Building Better Brain & Body Health: Exciting New Technology, Rehabilitation & Performance Testing

I am writing this update in a sunny corner of Nova Scotia – the ocean is calm, and the kids are still asleep, so my 5 minutes of peace prevails. It seemed like the perfect time to share some exciting updates on what we’ve been working on behind the scenes over the past year. Our goal has always been to provide the highest level of care possible, and these new additions allow us to better understand how your brain and body are functioning, personalize your care, and objectively measure your progress.

New Diagnostic Technology

Over the past several months we’ve invested in several advanced assessment tools that allow us to look deeper into brain and body function than ever before.

1. First off, we have added Video Occulography Goggles (VOG for short). These goggles have infrared cameras that record your eyes during different conditions allowing us to look for abnormalities that cannot be seen in lit conditions. These are particularly useful for:

-concussion/persistent concussion
– dizziness
– vertigo
– migraines
– chronic headaches
– neck pain

2. Next up is the BTRACKS, a research grade computerized posturography system that allows us to measure balance, sway, and control in different conditions. It even allows us to measure/calculate fall risk using it’s large database of age matched comparisons. This force plate is great for:

– concussion
– balance disorders
– dizziness
– fall prevention
– weight distribution
– and stability

One of my favourite features is that it gives nice easy to follow reports so you can see your progress with each test.

3. Last but not least is the NecksLevel. One of the trickiest things to work with as a clinician is a “weak” neck. With our modern lifestyle, this is an issue that has become extremely prevalent yet is difficult to rehab. The neck is almost more of a sensory organ than it is a mechanical structure and influences the brain much more than people realize. Many populations with headaches, migraines, dizziness, neck pain, autonomic dysregulation (POTS, postural hypotension, etc) have weak necks. The NecksLevel gives us a way to go beyond traditional rehab and strengthen the neck through various ranges of motion. Couple this with adjustments and our laser guided motion guidance system and it’s the gold standard in optimizing neck health. I am very excited about this 🙂

Introducting the “Brain Body Lab”

A major part of long term success is active care. In other words, exercising and strengthening the body and the brain to be more functional and resilient. While getting adjusted is an exceptional foundation, blending it with active care leads to a more quality long term health outcome. We have invested significantly in creating our rehab space connected to my room with several forms of advanced rehab technology to pair with your hands-on care in office. Jenna (who has a degree in Neuroscience) has been a wonderful rehab assistant and will continue to help deliver active care in this space. When we blend this with home care programs and lifestyle modifications we are moving the needle as much as possible toward ideal outcomes and better health.

Development of the Annual Brain Body Performance Exam.

Part of the reason we wanted to add these new forms of technology was to have an objective way to test how someone’s brain and body are performing. I have always found it strange that people go for an annual physical exam and essentially only have their chemistry measured (bloodwork). Our goal has been to create a robust brain body exam during your Wellness Care phase that measures things like:

– mobility
– stability
– elements of strength/endurance
– balance/coordination
– functional visual health (how the the brain controls the eyes)
– reaction time
– processing speed
– stress resiliency
– adaptability (among others)

You’ll receive a detailed report outlining your results, allowing us to identify strengths, uncover opportunities for improvement, and track changes over time.

Looking Ahead

Coming soon will be more integration of our rehab room for Wellness patients who are in less frequently. There are several opportunities to add active care after an adjustment when indicated, and having the “Brain Body Lab” and Jenna to assist gives us this ability. This might look like using the Blazepods for agility/reaction time, the Motion Guidance system for anchoring in the neck, the Vibe Plate for working ranges of motion, or simply working through a series of exercises to target a mobility or stability issues we found in your checkup.

I hope you have been enjoying the start to your summer,

In great health,

Dr. Graham