By: Matt Weik

Have you ever injured your neck, back, or shoulder in the gym? What did you do? Did you go to the doctor or did you let it go? If you went to the doctor did he/she just give you anti-inflammatories?

The downside to letting the injury go or simply taking anti-inflammatories is that the problem is only masked, not resolved or fixed. By having some chiropractic work done, your injury can be fixed and treated on the spot. More than one session might be needed but it could also save you from needing surgery.

A good friend of mine, Dr. Nick Fourie, was nice enough to take some time out of his busy schedule and do an interview with me on chiropractic. Hopefully this interview will shed some light on the topic and answer some questions you might have had about chiropractic.

[ Q ] First off I would like to thank you, Dr. Nick Fourie, for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. You are a wealth of knowledge and I'm sure people will learn much from this interview. Let's first learn a little bit about you—what is your background and educational training?

I have been involved in sport as long as I can remember, my father owned health clubs, and when I was old enough I started working for him as a trainer, in return he coached me. I have always strived for better performance and maintaining optimum health.

I received a sport scholarship from Life Chiropractic University in Atlanta, Ga. This was a golden opportunity for me to further explore my passion of understanding the biomechanical functions of the human body. During my time there I also worked as an athletic trainer, gaining further valuable experience.

[ Q ] What made you want to be a chiropractor?

I wanted to use my experience and knowledge, gained through my experiences, to give people an alternative and less invasive choice. As an athlete I suffered several injuries and my goal was to get back on the playing field as soon as possible.

Chiropractic and physical therapy was the logic answer to me. Yes, there were several times I used pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but chiropractic addressed the cause of my problem and would get me back on to the playing field.

RELATED FORUM THREAD

What do YOU think about Chiropractic? "Well.. what do you know? What do you want to know? What do you think about Chiropractic?" [ Click here to learn more. ]

[ Q ] How long have you been in this business?

5 years as a chiropractor.

[ Q ] Why do you think that everyone should include chiropractic treatment into his or her health care management plan?

There is a time for chiropractic, a time for drugs, and a time for surgery. Chiropractic is the least invasive form of healthcare and addresses the problem. The musculoskeletal part of your body is a biomechanical structure, meaning that when something is out of place its needs to be placed back into its place or it will affect your performance.

A simple example I use is when you have a pebble in your shoe, you can take a painkiller and you will not feel the pebble anymore but it is still there. If a joint or bone is out of place a painkiller will remove the pain. Chiropractic attempts to correct the problem.

RELATED ARTICLE

Why Chiropractic Is Critical To Your Success! In this eye-opening and revealing interview, Dr. Lee tells us why chiropractic is critical to athletic success and a long and healthy life. [ Click here to learn more. ]

[ Q ] What are the benefits of chiropractic for those individuals who exercise regularly and are health conscious?

Chiropractic enhances performance. There is not an elite athlete today who doesn't use a chiropractor; examples: Tiger Woods, Emmitt Smith, NBA teams, NFL teams etc. When your body and spine is in alignment and the pressures are of the nerves which innervate each and every part of your body, you perform better.

I would have patients coming in with neck pain, and once we get the neck and spine in line the knee pain goes away. The reason is, when your spine is in line, weight, balance and strength gets evenly distributed through out your body on your joints and muscles.

[ Q ] Are there different types of treatments that you can get in your office?

Yes, as a chiropractor I was taught several different techniques, some are gentler than others. The chiropractic technique that I will use on a particular patient depends on what the patient presents with, including symptoms, age, body type and also the patient's previous chiropractic experience.

In my office we also do mechanical traction or de-compression therapy, this is ideal for patients with severe spasms of the neck and low back, or patients with disc problems. We also offer muscle-stimulation, trigger point therapies, rehab- exercises and intersegmental traction.

[ Q ] How important is spinal health?

Having your spine in alignment causes less degeneration or arthritis of the joints, less muscle spasms, and optimal function of the messages from your brain to your entire body, via the nervous system.

	1 of 5: The Spinal Column: The spinal column is the bony column forming the main structural support of the skeleton of humans and other vertebrates, also known as the vertebral column or backbone. It consists of segments known as vertebrae linked by intervertebral disks and held together by ligaments. In human beings, the spinal column of the child contains more vertebrae than the adult, in whom a number become fused into two immovable bones, the sacrum and the coccyx, forming the back of the pelvis.
	Source: www.spineuniverse.com/
	Learn More... Back Next

[ Q ] What are the most common issues that you see at your office?

Neck, back, shoulder, joint and muscle pain. Caused by anything from bad posture, sitting at a desk all day, auto accidents, or just daily activities.

RELATED ARTICLE

Think Posture, Think Power. More power, decreased risk of injury and improved muscle recruitment. Sound good? Think about your posture. Good posture is essential to building a powerful, flexible core. [ Click here to learn more. ]

[ Q ] What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

Helping people feel better, especially when they come in for one problem and another problem also clears up.

[ Q ] You have a very professionally run practice. What other services do you offer your clients and what will you be offering in the future?

We also have a massage therapist on hand. She is able to loosen up stubborn muscles, which in turn facilitates the chiropractic adjustment. I also have healthy relationships with several medical doctors, to which I refer, and in turn they refer to me.

RELATED ARTICLE

The Benefits Of Swedish Massage Therapy For Athletes. There are numerous types of massage, but perhaps the most popular and commonly known is Swedish Massage. [ Click here to learn more. ]

[ Q ] Thank you for your time Dr. Fourie! Do you have any final words?

Take care of your body; get as much information as you can, whether it is about chiropractic or side effects of drugs. We live longer today, and the stress on our bodies has increased. Take care of your body sooner, rather than later, your body will thank you.

MCWtrainer@aol.com

Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here!

Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
Read Visitor Reviews - Write Your Own Review

Back To Matt Weik's Main Page

Back To The Articles Main Page.

Related Articles
Traditional Treatments For Back Pain: Which Ones Work And Which Ones Don't?
Rebuilding Ron Lester - Episode #6: A Visit To The Chiropractor...
Get Healthy With Chiropractic! Find Out If You Need It.

BSN Volumaize Trap The Volume And Lock In The Gains! Learn More!