We were talking with a friend at The Skyway the other night, trying to come up with some fresh ideas for the article and some questions readers may have. My rather tall friend mentioned that an interesting topic might be, “How do you go about adjusting taller or bigger patients?” Some patients might hesitate to seek relief from the chiropractor due to their body size. My immediate response was, “Challenge, accepted!” I thought of the time my 6’7” and 6’4” regular patients were in the clinic simultaneously, and they were joking about how they thought there was no way I could adjust them on their first visit.

Whether very flexible, inflexible, small in stature, tall or heavy, chiropractors have to find ways to adapt to be able to treat all body types. Often the tallest people need adjusting the most, especially in the neck, because they are always leaning down to look at us shorties! Countertops, cars, airplane seats, etc., force taller patients into poor ergonomics. We had some tall friends who had their house custom-built with cabinets, countertops, etc., made to match their stature. It was amazing to be in their home and feel like I was eight years old again, trying to reach up to get a glass of water! Heavier patients have more stress on their joints and discs, which makes muscle balance and structural alignment vital for function and to help avoid degeneration.

It’s all about the setup! With a chiropractic adjustment, the doctor uses certain positions to create tension in a joint. Once the joint is positioned into tension at the end range, it doesn’t take much more movement to realign it. Sometimes having a tall or heavier patient can be an advantage. With tall patients, you can use their long legs as levers to help adjust the low back, and heavy patients can be positioned to where the weight helps with the adjustment.

On the flip side, I was a little worried, being 5’2”, that I may not be able to be a chiropractor. I wasn’t sure that I would be able to adjust heavier patients or patients over six feet tall. Despite my hesitations, I was very interested in becoming a chiropractor, and I was encouraged when I visited the chiropractic college in Minneapolis, Minnesota and saw that their adjusting director was a woman who was about two inches shorter than me. In my case, my long and strong arms and low center of gravity can be an advantage. I have shorter tables that go down two inches lower than the standard adjusting table, and a step stool I lovingly call the “runt riser” for when I need it. That, mixed with a slight Napoleon complex, I have now been gifted many colorful nicknames for my adjusting skills.

Body type should never be a barrier to care! Chiropractors are trained to treat all shapes and sizes. Hopefully, some readers with similar hesitations will see this article and feel confident in making an appointment for chiropractic care.

Do you have any questions you would like answered in this article? If so, please email frontdesk@mountainlifeclinic.com.