Healing & Recovery Process

At Spine & Sports Therapy, we focus on addressing the root cause of pain, not just the symptoms. Most people first come to us because of chronic or recurring pain, stiffness, or an injury that hasn’t improved with other approaches. Recovery is a process, and by understanding the natural stages the body goes through, we can guide you step by step toward lasting relief, restored function, and better long-term health. For athletes and active individuals, these same principles also support enhanced performance, faster recovery, and injury prevention—helping you stay at your best.

The Three Stages of Care

Stage 1: Relief Care (Days to Weeks)

The first stage of care is about one thing: getting you out of pain and stabilizing the condition. Whether you’re recovering from a new injury or struggling with long-term stiffness or chronic pain, our focus here is rapid relief while starting to correct underlying dysfunctions.

• Typical timeframe: Days to weeks (varies by severity and whether it’s a new vs. chronic problem).

• Goals: Reduce pain, ease tension, improve mobility, and help you feel results quickly.

• What to expect: Care may be 2–3 times per week to start. For decompression therapy, it may begin at 3–5 times per week depending on severity. These sessions are supported by home care instructions to settle symptoms and lay the foundation for deeper recovery.

Stage 2: Corrective Care (Weeks to Months)

Once symptoms improve, it’s tempting to stop care. But this is where most people go wrong—and why pain often returns. Phase 2 is where we correct the root cause that created the problem in the first place.

• Typical timeframe: Weeks to months depending on severity and how long the problem has existed.

• Goals: Retrain muscles, restore joint function, correct movement patterns, and address the uneven forces that stress your body.

• What to expect: A gradual shift to less frequent sessions, typically 1–2 times per week, with steady improvements in strength, stability, and resilience.

Stage 3: Wellness & Performance Care (Ongoing)

When your body is functioning well, the focus shifts from fixing problems to maintaining progress and optimizing performance.

• Typical timeframe: Ongoing maintenance (often monthly or seasonal, depending on lifestyle).

• Goals: Keep your body strong, mobile, and resistant to future injury; improve sports performance or simply support an active, pain-free lifestyle.

• What to expect: Periodic care visits tailored to your needs, supported by your own movement and lifestyle routines

The Wellness Continuum

Many people believe they’re “healthy” as long as they don’t feel pain. In reality, that’s often a state of false wellness—symptoms may be absent, but dysfunction is still present.

The Illness–Wellness Continuum shows that health isn’t just the absence of disease; it’s a spectrum that ranges from poor health on one side to high-level wellness on the other. Our therapies are designed to move you beyond just feeling “okay” toward true vitality—where your body performs at its best, not just free of pain but optimized for strength, resilience, and longevity.