The Miracle of MyoVision

By Dr. Dave Edenfield

When you mention the word “Chiropractor” to most people, they get a picture of a skilled medical professional manually adjusting the spine of a patient.  While this hands-on approach is definitely a part of what chiropractors do, you might be surprised at the amount of technology that we use on a daily basis in our practice.  One of these revolutionary devices is called MyoVision, which measures the amount of electrical activity released by muscles as they contract. 

Invented by NASA researcher David, Marcarian, MyoVision is designed to allow doctors to quickly and objectively identify areas of concern in a patient’s nervous system in order to create an effective treatment plan.  (The technology was originally developed to measure the effects of zero gravity on astronauts.)  Best of all, Myovision is a totally painless and non-invasive scanning system that provides a visual record of spinal subluxations quickly and efficiently.  This makes it safe for everyone from infants to seniors.  Even pregnant women can benefit from MyoVision, since testing takes only a minute or so to perform.

Known in the industry as Surface Electromyography or sEMG, you can think of this device as relating to the spine the way that an electrocardiogram relates to the heart.  In practical application, the MyoVision scanner uses a pair of handheld devices that are placed over the muscles of the lower back or neck.  Once completed, the scanner displays information graphically on a computer screen to identify abnormalities.  Over the course of treatment, the scans are repeated to document progress and fine tune patient care.

The reason that MyoVision is such an important diagnostic tool is due to the fact that spinal misalignments can cause pain, spasms and weakness in the affected areas.  When these imbalances occur, muscle activity will increase or decrease in order to compensate.  MyoVision detects, quantifies and displays this activity so both the doctor and the patient can see the results. The results can also be presented to insurance companies, and even used in court as evidence of injury.

The testing can be conducted in one of two modes:

1.      A Static Test involves having the patient stand stationary while sensors are placed on either side of the spine at designated locations.  This produces a color-coded bar graph on the monitor that displays areas of high or low voltage.  From this information, the doctor can determine the areas of interest in order to develop a treatment regimen.  As treatment progresses, this system also allows both doctor and patient to see a visual representation of improvement.

2.      A Dynamic Test involves the patient doing a series of movements which allows the doctor to observe how the muscles fire when in motion.    When a range of motion test is taken alone, the doctor cannot see how the muscles are firing.  MyoVision provides the doctor with a complete picture of a patient’s prognosis, which can help the doctor determine both an initial treatment plan, as well as monitoring the progress of treatment.

While these scans represent only part of the picture when determining the extent of injury along with an appropriate course of treatment, the miracle of MyoVision is that by educating patients they can become more involved in the healing process and less likely to cause further complications.

Dr. Dave Edenfield  and Dr. Steven Warfield are part of the team of doctors and therapists at http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com who are dedicated to helping you and your family lead  healthier, happier and pain-free lives.