English
The word comes from the Greek cheir (hand) and praxis (practice): treatment by hand. Chiropractors complete a five year university degree, usually in the UK, with a strong focus on anatomy, neurology, orthopaedics and radiology, and are trained to diagnose independently. In the Netherlands, chiropractors are listed in the SCN or SNRC register and organised in the NCA or the DCF. All chiropractors at MoveWell are registered. Worldwide, chiropractic is one of the largest health professions after medicine and dentistry; in the Netherlands it is a small, specialised field.
Chiropractic care in Hilversum: what it is and how we work
Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on the spine, the joints and the nervous system. At MoveWell, university trained chiropractors combine precise adjustments with specialised treatment tables, muscle techniques and exercises. This page explains what chiropractic care involves, what happens during your first visit and how our three phase treatment plan works.
What is chiropractic?
How a chiropractor looks at your complaint
Pain is often the result of a joint that no longer moves well. A stiff segment in the spine changes the way the surrounding muscles and nerves work, and the joints above and below start to compensate. A neck complaint can therefore start in the upper back; leg pain can start in the lower back or hip.
The chiropractor examines the whole musculoskeletal system: posture, movement of the spine and joints, muscle strength, reflexes and sensation. Only then do we decide which technique suits your complaint.
The techniques we use
Adjustments and mobilisation
A short, precise impulse restores movement in a joint that is stuck; the click you sometimes hear is gas releasing from the joint. Slow, controlled mobilisation is used for older patients, children and painful acute phases.
Specialised treatment tables
Our tables move with you, so the chiropractor can mobilise a segment without force. For disc problems we use a dedicated decompression table that gently unloads the disc.
Muscles, exercises and advice
Trigger point therapy, stretching and instrument assisted techniques, followed by exercises and posture advice so the result lasts. Where useful, a physiotherapist joins the plan.
Your first visit, step by step
1. Conversation: your complaint, your history, what you have tried. 2. Examination: posture, movement, strength, reflexes and sensation; we look at MRI or X ray reports you bring. 3. Explanation: what we found, in plain language. 4. Plan: what we will do, how many visits we expect and what you can do yourself. 5. Treatment: in most cases we start the same day. If chiropractic is not the right choice for you, we tell you and point you to the right place.
The three phase treatment plan
1. Mobilise
Restore movement and reduce pain with chiropractic techniques, muscle relaxation and gentle home exercises. For most complaints this is the first two to six visits.
2. Stabilise
Train the small muscles that hold the spine and joints in place. MoveWell has dedicated equipment with sensors that let you train the back very precisely, even if it is fragile.
3. Function
Return to daily life, work and sport with the right exercises and posture habits, so the complaint does not return. Many patients continue in our medical fitness centre.
Chiropractic or physiotherapy?
Chiropractor
Spine and joints. Restores movement with adjustments and mobilisation. Typically the first step for back pain, neck pain, herniated discs and headaches from the neck.
Physiotherapist
Muscles, movement and rehabilitation. Exercise therapy, manual therapy, dry needling, shockwave and training. Typically the next step, or the first step for muscle and tendon problems.
Both, in one plan
At MoveWell we choose per complaint, and we switch when the examination tells us to. You never have to start again somewhere else. Physiotherapy at MoveWell.
Our chiropractors
Frequently asked questions about chiropractic care
Is a chiropractic adjustment safe?
Yes, when performed by a registered chiropractor after a proper examination. Serious complications are extremely rare. Mild soreness for a day after the first treatments is normal. We adapt the technique to your age and condition and use gentle mobilisation where needed.
Does chiropractic treatment hurt?
Rarely. Most patients describe an adjustment as a quick, light pressure followed by relief. Acute, very painful complaints are treated with gentle techniques and the decompression table first.
How many treatments will I need?
That depends on the complaint and how long you have had it. After the first examination the chiropractor gives you an estimate; a recent, simple complaint often needs two to six visits. We review the plan at every visit.
What is the difference between a chiropractor and a manual therapist?
Both work by hand. A chiropractor has a five year university degree dedicated to the spine and joints; a manual therapist is a physiotherapist with a further specialisation. MoveWell has both and chooses per complaint.
Can children and pregnant women be treated?
Yes. We use adapted examination and treatment techniques for children and babies, and our tables allow comfortable treatment during pregnancy.
Chiropractic care for Hilversum and the Gooi region
MoveWell is at Hoge Naarderweg 3E in Hilversum, in Medisch Centrum Dudokpark. Patients come from Bussum, Laren, Naarden, Huizen, Loosdrecht, Baarn and the Media Park. Move well, feel better!