Pain might be the reason people walk through our doors. But health is why they stay. Think of your body like a finely tuned instrument. When one part’s out of balance, say posture, stress, poor sleep, the whole system starts to sound a little off key.
 
Holistic health is about bringing that sound back into harmony. At our practice, we look beyond the quick fix and consider how your movement, nutrition, stress, and recovery all interact. That’s what whole person care means. Seeing all the pieces working together, body, mind, and lifestyle, not just chasing symptoms.
 
When the spine and nervous system function well, people often notice better sleep, focus, energy, and mood. Small daily choices. How you move, how you eat, how you breathe, create those shifts. This isn’t about perfection, it’s about momentum. Each positive change nudges your system toward balance and resilience. So the goal of holistic healthcare isn’t just feeling better. It’s living better. More energy for work and play, fewer setbacks, more confidence in your own body. And that’s what we love helping people do. Your nervous system is the master communication network of your body. It influences everything from how you move to how you heal.
 
Here at Sprouting Health we look at the bigger picture—muscles, movement, stress and lifestyle.
When those systems are in harmony, the body isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving.
 
 

1. Thomas P. et al. Whole person care domains for therapeutic and healthcare design, 2018.
2. US National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, whole person health overview, accessed 2025. Chiropractic and Manual Therapies.
3. Hartvigsen, J., Hancock, M. J., Kongsted, A., Louw, et al., 2018. “What Low Back Pain Is and Why We Need to Pay Attention,” The Lancet, 391.10.137. p 2356-2357doi:10.1016

Most people first come to see us because they’re in pain. Back pain, neck pain, headaches, you name it. But what if pain relief is just step one?
 
Your nervous system is the master communication network of your body. It influences everything from how you move to how you heal.
 
Chiropractic care supports healthy spinal function and kinesiology looks at the bigger picture—muscles, movement, stress and lifestyle.
When those systems are in harmony, the body isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving.
 
Testing the muscles lets us know how patent specific nerve pathways are functioning. We can give you instant feedback on where your body function is right now. Example there is a very clear connection between gut function and low back muscle behaviour that we see in practice.
 
Imagine waking up with energy. Moving without that nagging tightness and having the freedom to say yes to the things you love. That’s the bigger picture. Health isn’t just about getting out of pain. It’s about giving your body the best chance to live fully.
 

1. Bialosky, J. E., Bishop, M. D., Price, D. D., Robinson, M. E. & George, S. Z. 2009. “The Mechanisms of Manual Therapy in the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Pain: A Comprehensive Model,” Manual Therapy, pages 531-538 doi:10.1016
2. Hartvigsen, J., Hancock, M. J., Kongsted, A., Louw, et al., 2018. “What Low Back Pain Is and Why We Need to Pay Attention,” The Lancet, 391.10.137. p 2356-2357doi:10.1016
3. World Health Organization. 2022, February 8th. Musculoskeletal Conditions. Retrieved from who.int.

Have you ever wondered why a tiny paper cut can sting for hours, yet an elite athlete can finish a game with a serious injury before realizing anything is wrong?
 
Pain doesn’t always equal damage. Pain is your body’s protective alarm system. It’s designed to alert you to potential threats, not to provide a precise readout of tissue damage. That’s why small things can hurt a lot and bigger issues sometimes fly under the radar.
 
Research has shown that many people with no back pain at all will have disc bulges or age-related changes on MRI. This is the same when looking at knee and MRI damages. People can have a lot of degeneration and no or little pain.
 
These findings are often just normal parts of aging and don’t necessarily explain pain.
 
So, what does influence pain? A lot of things, really. Sleep, Stress, past injuries, activity levels, general health, even your emotional state (this is why we do NET – read our other blogs about this). All of these can dial your alarm system up or down.
 
That’s why a thorough assessment matters. Rather than focusing only on where it hurts, we look at why it might hurt. Movement patterns, muscle function, lifestyle factors, and overall health.
 
For many people, recovery includes education, appropriate movement and exercise, healthy habits, and where clinically appropriate, hands-on care like chiropractic and kinesiology testing.
 
The encouraging message is that pain does not automatically mean your body is badly damaged. Understanding how pain works can reduce fear and help you move forward with more confidence. If you’re dealing with ongoing pain or have questions about what your body’s telling you, we’re here to help.
 
References:

1. IASP definition of pain 2020
2. Lancet series on low back pain, 2018
3. AJNR systematic review of spinal imaging in asymptomatic populations, 2015

We get a lot of people visiting our practice with Shoulder Pain. For many people with shoulder pain it is hard to know what to do, there seems to be many options….
Read on to check out one simple test to see if you have a problem that we may be able to help manage. Recent studies show that management should focus on prevention and early intervention in shoulder complaints (1).
Here is a simple tests you can do with someone else to see if we might be able to help manage your shoulder. It is called speeds test. Speeds test is traditionally used to detect an injury to the long head of the biceps (1). We also use a modified form of this test to determine if there is scapular (shoulder blade) instability. Simple stand with your arm outstretched in front of your body with your palm up. Have someone push very gently down on the arm just above the wrist. If the arm can hold against the pressure the test is a pass. If the arm cannot hold against resistance (or there is pain) there is a good chance you have either a biceps issue or scapular instability. This can indicate irritation or injury to the suprascapular nerve. A mechanism of suprascapular nerve injury is traction (2), this happens when there is scapular instability. Mechanical stretching of the nerve will weaken certain muscles (we check for these) and this can cause shoulder issues and pain. If this is the case we can help out with you management. There are lots of other causes of issues and we will screen for these.
The shoulder is the most flexible joint in your body, and given the number of everyday activities it's involved in—from brushing your hair to reaching up into the cupboard—it's easy to see why shoulder pain is something you'd want to get to the bottom of right away. Without free movement, often you struggle to do the things you love. Recent research has demonstrated the most problematic areas are placing objects on a high shelf, washing one's back and carrying heavy objects (1).
Your shoulder joints move every time you move your arms. These bones are held together by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body. Because of this mobility, the shoulder is more likely to be injured or cause problems. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which lies over the top of the shoulder, is also easily injured.
​ There are many different types of Shoulder Issues and most are diagnosed by history and presenting factors. ​There are lots of reasons why you might have shoulder pain, there are also many different symptoms with shoulder pain. Here at Sprouting Health Chiropractic and Kinesiology we will help identify why you have the pain, then we will develop a game plan specific to you, to help you manage your recovery.
We isolate the major muscles and do very specific strength testing on these muscles to ascertain where the problem is. We also do stability tests and range of motion testing to work out if the shoulder problem is stemming from somewhere else (eg the neck). We then go about balancing the joints that support the shoulder and the shoulder joint itself. We use natural and gentle means to help manage your recovery.
References

1. Ostor, A.J.K., Richards, C.A., Prevost, A.T., Speed, C.A. and Hazleman, B.L., 2005. Diagnosis and relation to general health of shoulder disorders presenting to primary care. Rheumatology, 44(6), pp.800-805.
2. Safran, M.R., 2004. Nerve injury about the shoulder in athletes, part 1: suprascapular nerve and axillary nerve. The American journal of sports medicine, 32(3), pp.803-819.

We often get asked this in our practice and while we tailor our management and treatment specifically to every patient including babies, toddlers, children, adolescents, adults, the elderly and pregnant mums of all gestational ages, studies have confirmed that chiropractic care is safe for both mum and babies during pregnancy[1],[2].
 
Many changes are occurring in pregnant mums as they are growing their baby and can include many physical changes, hormonal changes and emotional stressors.  Aside from that, approximately 75% of pregnant mum’s report suffering from back or pelvic pain[3].   One study on 115 pregnant women found that there was a 70% improvement in pain within 1 month of being under chiropractic care[4].
 
Chiropractic adjustments also help relax pelvic floor muscle at rest which may also help increase the likelihood of having a natural vaginal delivery.  Another study conducted showed that new mums experienced on average a 25% reduction in labour time when under chiropractic care through pregnancy and this rose to 31% reduction in labour time for mothers who were under care and also given birth previously[5]. However, these were small studies and require further investigation.
 
So if you are pregnant or know somebody who is that is experiencing back or pelvic pain, we would love to see if we can help in managing their pain and help them enjoy the magical experience of their pregnancy and birth.


[1] Stuber, K. J., Wynd, S., & Weis, C. A. (2012). Adverse events from spinal manipulation in the pregnant and postpartum periods: a critical review of the literature. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 20, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-709X-20-8

[2] Borggren C. L. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 6(2), 70–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcme.2007.04.004
 

[3] Malmqvist, S., Kjaermann, I., Andersen, K., Økland, I., Brønnick, K., & Larsen, J. P. (2012). Prevalence of low back and pelvic pain during pregnancy in a Norwegian population. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 35(4), 272-278.
 

[4] Peterson, C. K., Mühlemann, D., & Humphreys, B. K. (2014). Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 22(1), 15.
 

[5] Borggren, C. L. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 6(2), 70-74.
 


[1] Stuber, K. J., Wynd, S., & Weis, C. A. (2012). Adverse events from spinal manipulation in the pregnant and postpartum periods: a critical review of the literature. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 20, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-709X-20-8
[2] Borggren C. L. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 6(2), 70–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcme.2007.04.004
 
[3] Malmqvist, S., Kjaermann, I., Andersen, K., Økland, I., Brønnick, K., & Larsen, J. P. (2012). Prevalence of low back and pelvic pain during pregnancy in a Norwegian population. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 35(4), 272-278.
 
[4] Peterson, C. K., Mühlemann, D., & Humphreys, B. K. (2014). Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 22(1), 15.
 
[5] Borggren, C. L. (2007). Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 6(2), 70-74.

Neck pain is ranked as the fourth most common cause of disability worldwide, with an annual prevalence exceeding 30% (1). Acute neck pain may occur suddenly and progress rapidly, which may result in severe pain and detrimental effects on a person’s well-being (2). Do you or a loved one experience acute neck pain? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you.

“Between 1990 and 2019, the global incidence of neck pain increased by 71.89%” (3)
 
The neck being a flexible structure that supports the weight of the head is susceptible to pain and restricted movement, with approximately half of the affected individuals with acute neck pain continue to experience chronic or episodic pain (4,5). Routine activities which involve stretching, loading and particularly twisting increases the likelihood of developing neck pain (2,6,7). Common sources for presenting symptoms include the cervical discs, facet joints and nerve roots, however, any innervated structure may account for pain (8,9). Neck pain imposes a financial burden, with associated high treatment costs, reduced productivity, work-related challenges for employees and overall quality of life (10). Can chiropractic care help with the management of acute neck pain?

There is recent research literature, where they did a systematic review and meta-analysis, 8 randomised controlled trials where 965 patients were looked at. They were investigating the efficacy and safety of spinal manipulative therapy in the management of acute neck pain. It was found that among the research, spinal manipulative therapy was better than the control group in reducing pain and improving cervical range of motion in all measured aspects. There was also a significant reduction in disability scores. No adverse events were also reported (11). So the evidence supports the use of spinal manipulative therapy as a safe and effective intervention for reducing pain, improving cervical range of motion and decreasing disability for patients with acute neck pain (11). Though more studies and larger sample groups would further help substantiate these findings, the evidence so far is quite positive.
 
If you want to find out if chiropractic may help manage acute neck pain for you or your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.
 
“Getting onto problems earlier is vital in getting the best outcome with healing and recovery”
 
 
 
 
1. Cohen SP. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of neck pain. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90(2):284–99.
2. Vernon HT, Humphreys BK, Hagino CA. A systematic review of conserva- tive treatments for acute neck pain not due to whiplash. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2005;28(6):443–8.
3. Cheng, S., Cao, J., Hou, L., Li, S., Sun, W., Shan, S., Zhao, J., Yao, L., Li, X., He, B. and Song, P., 2024. Temporal trends and projections in the global burden of neck pain: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Pain, 165(12), pp.2804-2813.
4. Blanpied PR, Gross AR, Elliott JM, Devaney LL, Clewley D, Walton DM, Sparks C, Robertson EK. Neck Pain: Revision 2017. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(7):A1-a83.
5. Liao LR, Pan HH, Diao YX, Xie Y, Liao MX, Xie YH. Reliability of shear-wave elastography in assessing the stiffness of the nuchal fascia and the thick- ness of upper cervical muscles. Med Eng Phys. 2023;120: 104039.
6. Maher CG. Natural course of acute neck and low back pain in the general population: the HUNT study. Pain. 2013;154(8):1480–1.
7. Vos CJ, Verhagen AP, Passchier J, Koes BW. Clinical course and prognostic factors in acute neck pain: an inception cohort study in general practice. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass). 2008;9(5):572–80.
8. Hage, R., Roussel, N., Dierick, F., Da Natividade, J., Jones, M. and Fourré, A., 2024. Rethinking neck-related arm pain: hypothetical clinical scenarios to differentiate the underlying IASP-defined pain mechanisms. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 32(4), pp.378-389.
9. Kapitza, C., Luedtke, K., Komenda, M., Kiefhaber, M., Schmid, A.B., Ballenberger, N. and Tampin, B., 2023. Inter-and intra-rater-reliability of a clinical framework for spine-related neck-arm pain. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 67, p.102853.
10. Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, Amiri P, Pourfathi H, Araj-Khodaei M, Sullman MJM, Kolahi AA, Safiri S. Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23(1):26.
11. Diao, Y., Liu, Y., Pan, J., Chen, J., Pan, J., Liao, M., Liu, H. and Liao, L., 2025. Efficacy and safety of spinal manipulative therapy in the management of acute neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews, 14(1), p.97.
 

​As the weather cools down and respiratory viruses become more common, many people start looking for ways to support their immune system. While there is unfortunately no single food that will prevent colds or influenza, eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet helps the immune system function effectively (Calder 2013). Bone broth is becoming a very popular option as a nourishing winter staple.
Bone broth is made by slowly simmering animal bones (commonly beef or chicken) and connective tissues with vegetables, herbs and other pantry staples. The process extracts nutrients like collagen, gelatin, amino acids (like glycine, proline and glutamine) and minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. The exact nutrient content varies depending on ingredients and the cooking time (Matar et al, 2025). These nutrients may help support gut health, contribute to hydration, provide electrolytes and supply amino acids involved in the maintenance and repair of connective tissues (Matar et al. 2025).
Our immune systems function best when they are adequately supported through healthy lifestyle habits including good nutrition, regular exercise, quality sleep and stress management (Calder, 2013). Good nutrition plays an essential role in maintaining immune function, as undernutrition can impair immune defences and increase susceptibility to infection. Emerging research suggests that nutrients found in bone broth, particularly amino acids such as glycine and glutamine, may help support gut barrier integrity and intestinal function. However further human studies are needed to confirm these effects (Matar et al., 2025)
While bone broth is not a miracle cure or substitute for a health lifestyle, it can be a nourishing addition to your winter diet. Combined with regular exercise, quality sleep and a balanced diet, it may help support your body’s normal immune function and overall wellbeing.
References:
Calder PC. Feeding the immune system. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2013;72(3):299-309. doi:10.1017/S0029665113001286
Matar A, Abdelnaem N, Camilleri M. Bone Broth Benefits: How Its Nutrients Fortify Gut Barrier in Health and Disease. Dig Dis Sci. 2025 Jun;70(6):1951-1961. doi: 10.1007/s10620-025-08997-x. Epub 2025 Apr 3. PMID: 40180691.

We get a lot of people visiting our practice with Shoulder Pain. For many people with shoulder pain it is hard to know what to do, there seems to be many options….
Read on to check out one simple test to see if you have a problem that we may be able to help manage.
Recent studies show that management should focus on prevention and early intervention in shoulder complaints (1).
When you have Shoulder pain you feel irritated and frustrated, it is hard to move and pick things up, let alone exercise. It becomes hard to think clearly and to truly enjoy life when your activities are limited.. Yoga, golf, simply picking up a shopping bag or hugging your child becomes difficult!! Recent research has demonstrated the most problematic areas are placing objects on a high shelf, washing one's back and carrying heavy objects (1).
The shoulder is the most flexible joint in your body, and given the number of everyday activities it's involved in—from brushing your hair to reaching up into the cupboard—it's easy to see why shoulder pain is something you'd want to get to the bottom of right away. Without free movement, often you struggle to do the things you love.
Your shoulder joints move every time you move your arms. These bones are held together by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body. Because of this mobility, the shoulder is more likely to be injured or cause problems. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which lies over the top of the shoulder, is also easily injured.
​ There are many different types of Shoulder Issues and most are diagnosed by history and presenting factors. ​There are lots of reasons why you might have shoulder pain, there are also many different symptoms with shoulder pain. Here at Sprouting Health Chiropractic we will help identify why you have the pain, then we will develop a game plan specific to you, to help you manage your recovery. We isolate the major muscles and do very specific strength testing on these muscles to ascertain where the problem is. We also do stability tests and range of motion testing to work out if the shoulder problem is stemming from somewhere else (eg the neck). We then go about balancing the joints that support the shoulder and the shoulder joint itself.
We use natural and gentle means to help manage your recovery.
Here is a simple tests you can do with someone else to see if we might be able to help manage your shoulder.
It is called speeds test. Speeds test is traditionally used to detect an injury to the long head of the biceps (1). We also use a modified form of this test to determine if there is scapular (shoulder blade) instability. Simple stand with your arm outstretched in front of your body with your palm up. Have someone push gently down on the arm just above the wrist. If the arm can hold against the pressure the test is a pass. If the arm cannot hold against resistance (or there is pain) there is a good chance you have either a biceps issue or scapular instability. This can indicate irritation or injury to the suprascapular nerve. A mechanism of suprascapular nerve injury is traction (2), this happens when there is scapular instability. Mechanical stretching of the nerve will weaken certain muscles (we check for these) and this can cause shoulder issues and pain. If this is the case we can help out with you management. There are lots of other causes of issues and we will screen for these.
References

1. Ostor, A.J.K., Richards, C.A., Prevost, A.T., Speed, C.A. and Hazleman, B.L., 2005. Diagnosis and relation to general health of shoulder disorders presenting to primary care. Rheumatology, 44(6), pp.800-805.
2. Safran, M.R., 2004. Nerve injury about the shoulder in athletes, part 1: suprascapular nerve and axillary nerve. The American journal of sports medicine, 32(3), pp.803-819.

​Do you or have you ever suffered with any type of symptoms?
Early SYMPTOM recognition, APPROPRIATE interpretation and relevant ACTION is the key to great health. – Jeremy Thomas (DC)
Read the three Important Points Below about Symptoms.

1. Symptoms accumulate and in turn cause other symptoms often that seem unrelated….

Interestingly in a study Neck pain of Grade 3-4 was strongly associated with low back pain, headaches, cardiovascular disorders and digestive disorders (4). As an example look at  Low Back Pain research - As well as significantly affecting activity participation, LBP is frequently associated with co-morbidities such as depression, with rates 2.5 times those in people without LBP (1).

1. Symptoms experienced if mismatched with expectations can lead to huge consequence….

Looking at heart attack symptoms: The most common symptoms expected by patients with myocardial infarction were central chest pain (76%), radiating arm or shoulder pain (34%), and collapse (26%). The most common symptoms experienced were sweats or feeling feverish (78%), chest pain (64%), and arm, shoulder, or radiating pain (66%). A mismatch between symptoms experienced and those expected occurred in 58% of patients, and was associated with delay in reaching hospital (2). It is VERY important in this case to know appropriate symptoms and act accordingly!

1. Covering up a Problem Flat Out Does Not Work As A Long Term Solution!

While not as obviously urgent, other symptoms in the body are an indicator that something is going on. The analogy of the smoke alarm comes to mind when discussing symptoms.
If a smoke alarm were beeping, would you simply cut its power source or take the batteries out? A better solution is to find the source of the smoke and deal with it!
As we have discussed before in other blogs The latest Guidelines recommend nonpharmacological (non drug) care  as the first treatment option and reserves pharmacological care for patients for whom nonpharmacological care has not worked in Low back pain (3). Basically DO not use Surgery or Drugs as a first line effort for low back pain is the latest advice.
If you have early health symptoms – get checked out.

1. NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation. Management of people with acute low back pain: model of care. Chatswood; NSW Health; 2016. 39 p
2. Horne R, James D, Petrie K, et al Patients' interpretation of symptoms as a cause of delay in reaching hospital during acute myocardial infarction Heart 2000;83:388-393.
3. Foster NE, Anema JR, Cherkin D. Et Al. Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. Lancet. 2018 Jun 9;391(10137):2368-2383
4. Côté P, Cassidy JD, Carroll L. The factors associated with neck pain and its related disability in the Saskatchewan population. Spine. 2000 May;25(9):1109-17.