Join us as we connect online with Heidi Haavik and The Reality Check for an informative 12 hours with one of the worlds most sought after speakers. Due to the current pandemic, Maine has approved Virtual Conferences as Category 1 at this time.

Dr Haavik will cover, in a fun and entertaining way, the latest scientific understanding about the function of the spine and its impact on brain function. It is aimed at chiropractors, chiropractic assistants and students that would like to be able to confidently communicate about chiropractic in a manner that is congruent with the latest scientific evidence. Resent scientific studies are revealing a new understanding about how spinal adjustments work. Heidi Haavik, a chiropractor, and PhD trained neurophysiologist has spent the past 16 years studying the changes that occur in the brain when chiropractors adjust chiropractic subluxations. The original theories were based on the idea that dysfunctional spinal segments were ‘out of place’, or misaligned, and that this put pressure on the nerves exiting the spine. We now know that this theory is not really the best way to describe what a chiropractic subluxation is. The original theories were based on the idea that an adjustment relieved pressure off the squashed nerves. We now also know this is not the best way to describe the neurophysiological effects of an adjustment.
Today, over a hundred years on from that ‘first’ chiropractic adjustment, we know much more about how the brain and the rest of the central nervous system functions. And it is becoming clear – finally – just how the chiropractic adjustment really works. We have now come to understand is that we do not really put bones back in place when we adjust the spine. A chiropractic subluxation is not so much the condition of a bone being out of place; it is more than a bone is functioning or moving in a less than ideal way – in a manner that is not ‘normal’ for the body. The spine itself has three basic functions; 1) sometimes to move to dissipate forces for example during running, 2) sometimes to stiffen up – also to protect us for example during heavy lifting, and 3) sometimes to reflexively respond to maintain balance and prevent falls. Thus, from a neurophysiological perspective, if vertebral motion segments are not doing one of these three things when it should then we have a Central Segmental Motor Control problem – and from a neurophysiological perspective this is what a chiropractic subluxation is. What is really interesting is how spinal dysfunction impacts our brain’s function, and how this likely translates into clinical symptomatology (or not).
Dr Heidi Haavik will share with you a summary of where we are at with the neurophysiological understanding of the impact of spinal function on brain function, work through the key neurophysiological concepts that are essential for all chiropractors to know and will discuss what future implications this has for us as a profession.

All registrants will be sent a link to the presentation in advance.