Stand-Up Job: Stay Mobile Chiropractic’s Unique ‘Vertical’ Approach to Treatment
Story by Lynne Hayes
Visiting a chiropractor typically involves lying face down on a table with the practitioner pushing on your spine. But at Stay Mobile Wellness/Chiropractic in Overland Park, Dr. Steph Decker takes a different approach. Most of her patients receive their treatments standing up. From new moms to farmers, construction workers, nurses and dental hygienists, among so many others, there’s always a steady stream of patients needing adjustments at Stay Mobile.
“My approach to structural correction is in stark contrast to how other chiropractors treat patients,” explains Dr. Steph, as she prefers to be called. “Rather than having them lie down, I turn the whole process right side up. Bones often get stuck in a forward position and the solution lies in moving them backward for proper structural correction. That is best done when a patient is standing.”
Dr. Steph, who has a doctorate in chiropractic, is also expert-level certified in this unique type of structural correction. She has been using the technique on patients since 2018, and the “before” and “after” patient images on her website are clear proof that the approach is successful.
A Personal History of Pain
“I remember so well what it feels like to be in pain. I had been a roller skater, a gymnast and a martial arts enthusiast growing up, and that took a toll on my body,” she recalls. “I had tried everything to relieve the numbness and limited motion. Then I found a chiropractor who used the standing up structural correction technique.”
Dr. Steph says that after the first treatment, she could tell something was different.
“My pain was so much diminished, and it got better and better. The pain relief was the first inkling of change, then my range of motion improved,” she says. “The stand-up technique was the only method that truly unlocked my body and put it fully back in alignment. Right then, I knew I had to learn all I could about it from my mentor. It yields amazing results.”
Where Does It Hurt?
People are motivated to see a chiropractor when they have a specific pain, for example in their lower back, neck, or hip. But Dr. Steph believes it’s critical to not simply focus on just the one area of pain.
“Everything in your body structure is connected…bones, ligaments, tissue,” she explains. “When a person comes to me for one thing, I examine and treat everything. It’s truly a holistic approach.”
“I attend to their entire structure at every appointment,” she adds. “It’s sort of like peeling off another layer of the onion each time. When the whole structure is set to where it should be …the problems don’t come back.”
Dr. Steph says some potential patients are wary of seeing a chiropractor, especially if they’ve had previous orthopedic procedures, but adds this shouldn’t hold anyone back from exploring the option.
“I spend a lot of time with my patients. Each treatment requires 15-30 minutes to treat the entire body. In the initial visit, I ask a lot of questions and get to know their lifestyles and where they’re hurting. Even if they’ve had surgery like spinal fusion or disc surgery, or are receiving pain injections, I can adapt my techniques.”
Of course, there are times when other treatments may be needed, and Dr. Steph will connect her patients to the right practitioners. She says. “I can’t fix injured tissues, or other underlying conditions that aren’t structural. But I can take the tension off of them which helps with pain, and work with other doctors as needed.”
Education is Also Key
Of course, ensuring that the pain stays away also includes educating her patients on ways to amend their lifestyle. Dr. Steph likes to suggest compatible activities such as Pilates to develop core strength and flexibility for example, noting that, “Our bodies are made to move and be mobile—not still—at every age.”
She also teaches her patients how to set up their beds and adjust their pillows to help maintain alignment while sleeping. And she’s a big believer in ergonomically-sound chairs for work and finding the proper shoes for daily wear and exercise.
“I see patients who wear orthotics” she says, “but my goal is to get you wearing those less and less. And it can happen very quickly. I have patients that could barely stand for a few minutes tell me they can walk barefoot pain-free now; and they can stand on their feet all day without discomfort. It’s life changing.”
The Side Effects of Tech
We live in a time that tests our body’s structural soundness daily. Computers and cell phones being two of the major triggers. Looking at devices for long periods causes
us to hunch over, round our shoulders and push our heads forward in unnatural,
pain-producing ways. We forget to sit up straight or forget to get up and stretch, weakening our core and taxing our lumbar spine. Add to that the muscle knots from increased tension and stress, and it’s no wonder our bodies are begging to be fixed by someone like Dr. Steph.
“Our tech-driven lifestyle is certainly causing all of us more aches and pains,” says Dr. Steph. “But there’s often an underlying cause that’s made worse by those lifestyle choices. That’s why taking a thorough history matters. It often comes to light that a patient sustained an injury years ago that they forgot about.”
“What’s even more interesting is often the injury isn’t from the expected sports like football or soccer,” says Dr. Steph. “I see cases from what we think of as non-contact sports like dance, cheer, and gymnastics – the activities that ask the body to bend in ways it wasn’t meant to do. That’s an important history to understand.”
Yes, Children Need Chiropractic Care
BEFORE Treatment
AFTER Treatment
Children are active and that makes them accident-prone. They climb, they
run – and they fall. Even infants can sustain minor injury just being born. Not being fully developed, a child’s soft bones and ligaments can get out of whack quickly. Dr. Steph encourages parents to consider gentle chiropractic for such cases. It can not only help with pain but can also help youngsters get back to proper structural alignment.
“I recently treated a 2-week-old who could only turn his head to one side…and could only nurse that way,” she shared. “The mom was already in my care so she knew I could address the issue. Her baby is back to nursing on both sides and sleeping better. I had another infant who kept reaching for his collarbone. I was able to get to the bottom of what was causing that discomfort and fix it.”
All that said, Dr. Steph assures that chiropractic care is very safe, and points to insurance actuaries as proof.
“Chiropractors have far lower malpractice insurance than any other doctor I know of.”
The Bottom Line: No Pain, All Gain
Everyone has experienced pain or limited movement at one time or another in their life. And many find their way to Dr. Steph and Stay Mobile for relief.
She says some people just want to be pain free, others want posture correction so they can stand up straight and sit without pain. What brings people of all ages into her office runs the gamut.
“I see patients with numbness and tingling in their arms, or who suffer from hip pain just walking to the kitchen,” she says. “I work with neck pain, headaches, pregnancy back pain…the list goes on. No one needs to ‘just live with it’. I can help relieve it.”
Concludes Dr. Steph, “It’s an honor to help people get their lives back – to get back to who they want to be. My advice is, if you have pain, just know that there IS a cause – and there IS a solution – that’s where I come in.”
