from the faculty

Plane conversations

Sitting in seat 8-A on a small commuter jet, I observed out of the corner of my eye, the young woman next to me turning around in her seat, grabbing the back of it and twisting herself around until the joints in her spine popped.

I had to say something. “That’s not a healthy thing to do to your spine you know,” I said. She replied with a statement that was intended to shut me up. “I’m a physical therapist,” she said. Fortunately, very few things can shut me up. Turns out we had a very nice conversation about our different professions.

Both physical therapists and chiropractors deal with the spine, but our approaches are very different. The chiropractor is primarily concerned with biomechanics and neural function, while the therapist is mainly concerned with eliminating painful syndromes.

While a well trained chiropractor has a very deep understanding of proper spinal mechanics and physiology, my physical therapist friend had a much better understanding of pain syndromes and how to make the spine feel better. It is interesting that even when the pain has gone, the mechanics and the neural function can be far from normal.

My point is that chiropractic is unique. It is important for the healthcare professionals to have ways to help people feel better, but it is much more crucial for us to have ways to help them function better.

Joseph J. Donofrio is Dean of Clinical Sciences, an associate professor and Chair of Technique Department. He has a D.C. from Sherman College (1994) and teaches Spinal Biodynamics I & II. He has been under regular chiropractic care since the day he was born and is a second generation chiropractor. Dr. Donofrio has lectured internationally on spinal biodynamics, palpation, chiropractic history and education. What he really enjoys is studying the Bible and spending time with his family. "It is awesome to play a role in shaping the future of this great profession of chiropractic," he says.

Enjoying the spring

I am extremely excited about the spring 2008 quarter after a much deserved and needed break at the end of March. I really enjoy teaching my philosophical applications course where students learn the chiropractic philosophical principles and apply them in the active practice setting.

The best part of being an instructor at Sherman College is being able to share such important information with students who will ultimately be the manager of our profession in the future.

John L. Reizer is an assistant professor of clinical sciences and a member of the health center faculty. He has a D.C. from Sherman College (1986) and has been with the college since 1998. He teaches Philosophical Applications, Patient Management Observation Elective, Business 810. He enjoys sports, fishing, writing and traveling when time permits. "Sherman College will offer you a chance to change your life in a positive manner while also changing the lives of countless others that you may come into contact with," he says.

It's all about tone

Blogging. This is a whole new concept to me. I would explain it as being a journal that I write in and the entire universe is invited to read it. Wow! It’s really immense. Maybe I could really start something here. BJ Palmer said: “You never know how far reaching something you think, say or do today, will affect the lives of millions tomorrow.”

Today I’m writing about this ongoing question that I have in my head about TONE. Tone is what DD Palmer said that chiropractic was founded on. However, it’s rare that you actually hear about the concept anywhere else in the profession. So, how is it that chiropractic was founded tone and now it’s nowhere to be found?

I first got going on this question last year when I went through the Academy of Chiropractic Philosophers (ACP) program held here at Sherman College. We needed to pick a topic and write a thesis on it. I choose tone. I physically turned in the paper and so called finished it, but in my mind I’ve only begun. This is one of the first of DD’s explanations that I read:

Tone is the normal degree of nerve tension. Tone is expressed in functions by normal elasticity, activity, strength and excitability of the various organs, as observed in a state of health. Consequently, the cause of disease is any variation of tone—nerves too tense or too slack.
(1910 – The Chiropractor’s Adjustor)

It led me to look further for the definition of tone, since this explanation left me hanging. What is tone? And how does it really apply to the body?

Think about it and I’ll write again soon. I welcome dialogue. E-mail me at mschwartzbauer@sherman.edu.

Mitzi Fox Schwartzbauer is an assistant professor of clinical sciences. She holds a D.C. from Sherman College (1996). She joined the faculty in 2004 and is the lead instructor for classes in Palpation, Toggle and Chiropractic History. She practiced at Schwartzbauer Straight Chiropractic Center in Mahtomedi, MN, for six years with her husband, Jon Schwartzbauer, B.S., D.C.