We are probably the only chiropractic clinic in Singapore who blogs regularly. And regularly blogs about why you shouldn’t be booking in with us. Yes, this means less money for us. But we still do it because our priority is having a relationship with you.
1. You most likely WOULD NOT get adjusted
People think chiropractors adjust your spine. True.
People think chiropractors only adjust your spine. False.
People think everyone gets an adjustment at a chiropractor’s office. Also false if you are at a good chiropractor’s office. (More on that later.)
We mentioned previously that chiropractic adjustment is great for pain relief but has a limited utility. There is a specific criteria to meet in order to get good results (92% chance of a successful outcome)!
Even if you DO meet the criteria, that doesn’t mean you SHOULD be adjusted. Chiropractors are musculoskeletal health experts. That means we use our clinical discretion to decide if a particular patient would benefit from a chiropractic adjustment at a given point in time of their recovery.
If you’re making an appointment with us just to get cracked, you would be very disappointed. You have been warned.
We suggest booking in for a Thai massage session instead.
2. You MUST have a problem for us to fix
Once again, chiropractors are musculoskeletal healthcare experts. We are not massage therapists! While your sense of well-being is important to us, “feeling good” is not part of our scope of practice. This means we don’t just crack your back because it’s shiok!
Yes, Square One is first and foremost about building strong relationships with our community. This includes doing the right thing for you at any given circumstance. We received a minimum of 4200 hours of formal training to graduate from an accredited chiropractic program. And passed a whole heap of examinations to meet the requirements to practise as a chiropractor. It’s tough work. I take my job seriously. I don’t plan to lose my registration (and consequently, career) for you to feel good.
Edited to add: In hindsight, there are many chiropractors in Singapore who would. They probably also (falsely) claim to cure cancer and infertility too. If that’s what you are after, drop us a message and we would be able to direct you to one of them.
We – good chiropractors and healthcare providers – have the duty of care to do the right thing for you. This includes doing absolutely nothing for you if there’s nothing to be done.
Again, a Thai massage (which also cracks your spine) might be what you are after.
3. You MUST have a goal before we start treatment
For you to get better, you need to know you ARE getting better. We don’t go by feelings at Square One. Feeling better is NOT one of the outcome measures we use to determine if you have a successful treatment. We loosely follow SMART goals. Your goal (or goals) has to be measurable, specific, actionable, relevant, and time-bound.
Step #2 of our Dynamic Functional Program says “goal setting”. If you don’t have a goal in mind, it is not the right time to start treatment with us. Come back later.
Why?
Because there’s absolutely no way of knowing if what we are doing for you worked in your specific context. Yes, it matters to us because Square One is ALL about results. Because we don’t want you to leave telling others “it’s just like that lor”.
If you don’t have a goal in mind, you can still book in for a consultation. Part of our job is to help you set your own SMART goals. We appreciate you may not know what is realistic (or reasonable) and what is possible. We 100% acknowledge this is our expertise and we WILL fulfill our obligation in helping you find them.
But no, no treatments until you find them. If required, you may book in for additional sessions for us to facilitate your goal-setting process.
4. You will need 2-3 sessions before the results are obvious
We have never met you before. We don’t know how your body responds to treatment. We also don’t believe in doing the same things until you start to feel better.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
No, we don’t think that is what insanity means but you get the drift. Give us time to figure out what is going on with you as a unique, special individual. We will make something work.
Also, there is always a chance you may feel worse in the beginning of your care. (This is not a bad thing. It actually really helps us understand how receptive your body is to what we did during the previous session.)
5. Expect soreness during the first 3-4 weeks AT LEAST
Pain is weakness leaving your body. Sounds familiar?
In the context of your care with us, this is 100% true. We don’t make your pain go away with manual therapy. We can. For 2-3 days. Maybe one week at best? You know what I’m talking about. Your pain always comes back. So, why come to us and expect us to do the same when it hasn’t been working?
We are precise with our exercise prescription. We address specific issues. We have a big picture in mind. We have a plan to get you better. Part of this journey includes making you stronger in certain areas and we need you to trust us. Trust that the soreness you experience is a small price for genuine long-term results.
Difference between us and personal trainers?
We trained for five years to work in a clinical capacity to help you get out of pain. Also, that’s what we do on a daily basis! No one really comes to a chiropractor to build muscles or to lose weight. When it comes to pain, we are your experts!
Are you the best chiropractor in Singapore or not?
We think we are. Self-proclaimed, of course!
We are selective with who we work with. This is true. We are writing this post so you know what to expect when you book in with us. We believe in honesty and transparency. Even if that means less money for us. Absolutely zero surprises! This saves you both time and money. We know it is frustrating when your expectations are not met. We are not like other chiropractors in Singapore.
Talk to us if you are unsure. We are happy to help.
Do your research. Make your own informed decision.
Additional readings:
- First, do “nothing” … and listen (British Journal of Sports Medicine, Oct 2018)
