While modern medicine has come a long way, it hasn’t been able to eliminate certain complementary and alternative therapies because these simply work. One such practice is the Webster chiropractic technique.
The webster technique was originally developed to support women in pregnancy. Performing the technique on a pregnant mother benefits not only the mother, but the unborn baby as well.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the intricacies of the webster technique. Whether you’re a pregnant mother in search of comfort and relief or a healthcare professional who’s curious, we invite you to stick with us till the very end.
What’s the Webster Technique?
The Webster technique is a chiropractic analysis technique that aims to make certain adjustments. The end goal of this technique is to reduce the effects of SI joint dysfunction and subluxation so the neuro biomechanical function is improved in the pelvic/sacral region.
History of the Webster Technique
The Webster technique was created by none other than Dr. Larry Webster, who happens to be a Logan practitioner and Life College Instructor and also the founder of ICPA. The Webster technique was created after the birth of Shannon, who’s the grandchild of the doctor.
During the birth of Shannon, Dr. Webster felt that chiropractic can be better leveraged by taking a specific approach to the pelvis of the mother in order to make the labor more bearable. So, the doctor tried to address the subluxations throughout pregnancy so there can be safer and easier births.
Later, Dr. Webster worked with a case where the mother was facing similar issues as his daughter. However, this time, the doctor applied the approach he had discovered lately. He saw the patient once a week for several months. As it turned out, application of the chiropractic solution had improved the situation for both the baby and the mother.
Due to the success of this trial, Dr. Webster started teaching other chiropractors the same adjustment. These chiropractors too shared their success in changing the position of the baby. Later on, this technique got the name “Webster Breech Turning Technique”, or “Webster In-Utero Constraint Technique”.
Principle of Webster Technique
The Webster technique is founded on the understanding that the pelvis acts as the foundation for the spine, and thus plays a great role in retaining the overall structural alignment of the body. However, during pregnancy, the weight of the mother increases significantly. Not only that, but there’s a plethora of hormonal changes that women go through in this period.
These can cause shifts and even misalignments in the pelvis, which eventually leads to discomfort, pain, and can even affect the positioning of the baby. This is where the Webster technique comes in.
The Webster technique utilizes a series of gentle chiropractic adjustments to relieve tension, restore balance, and brings the pelvis back to its original position.
One of the key focuses of the Webster technique is adjusting the Sacrum, which is the triangular bone located at the base of the spine. Chiropractors who are trained in the Webster Technique employ gentle pressure and work on the soft tissue around the pelvis to adjust its position slowly.
Benefits of Webster Technique
Individual experiences are likely to vary when it comes to the Webster Technique, but some common benefits are as follows:
Pelvic Alignment
The key focus of the Webster technique is to fix the pelvic alignment of an individual. As the Pelvis plays a huge role in maintaining overall body stability, one may experience pain and discomfort if the pelvis position isn’t optimal.
Webster technique aims to adjust the misalignments in the sacroiliac joint, with the aim to improve the overall biomechanics of the pelvis. This can also reduce the pain and discomfort one feels during pregnancy.
Improved Position of the Baby
Proper alignment of the pelvis is supposed to create a more favorable environment for the baby. Since the discovery of the technique, doctors have found that it’s possible to achieve an optimal anterior-facing position for the baby.
This is important because it not only helps in the development of the baby, but it can also reduce the risks of complications during childbirth, making the delivery smoother.
Enhanced Nervous System Function
The Webster technique optimizes the alignment of the pelvis and the spine, and it reduces the interference in the sacroiliac joint. This improves the overall health of the nervous system and makes childbirth more comfortable.
Relief from Discomfort
Pregnancy tends to cause discomfort in the mothers as it leads to a number of musculoskeletal changes. Women usually suffer from problems such as lower back pain, sciatica, and hip pain throughout the pregnancy period, and even after childbirth.
The Webster technique targets the muscles that are most affected by pregnancy. It reduces tension in those muscles and brings them to their optimal condition. So, Webster technique has the potential to provide significant relief from such pregnancy related discomforts.
Acts as Complementary Care
During pregnancy, the Webster Technique can be used as a complementary care. During pregnancy, women are suggested to follow a healthy diet, a light workout routine, and stretches. All of these help in providing a healthier childbirth.
One can apply the Webster Technique along with these, as this chiropractic therapy can create a favorable condition for both the child and the mother. In fact, while the Webster technique doesn’t guarantee a specific birthing outcome, some patients reported that receiving it helped them give birth in the natural process. The natural birthing process eliminates the need for medical interventions even, so it’s considered healthier.
Conclusion
To conclude, the Webster technique is a valuable chiropractic approach that promotes optimum pelvic alignment and addresses multiple issues regarding pregnancy. Not only does it promote stress free childbirth process, but it has the potential to ensure natural birthing.
While a lot of people have reported the Webster Technique as beneficial, it must be noted that we’re yet to find any empirical evidence that confirms the beneficial nature of the technique.