THE BEND
A whole person approach.
You are more than your pain and problems. By taking into account your personal goals and unique history we are better able to improve your overall health and your complex relationship with it.
Treatment is not the same for everyone. Some people require a gentle approach and others need aggressive intensity. It depends on the severity of a problem and the tolerance of the patient. Someone with years of headaches, a long list of medications, or numbness in the hands or feet and degenerative arthritis may have many layers of care to address. A young person with a sports injury may move more quickly through a treatment plan.
Patients respond to chiropractic care over time in order to make changes. Care is delivered as it is tolerated by the patient. Initial care focuses on acute pain and tissue inflammation, followed by correction of movement and tissue healing. In longstanding ongoing problems from accidents, injuries, surgeries or other medical conditions care is given for symptom relief and optimal function.
At the root of chiropractic care is nerve flow.
Healthy spine mobility influence the nervous system as the primary switchboard of the body, especially pain signals between the brain and body.
Chiropractic care has the potential to improve spinal problems and other conditions through neurological connections to other areas of the body, including organs. It’s not uncommon for chiropractic care to improve the overall function of a person beyond the spine.
Although pain relief is often the first goal of chiropractic care there are other benefits to healthy spinal function including improved ranges of motion, reduced joint stiffness, improved circulation and tissue health.
Regular spinal checkups combined with a healthy lifestyle, prevent relapses, improve activity, promote productivity, improve long term mobility, and halt premature joint aging that leads to arthritis pain and dysfunction.
Like dentistry and cavity prevention, chiropractic spinal hygiene prevents problems with regular check and correct appointments.
Routine care protects against degeneration from repetitive overuse, poor posture, hard work, deconditioning and poor lifestyle habits. Exercise and stretching are to chiropractic like brushing and flossing are to dental hygiene.
Dr. Erika Putnam
"People are physical, chemical, and emotional and as healthy as their proactive efforts in each of these areas.”
Meet Dr. Erika Putnam
Dr. Erika Putnam is an experienced holistic chiropractic physician and owner of The Bend in Whitefish, Montana. She’s an expert in whole health through chiropractic, yoga, nutrition, and functional medicine for men and women wanting to improve back pain, overall health and long term wellness. She is a 1995 graduate of the University of Western States.
She has over 30 years of experience in the chiropractic field and holds an E-RYT200®, RYT®, YACEP® Yoga Alliance instructor certification. She influences recovery utilizing exercise instruction to prevent injuries from reoccurring and to improve overall strength and flexibility. She teaches a regular weekly class at the Whitefish Wave Aquatics & Fitness Center.
Currently, Dr. Putnam holds a position on the Montana Wild Sheep Foundation board of directors. She is also a member of the Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation, the Wild Sheep Foundation, The Wild Sheep Society of BC and the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance. She advocates for conservation of animals, lands and habitat for preservation of wildlife. Backcountry fitness and nutrition are of particular interest to her.
Dr. Putnam is an author and writing teaching. Stories about health, lifestyle, wellness and living in Montana can be found on her blog, Bones & Breath. For the past few years she has co-faciliated a writing group with Brave Healer Productions for membes to work on craft and creativity. For a personal experience with writing and wilderness you can joint her in an upcoming retreat or event.
An Idaho native and outdoors enthusiast Dr. Putnam loves hiking, snowshoeing, road biking, big game hunting and seeking adventure and sanctity in the mountains. At home she enjoys gluten free cooking, growing flowers and spending time with her her two dogs Zen and Hartty.
About our comprehensive approach to chiropractic care.
New patients are given a comprehensive evaluation which directs treatment for back pain and other injuries. Contributing factors like inflexible muscles, leg length differences, ranges of motion limitations and more are taken into consideration with each patient.
Treatment may include manual manipulation, diversified adjustments, activator, trigger point therapy, massage, extremity manipulation, ultrasound, electrical therapy, taping, bracing, postural rehabilitation, yoga, orthotics, light therapy or other techniques dependent on age, weight, occupation, health history, and individual tolerance .
Strength and flexibly instruction are included to improve longterm outcomes of chiropractic care. Dr. Putnam’s clinical experience combined with her yoga teaching experience brings a unique perspective to physical evaluation and instruction for longterm recovery and lifetime wellness practices.