Chiropractic treatments in Ottawa, chosen by assessment.
At River Chiropractic on Bank Street in Ottawa, treatment starts with an individual assessment, not a preset package. This guide explains four forms of chiropractic care we commonly use: adjustments, low back and sciatica care, soft tissue therapy, and active rehabilitation. What belongs in your plan depends on your findings, goals and comfort.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Joint-focused chiropractic care, matched to your movement and comfort.
A chiropractic adjustment is a quick, controlled movement applied to a specific spinal or peripheral joint when your assessment indicates it may be appropriate. It is used to address joint motion as one part of a broader musculoskeletal care plan. Dr. Farah matches the technique and amount of force to you: gentler, low-force and instrument-assisted options are available when clinically appropriate or preferred.
- Neck & back stiffness
- Neck-related headaches
- Restricted joint movement
- Desk-related neck & back tension
- Recurring musculoskeletal tension
No adjustment is automatic. Every one should connect to a specific assessment finding and a clear reason for using it. If another approach is more appropriate, or referral is needed, that becomes the plan instead.
A quick recheck
Each visit starts by re-testing the movement or finding we are following, so care reflects how you are presenting that day.
The adjustment itself
You're positioned comfortably; the movement is quick and specific. The "pop" you may hear is just gas releasing in the joint — it isn't bones cracking, and it isn't required for the adjustment to work.
Right after
We recheck the motion or symptom response we were targeting and explain what we found. Temporary soreness can occur after manual treatment; tell us if anything feels unexpected.
Low Back Pain & Sciatica Care
Assessment-led care for low back pain, leg pain, numbness or tingling.
Low back pain and sciatica are common reasons people look for chiropractic care in Ottawa, but similar symptoms can come from different causes. We start by assessing your history, movement and symptom pattern, including neurological findings when indicated. Care may combine adjustment or mobilization, soft tissue therapy, activity guidance and exercise, depending on what your assessment finds.
- Low back pain
- Sciatica — leg pain or tingling
- Disc-related pain
- Pain with sitting or driving
- Stiff mornings, sore evenings
There is no single sciatica treatment that fits everyone. We first identify the movements and positions that reproduce or ease your symptoms and screen for findings that may need medical referral. Your response guides what we do next.
Locate the pattern
Guided movement tests help map what eases your symptoms and what provokes them. Neurological testing is added when the presentation calls for it.
Treat to the finding
Hands-on care, such as adjustment, mobilization or soft tissue work, is matched to your findings and delivered at an intensity you are comfortable with.
Leave with a plan
When appropriate, you leave with a small number of specific movements, activity modifications or positions to use between visits.
Soft Tissue Therapy
Hands-on care for muscles, tendons and fascia when they are part of the problem.
Soft tissue therapy is hands-on treatment directed at muscles, tendons and fascia that appear relevant to your symptoms or movement findings. Techniques may include sustained pressure, movement-assisted release and guided stretching. It can be used on its own or alongside joint care and rehabilitation when your assessment supports it.
- Muscle knots & trigger points
- Tension-type headaches
- Tight hips & hamstrings
- Repetitive-strain tightness
- Recovery between workouts
This is not a generic massage sequence. We choose a technique because a specific tissue finding appears relevant, then recheck movement or symptoms afterward to decide whether it has earned a place in your plan.
Find the relevant tissue
We identify areas of muscle, tendon or fascial sensitivity and tension that appear relevant to the movement or symptoms being assessed.
Purposeful, tolerable pressure
Pressure is adjusted to your comfort and may be combined with slow movements you perform while the tissue is treated. You set the ceiling; say the word and we ease off.
Retest the movement
We recheck the motion or symptom response afterward and use that information to decide what, if anything, should come next.
Active Rehabilitation
Exercise-based chiropractic rehabilitation for strength, control and confidence.
Active rehabilitation uses short, coached exercise programs to address strength, mobility, control or activity tolerance identified during your assessment. The exercises are taught in clinic, adapted to your starting point and progressed as your capacity changes.
- Building strength between visits
- Recurring pain or stiffness
- Postural endurance for desk work
- Return to sport & the gym
- Confidence returning to activity
Hands-on care can be one part of treatment; rehabilitation is where you practise the strength, tolerance and movement strategies you can carry into daily life. The goal is a plan that becomes less dependent on clinic visits as your capacity improves.
Learn it properly
A small number of exercises are coached in clinic so you understand the setup, movement and purpose before you take them home.
Take it home
Your program lives on your phone with short demo videos, so there's no guessing mid-week.
Progress on findings
We recheck the measures that matter to your goal and progress the program when your movement, strength or tolerance supports it.
Many treatments. One plan. Yours.
These four sections cover some of the chiropractic treatments patients ask us about most, but they are not a menu or a promise that you need all four. At River Chiropractic in Ottawa, your first assessment determines which approaches are appropriate, in what order, and for how long. Findings are explained, fees are discussed before care begins, and you decide from there.
- Neck pain & headaches
- Desk Detox™ assessment
- Posture & ergonomics
- Sports injuries
- Motor vehicle accident care
…plus other musculoskeletal care when it is appropriate to your assessment.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call 613-520-0200 — service in English and French.
This page is general information, not medical advice, and doesn't replace an individual assessment. Treatment recommendations are made only after Dr. Farah has assessed you, and all care is provided with your informed consent — you can pause or stop at any time.