Edited by Devon Dean
A few things in life are guaranteed: death, taxes, and aches and pains. For the latter, chiropractic care can make all the difference.
For Dr. Julie Carleton and Dr. Victoria “Tori” Hughes at About Life Chiropractic, treating patients with expanded services and groundbreaking techniques is a passion. While About Life has been at its current location near 116th and Cumberland for four years with great success, many people don’t know its services go far beyond traditional adjustments.
For example, Carleton and Hughes are the only Activator-certified and -trained team in Fishers. “The Activator is a handheld tool allowing for a controlled, gentle impulse to the affected area in the spine and surrounding joints,” Carleton explains. “The Activator can be used on almost any area of the body where a patient is experiencing pain.”
Carleton says she and Hughes have even used the Activator to treat TMJ issues in patients’ jaws. “The Activator makes a clicking noise,” she says. “The purpose of the force is to restore motion to the targeted vertebrae or joint. The quick impulse causes the muscles to be less tense in response to receiving the chiropractic adjustment. Unlike manual chiropractic adjustments, the Activator allows for specificity to a region without twisting or bending of the body.”
The Activator also avoids an all-too-common concern people have about chiropractic care – there is no cavitation or “popping” noise that comes with traditional methods. Carleton says recent research out of New Zealand proves a “pop” doesn’t necessarily need to happen for treatment to be effective.
To maintain the Activator certification requirements, the About Life team takes annual training, including 12 hours of technique. While she admits the certification is expensive, it seems to be paying off. “I have patients who come from as far as Tipton because we’re the only Activator-certified practice nearby,” she said.
The Activator certification courses are in addition to the countless hours both doctors have spent learning and training. Carleton and Hughes have hundreds of hours in prenatal and postnatal care. “We are trained in infant care, including cranial work,” Carleton says. “We love to see families. We are both Webster certified to help ease pregnancy discomfort.”
The Webster technique is used to help pelvic and uterine function. It involves gentle adjustments to the pelvis, sacrum, muscles and ligaments to improve alignment and reduce tension. With many pregnant women facing pain as the baby grows, Carleton believes chiropractic care can make a huge difference for both mom and baby. It is completely safe and the baby is never touched. “We use gentle, subtle techniques to improve health and well-being.” Carleton says.
The practice also recently became certified in dry needling. Dry needling is a treatment that involves inserting thin needles into muscles, ligaments, tendons and scar tissue to relieve pain and improve movement. “The needles don’t contain medication or injections, and the procedure is considered safe with little risk of complications,” Carleton explained. “The needles stimulate the muscles, causing them to contract or twitch, which can help relieve pain and improve range of motion. Dry needling is often used to treat pain and movement issues associated with myofascial trigger points, which are taut bands of skeletal muscle within a larger muscle group.”
Carleton says her practice took off at its previous location in Fishers, leading to a wait list for new patients in late 2022 and the need for an additional set of hands. Fort Wayne native Hughes came aboard that November. “I needed someone who was Activator trained,” she says. Hughes is an Activator expert, having seen an Activator-trained doctor for chiropractic treatment since she was a toddler. “Chiropractic work was her calling for sure,” says Carleton.
Carleton says her practice is dedicated to enhancing people’s lives through chiropractic care, and continuously learning and mastering disciplines. “Our practice serves everyone from in the womb to 95,” she said. “Our most common patient population are those who want to enjoy ease of movement in everyday life. We have infants who need a tune-up from the birth process to our favorite ‘girls’ club of 80 year olds. We are well-suited through the use of Activator to help co-manage additional complaints besides spinal complaints, from dizziness to scoliosis.”
About Life Chiropractic is a proud sponsor of the Hamilton Southeastern Royals cheerleading squad.
