A four-section drop chiropractic table opens up a number of options for chiropractors
One of the biggest decisions a doctor of chiropractic (DC) makes when starting, growing, or updating his or her practice is what type of table to purchase.
Ultimately, the choice that makes the most sense depends on a number of different factors, a few of which include the types of techniques performed, patient demographics, and available office space. However, there is one chiropractic table that, when all of these factors are taken into consideration, often jumps to the top of the list.
It is the four-section drop table and there are a multitude of reasons this particular option may become your table of choice.
Reduced work-related injuries
In a survey of 422 U.S.-based chiropractors, it was discovered that 40.1% — or 159 DCs in total — sustained a work-related injury. Additionally, 66.7% of those injuries occurred while performing a manipulation, with the shoulder and lower back impacted the most.
Using a four-section drop table can help reduce the risk of a work-related injury because the drops reduce the force necessary to make an effective adjustment. Instead, gravity is utilized to help properly realign the patient’s musculoskeletal system.
This can save you from experiencing shoulder and back pain, while also minimizing any time you must take off in an effort to heal your own injuries.
Greater patient comfort
This need for less force also increases patient comfort during the manipulation. Not only physically, but mentally as well.
Specifically, if the patient understands that the chiropractic table being used doesn’t require you to exhibit as much force as a table without drops, it can lower his or her feelings of anxiety or fear.
This can also help the patient better relax, allowing for a more effective manipulation.
Beneficial for certain health conditions
Having a four-section drop table is also beneficial for individuals who could potentially be harmed by a typical chiropractic manipulation. For example, if the patient is pregnant or elderly, use of a drop table allows for a proper adjustment without compromising their physical condition.
Drop tables are also advantageous for individuals who are injured. If they’ve been in an auto accident, for example, and as a result have neck or back issues, use of a four-section drop table can aid the adjustment without further aggravating the injured or inflamed area.
Allows for targeted manipulation
Another benefit of choosing a chiropractic table with four drops — namely, a cervical drop, thoracic drop, lumbar drop, and pelvic drop — allows for targeted manipulation by enabling you to only drop the area that you’re actively working to adjust.
For instance, if the patient is experiencing neck pain, using a cervical drop headpiece can help you better target this area when performing the adjustment. The same is true for the thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic drops as well.
All-in-one table
Research tells us that it isn’t uncommon for patients to experience multiple issues, especially if they are older in age. Therefore, choosing a four-section drop table increases the likelihood that you’ll be able to help them, no matter what their issues are.
Because all four sections drop, you’re able to perform manipulations on a patient who is injured and elderly, for instance. This negates the need to buy a variety of different tables, each one intended to treat one or two specific patients or conditions.
What to look for in a four-section drop chiropractic table
Should you decide that a four-section drop table is right for your practice, it’s helpful to select one that you can raise and lower electronically. This makes it easier for patients who are injured or have mobility issues to change adjustment positions.
Some drop tables also allow you to drop two or more sections simultaneously, enabling you to make a more customized manipulation. And if you buy one that has a foot pedal reset, you can quickly move from one adjustment to the next without having to manually reset each drop (ideally, you want this foot pedal accessible from both sides of the table).
A four-section drop table that can be height-adjusted is also beneficial for treating patients of differing sizes, offering you more comfort during the manipulation itself.
Certainly, a table with four sections that drop isn’t the only option that provides some of these benefits. However, because it is multi-functional and can be used in a number of different situations, it is one to consider when you’re beginning, growing, or updating your practice.
