Patient demand is growing for alternative forms of medical treatment, according to a September survey of 714 hospitals nationwide conducted by Health Forum and the Samueli Institute. The survey found 42 percent of hospitals offered one or more alternative therapies, including meditation, relaxation training, homeopathy and chiropractic care in response to patient demand. In Albany, MSA Chiropractic Sport and Spine has experienced the same demand for non-surgical and non-pharmaceutical methods of treating muscle, joint and nerve problems.

“We try to correct the underlying cause of pain or loss of function using exercise, diet, manual therapy and laser therapy,” said Dr. Davis Kinney, licensed chiropractor and co-founder of MSA Chiropractic Sport and Spine.

A native of Albany, Dr. Kinney was co-founder and Director of Chiropractic Services of Musculoskeletal Associates (MSA), a large multi-disciplinary practice founded with orthopedic surgeon, Phillip D. Hajek, MD. In 2009, Dr. Kinney established MSA Chiropractic Sport and Spine along with Dr. Daniel Webb to better focus on the unique needs of chiropractic patients. MSA and MSA Chiropractic Sport and Spine share a 26,000 sq. ft. facility and maintain a close working relationship, which facilitates a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care.

Accelerating Healing and Relief

According to Dr. Kinney, one of the treatments producing exciting results at MSA is Class IV deep-tissue laser therapy. The therapy uses light energy to stimulate metabolism at the cellular level, which reduces inflammation and accelerates healing.

“Laser therapy has been used in the U.S. for about 15 years, but we now have more powerful lasers that can deliver therapeutic light energy deep into tissue without burning. It works especially well on arthritic knees, chronic back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Anybody in pain is a candidate,” Dr. Kinney explained.

Rehabilitative exercise is another approach that MSA often includes in its treatment programs. The clinic offers a Med-x Core Strength Exercise Program that is designed to strengthen abdominal and other core muscles responsible for balance and stability.

“Back pain is often the result of muscle weakness. Physical manipulation can help treat pain and regain function, but exercise is usually needed to maintain a healthy condition,” Dr. Kinney continued.

An Important Component of Health Benefits

The cost of providing health care benefits to employees continues to grow dramatically and now represents a significant portion of business expenditures. As a result, many businesses are looking to lower health care costs by including in their employee benefit offerings healthy lifestyle programs and alternative therapies.

“That’s the niche we fill. Our non-surgical and non-drug therapies are less expensive and by helping our patients make healthy lifestyle choices, we can lower health care costs down the road,” Dr. Kinney said.

Even in these slow economic times, MSA Chiropractic Sport and Spine has experienced steady volume in terms of number of patients. However, lower reimbursement rates and more paperwork means the practice has to work harder for less money, according to Dr. Kinney.

“That’s simply the nature of the U.S. health care industry today,” he said.

More information on MSA Chiropractic Sport and Spine is available at www.msachiro.com or call (229) 435-4747.

About Barbara Kieker

Barbara Kieker is a freelance writer who writes on business-related topics for a number of web-based properties. She also provides communications services to Fortune 500 corporations, small businesses and nonprofit organizations.