(208) 888-6077
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3085 E Magic View Dr Suite #180
Meridian, Idaho 83642
Schedule Appointment
Meridian, Idaho 83642
At Gonstead Spine & Wellness in Meridian, Idaho, we take a full body approach to improving your health.
Our method consists of three pillars—segment, posture, movement.
Watch this video, where Dr. Todd explains why all three have to be addressed if you want to get to the root cause of your problem.
Click the links below to scroll to its section!
First off, the role of a chiropractor is to detect and correct spinal misalignments, also known as subluxations.
Dr. Clarence Gonstead developed a system of how to systematically detect and correct these subluxations. With his system, he was able to help patients with a variety of health conditions, where other medical and chiropractic methods routinely came up short.
These steps involve being able to see and examine the surface of the patient’s spine.
As you can imagine, this would be very difficult to accomplish through layers of clothing, this would be like going to a foot doctor and having them analyze your foot through your shoe!
This is one of the reasons that a Gonstead clinic is setup in such a way that the doctor is able to assess the patient with a “skin on skin” approach. This involves a comfortable customized gown that opens in the back to enable the doctor to see the surface of the spine.
Now the second thing that makes this technique so different, is the adjustment.
While some chiropractors talk about a spinal “manipulation,” a Gonstead chiropractor takes great care to perform a specific segmental adjustment.
The Gonstead System is a system of analysis AND adjusting. It is a two-step process. An examination and spinal analysis must always be performed before adjusting the spine. We tell our patients that part of the purpose of their appointment is to have their spine checked to see if they need to be adjusted.
This is KEY.
If you don’t fully understand the problem, how can you fix it?
The system of analysis uses the following tools:
Involves looking at one’s posture, and also being able to observe any changes to the skin, musculature, or contour of the spine. The patient is dressed in a comfortable customized gown that opens in the back to expose the surface of the spine.
Involves the use of a handheld instrument that measures temperature on each side of the spine. This instrument is guided down the length of your back and it feels like two fingers touching your skin. Readings from this instrument provide another piece of information to the clinician as to exactly where the patient’s problem exists, as well as WHEN it is appropriate to or not to adjust the patient. The instrument is adjustable to fit any size spine, from newborn to eldery.
The process of feeling the tissues surrounding the spine by hand. Palpation can reveal swelling around the spine, abnormal muscle tone, and other signs that help the doctor determine exactly where a problem could lie. This also is very difficult to accurately perform through a layer of clothing, another reason for our unique setup, to enable a precise evaluation, every visit.
The process of feeling the spine while the patient is moving or bending to determine how easily or difficult each segment in your spine is moving in various directions.
We offer two types of x-ray imaging: static x-ray and digital motion x-ray. Static X-Rays provide a still image of the body, allowing us to assess the structure and alignment of bones and joints. This type of x-ray is useful for identifying abnormalities or misalignments in a stationary position.
On the other hand, Digital motion X-Rays capture real-time movement, giving us a dynamic view of how the joints and bones move in different directions. This advanced imaging technique is particularly helpful in detecting issues that may only appear during movement, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanical function and any problems that need correction.
By combining both static and digital motion x-rays, we can develop a more precise and tailored approach to addressing your specific needs.
While today there are thousands of Gonstead Chiropractors throughout the world, it is important to note, that throughout the entire Chiropractic profession, practitioners that practice the complete Gonstead System make up fewer than 5% of the total.
A complete utilization of the Gonstead System means that the doctor follows all of the steps mentioned above.
So, that’s the process of the analysis. This is done on every visit. As a skilled Gonstead Chiropractor becomes more familiar with their patient, this entire process takes less than a minute.
There are several Gonstead Chiropractors in Idaho, however Dr. Todd Pickman is the only Gonstead Diplomate in the state, having demonstrated his clinical competency and having completed rigorous training to become proficient in this method.
Chiropractic is not limited to just the bones of the spine. Dr. Todd is skilled in adjusting hips, knees, ankles, toes, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers.
CBP Corrective Care is the most evidence-based, researched method of spinal correction within our profession.
After 8 years into practice of exclusively using the Gonstead Method to help his patients, Dr. Todd discovered Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP). Like most doctors out there, Dr. Todd had never heard about this system before. This was not taught in his school (or most schools for that matter). Since Dr. Todd was a student in Chiropractic college, this system has developed tremendously since its inception over 40 years ago.
Dr. Todd immediately began to implement this system into his practice (when he was practicing in New Mexico) and was able to help provide lasting relief and correct difficult cases that Dr. Todd was unable to achieve with adjusting alone.
There is no replacement for a skilled set of hands — being able to detect AND adjust subluxations. CBP offers an additional “missing piece” to this health care puzzle through a combination of precise:
In a true CBP Corrective Care practice, when a patient is going through care, x-rays are taken initially to precisely measure and analyze to see if one’s spine is “within normal limits” compared to an ideal model. If a patient is a candidate for CBP Corrective Care, a specific treatment plan will be designed, and at various intervals of care, comparative x-rays will be obtained to gauge progress and measure the objective changes.
Corrective exercises are performed to rehabilitate the spine and posture back into a more neutral, healthy position. We describe postural correction as the “glue” that holds the adjustments in place. Oftentimes when a patient only gains short-term relief from their Chiropractic adjustments, a larger postural problem exists that has never been addressed. We believe in correcting the cause of the problem for lasting results!
Dr. Todd Pickman completed over 400 hours of CBP seminar training. He presented these concepts to a gathering of his peers at the 2013 Gonstead Clinical Studies Society “Meeting of the Minds” at Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa.
Functional Movement is a healthy pattern of motions every single human being SHOULD be able to perform.
For example, when bending over to pick up an object, certain joints in the body should have proper mobility as they move together with certain muscles. This all requires a level of flexibility and stability as you lower yourself to pick up the object, in addition to standing upright again.
To maintain a healthy functional body, prevent injury and joints breaking down — assure your body movements are functional to maintain a healthy and functional body that will last a long lifetime.
We have a revolutionary Functional Movement Assessment, where in less than 10 minutes, our therapist can analyze the health of your movement patterns so that she can begin to develop corrective approaches to get your body to a healthier, pain-free state!
Here’s an example of one of the most basic and important functional movements:
Dr. Todd Pickman is Functional Movement Screen Certified.
Dr. Todd Pickman is Selective Functional Movement Assessment Certified.
Dr. Todd Pickman is Functional Movement Taping Certified.
Dr. Todd Pickman is StrongFirst SFG II Kettlebell Certified
Describe what you are dealing with, and we’ll let you know the best steps to find the cause and help you recover.
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