom orthotics (shoe inserts). Orthotics will reposition and realign your hips, knees, and feet, relieving the strain on your lower limbs and back. In assessing each person's orthotic needs, our clinic uses both dynamic computerized gait-scan technology and static foam casting techniques. Custom orthotics are covered by many private insurance plans.

Soft Tissue Therapy and Active Muscle Treatment
Active Muscle Treatment is a movement-based muscle release technique used to treat soft tissue and restore proper muscle and joint motion. Your chiropractor may use Active Muscle Treatment and/or myofascial release (focussed massage) to provide long-lasting relief from headache, backache, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, knee pain, shin splints, and other painful conditions that stem from overuse or restricted motion.

Active Rehabilitation
Active rehabilitation uses gentle exercises to help people recover from injury and restore their capacity for free, easy motion. Your chiropractor may design a supervised program that will meet your specific needs.

MULTI-LEVEL WELLNESS APPROACH

Whyte Avenue Chiropractic & Wellness Centre is a multi-service wellness centre that focuses on providing Edmonton area residents with natural wellness alternatives and resources for healthy living. Our group of qualified, dedicated wellness practitioners takes pride in providing clients with the best possible wellness care. Click for more information about our other wellness practitioners and their services.