First visit
What actually happens during your first appointment?
Most chiropractors will tell you what they think. Dr. Foudy shows you. Eleven steps, about 75 minutes, $90. You leave knowing what is going on and whether we can help. And if we cannot help, you leave with a referral to the proper specialist, not a sales pitch.
The eleven steps
Step 1
Forms
Online or on the clipboard, you pick. Most patients do it online before the appointment so we can get straight to the exam.
Step 2
Seven-minute intro video (sometimes)
For new patients who want context, we have a short video that explains how we work and what to expect.
Step 3
SOAP consultation (15 minutes)
Subjective, objective, assessment, pain. Dr. Foudy sits down with you and asks the four questions: Can you help me? What is going on? How long? How much? You answer in your own words.
Step 4
Postural exam on the posture analysis machine
You step onto the posture analysis machine, two scales, one under each foot. The bilateral scales measure your weight-bearing differential, whether your weight is loading more to one side. Most patients are surprised how much one side carries. Dr. Foudy also checks how level your head, shoulders, and pelvis sit, and he checks for pronated feet. Your feet are your foundation, and if they have collapsed, he custom-fits orthotics to get them properly supported.
Step 5
Range-of-motion study with a protractor
We measure cervical, thoracic, and lumbar flexibility in every direction and document it, along with motion palpation to find muscle guarding and hypomobility. This becomes the baseline we re-measure against later.
Step 6
Neurological screen
Wartenberg pinwheel for pinprick sensation along the dermatomes. Reflex testing. Strength testing. Looking for the nerves the imaging will confirm.
Step 7
Surface EMG, the EKG of your nervous system
Non-invasive electrodes go on the skin next to the spine and the computer reads the electrical activity level by level. It is like an EKG: instead of measuring the electrical function of your heart, it measures the electrical function of your nervous system. This is the software side of the assessment, and it measures how the nervous system is functioning, not just where it hurts.
Step 8
X-rays, the hardware
High-frequency digital X-rays (less radiation, better quality). AP and lateral views standard, AP open-mouth for headache patients to see the atlas and axis relationship. Once the EMG has measured the software, the digital X-rays let Dr. Foudy measure and analyze the hardware of your spine. We walk through every film with you.
Step 9
Palpation and brief validation treatment
Dr. Foudy puts his hands on your spine. Often a brief adjustment, sometimes flexion-distraction or a roller pass. You feel the relief, you understand the mechanism.
Step 10
Exit script and invite spouse
We invite a spouse or family member to the follow-up visit for the Report of Findings. The plan is easier to commit to when the person at home is on the same page.
Step 11
Return visit for Report of Findings
Dr. Foudy reviews the X-rays, the EMG, and the exam findings, and explains what the cause of your problem is. If he cannot help your condition, he will refer you to the proper specialist. If he can, he presents a plan: cost, frequency, timeline, expected outcome, and whether you want pain relief or corrective care. That part is up to you. You ask questions. You decide.
Your feet are your foundation
The posture exam starts at the ground.
Pronated (collapsed) feet tilt the pelvis, and a tilted pelvis stresses the spine above it. That is why the posture analysis machine checks your feet along with your head, shoulders, and pelvis. When the feet are the problem, Dr. Foudy custom-fits orthotics in the office to get your foundation properly supported before the corrective work above it.