At Sure Start Chiropractic we have access to a large array of assessment methods but the 3 we use the most, and the ones we think you should get to know, are:

1. Posture

Richard will typically record any ‘distortions’ by drawing them on a chart and grading each one by severity:

• 1 = Mild
• 2 = Moderate
• 3 = Severe

The chart that follows shows 5-6 postural distortions, ranging in severity from ‘mild’ to ‘moderate’.

Total score in this case is 1+2+1+2+2+2 = 10

The Ideal postural score is 0

This next posture chart example shows an infant with a moderate-severe left head-turn preference.

Total score: 2.5

2. Range of Motion

The six main movement direction of the spine – forward bend, backward bend, side-bend and rotation are noted on a chart like the one shown here.

This example shows a neck with good forward bend (tick = full range) and quite good backward bend (80 degrees, of an ideal 90), but limited turning and side-bend, especially to the right (65/85 and 15/50).

Key:

• An ‘ideal’ range is given in small font next to each box as a guide.
• Most movements are recorded in degrees, but sometimes as a %.
• C= Neck (cervical) spine
• T/L = Thoraco-lumbar (mid & lower) spine

3. Palpation

A healthy spine segment typically has a ‘soft’ and ‘comfortable’ end-range feel when palpated locally by your Chiropractor’s hand. In contrast, an inactive segment will commonly have a ‘harder’ and sometimes ‘tender’ end-range feel.

The adjacent palpation example shows:

• C1 (the 1st neck vertebra), to have a ‘hardness’ score of 2 (moderate) and a ‘pain/tenderness’ sore of 1 (mild).
• L5 (5 lumbar vertebra) to have ‘hardness’ score of 2 (moderate) and tenderness score of 2 (moderate).

Total score in this case = 2+1+2+2 = 7

Ideal palpation score is = 0

Questions?

If you have any questions about your exam findings or wish to learn more about the additional ways to assess your spine health, like those shown below, don’t hesitate to ask your Chiropractor on your next visit. If you are curious, other spine health measurements include:

• Neurological assessment
• Orthopaedic tests
• Functional Movement & Daily Performance
• Imaging (X-rays, MRI, CT scans)
• Muscle Strength & Stability

“Your ideal pillow depends on numerous factors including your neck and shoulder health, your body and sleep position. The best way to get it right is with personalised guidance from a spine health professional – like us! The article below is designed to help you get started, and if you’d like tailored advice, just ask me on your next visit.” – Dr Richard Mathers

Most people choose a pillow based on how it feels in the store.

Soft. Fluffy. Comfortable… for 30 seconds.

But a pillow isn’t just about comfort—it’s about what your neck and spine are doing for 6–8 hours every night. And the wrong pillow can quietly contribute to poor sleep, neck tension, headaches, and ongoing discomfort.

So how do you choose the right one?

Start With the Real Goal

The goal of a pillow is simple:

To keep your neck and spine in a neutral, supported position while you sleep

That means:

• Your head isn’t dropping too low
• Your neck isn’t pushed too far forward
• Your spine stays aligned with the rest of your body

When this happens, your muscles can properly relax and recover overnight.

When it doesn’t, your body often pays for it the next day.

Step 1: Consider Your Sleep Position

Your ideal pillow depends heavily on how you sleep.

Side Sleepers

You generally need a higher, firmer pillow to fill the space between your shoulder and head.

• Too low → your head drops sideways
• Result → strain through the neck and upper back

Back Sleepers

A low to medium height pillow that supports the natural curve of your neck works best.

• Too high → pushes your head forward
• Too low → reduces support under the neck

Stomach Sleepers

This position is more challenging for the neck.

• A very low pillow or no pillow is usually best
• High pillows can significantly strain the neck due to rotation

Step 2: Get the Height Right (This Is Critical)

Pillow height (or thickness) is one of the most important—and most overlooked—factors.

A simple way to think about it:

• Your pillow should fill the space between your head and the mattress
• Your neck should feel supported—not bent or tilted

If your pillow is:

• Too high → your neck is pushed out of alignment
• Too low → your head drops and muscles stay active all night

Step 3: Look for Support, Not Just Softness

A pillow can feel soft and still provide poor support.

What matters is whether it:

• Holds its shape through the night
• Supports the natural curve of your neck
• Doesn’t collapse under the weight of your head

If your pillow goes flat when you lie on it, it’s likely not doing its job.

Step 4: Choose a Material & Type That Works for You

There’s no single “best” material—only what works best for your needs.

Memory Foam

• Moulds to your shape
• Provides consistent support
• Can feel warm for some people

Latex

• Supportive and responsive
• Holds its shape well
• Often a good balance of comfort and support

Feather/Down

• Soft and adjustable
• Often lacks consistent support
• May need frequent fluffing

Polyester

• Affordable
• Tends to lose shape more quickly

👉 The key is not the material itself, but whether it maintains support over time.

Step 5: Contour shape or Regular?

Contour pillows are designed with a shaped surface to support the natural curve of your neck, often featuring a higher and lower edge.

Pros

• Can provide more targeted neck support
• Can reduce the need to constantly adjust your pillow
• Often made from materials that hold their shape well

Cons

• Can feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable at first
• The fixed shape may not suit all body types or shoulder widths
• Choosing the wrong height and size can still lead to poor support

Step 6: Make Sure It Matches You

This is where many people go wrong.

The “best pillow” isn’t universal—it depends on:

• Your body shape and shoulder width
• Your preferred sleep position
• The firmness of your mattress
• Your individual comfort preferences

That’s why a pillow that works perfectly for one person may not work for another.

Step 7: Know When to Replace Your Pillow

Even a good pillow won’t last forever.

Signs it may need replacing:

• It’s lost its shape or feels lumpy
• It doesn’t spring back after use
• You wake up with new or increasing stiffness
• You sleep better on a different pillow (e.g. when travelling)

Most pillows need replacing more often than people think.

A Simple Self-Check

Ask yourself:

• Do I wake up feeling refreshed—or stiff and tight?
• Do I need to constantly adjust my pillow during the night?
• Does my pillow feel supportive, or does it collapse?

Get a family member to check your head-neck-body alignment with you in a typicall sleeping postition.

If something doesn’t feel right, it’s worth paying attention.

The Bigger Picture

Your pillow is just one part of your overall spinal health—but it’s a part that can affect you every single night.

Small changes here can make a meaningful difference to:

• Sleep quality
• Neck and shoulder comfort
• How your body feels during the day

Need Help Choosing the Right Pillow?

If you’re unsure what’s right for you, we’re always happy to help.

At Sure Start Health, we can guide you based on your spine health, spine shape, sleep habits, and individual needs—so you can make a choice with confidence.

Better sleep doesn’t come from guessing, it comes from getting the support right.

If the answer is no, they assume everything is fine. If the answer is yes, they look for relief.

But this way of thinking can be misleading and it can lead people to stop care too early, or not seek care at all.

Let’s explore why.

Pain Is a Poor Measure of Spine Health

Pain is important, but it’s actually a late signal, not an early warning system.

Your spine and nervous system may have to lose a large amount of health before pain appears. In fact, many people walk around with reduced spine health for years without any symptoms at all.

Think of it like your teeth:

• You can have early decay without pain
• Pain usually shows up when the problem is more advanced

Your spine works in a very similar way.

Spine Health Exists on a Spectrum

Instead of being “good” or “bad,” your spine health sits on a continuum.

Observe the scale below. By the time you have persisting pain, there is a good chance that part of your spine is in the ‘orange‘ or ‘red‘ zone.

Why Symptoms Can Disappear Before You’re “Healthy”

Let’s say your spine health in one area has dropped to 40%.

At that point, you might start to experience some stiffness or muscle tension.

Time passes, and your spine health drops further to 30%.

You start to feel recurring pain or discomfort.

With care, your spine improves to 50% and your symptoms go away.

That’s great progress. But it doesn’t mean your spine is back to full function.

You’re now symptom-free, but not yet at your best.

This is where many people make a critical decision:

• Stop care because the pain is gone
• Or continue improving toward a stronger, more resilient spine

The “20% Improvement” Concept

In many cases, a relatively small improvement in spine function—sometimes around 20–30%—is enough to relieve symptoms.

That’s encouraging. It means your body can respond quickly.

But it also explains why:

• Problems can return
• Minor stresses can trigger flare-ups
• The same issue keeps coming back over time

Because the your spine health in the affected area remains close to its pain / no-pain threshold. *Minimal buffer*

Two Different Health Goals

When it comes to spine care, there are generally two different goals:

1. Symptom Relief Care

• Focus: Reduce pain and discomfort
• Outcome: Feel better
• Timeline: Often short-term

2. Health Restoration / Optimisation

• Focus: Improve function, mobility, and resilience
• Outcome: Stronger, more adaptable spine (distancing yourself further from pain)
• Timeline: Longer-term, more proactive

Neither is “right” or “wrong”—but they are very different choices.

Making an Informed Decision

The most important thing is that you understand your options.

Ask yourself:

• Do I just want to feel better right now?
• Or do I want to improve how well my spine functions long-term?

Because if you believe “pain-free = healthy,” you may stop care before reaching your full potential.

But if you understand that:

• Pain is only part of the picture
• Health exists on a spectrum
• Symptoms often improve before full recovery

…then you can make a more informed decision about what level of health you want to achieve.

A Better Way to Think About Your Spine

Instead of asking:

“Does it hurt?”

Try asking:

“How well is my spine actually functioning?”

That shift in thinking can change:

• When you seek care
• How long you continue care
• The results you achieve over time

Final Thought

Feeling better is a great milestone—but it’s not the finish line.

Understanding the difference between relief and true spine health gives you the power to choose the level of health that’s right for you.

And that’s what informed healthcare decisions are all about.

How to Claim and Pay for Chiropractic Care Online

We offer fast and secure online claiming and payments through Tyro Health. This allows you to easily process your private health insurance claim and pay any gap fee online, before or after your appointment.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Check if Your Health Fund Is Supported

Tyro Health supports most major Australian health funds. You can check if your fund is supported by visiting:
www.tyro.com/health-funds

2. Receive Your Payment Link

You will receive a secure Tyro Health link via SMS or email from our clinic.

The message will include:

• A summary of your appointment
• The amount covered by your health fund (if applicable)
• The remaining gap to be paid

3. Claim and Pay Online

Click the secure link and follow the prompts:

• Step 1: Enter your private health fund member number
• Step 2: Tyro Health will process your health fund claim in real time
• Step 3: Pay any remaining balance (gap) using your credit or debit card

4. Confirmation

Once complete, you’ll receive a receipt via email.  Your claim is processed instantly and your payment is confirmed securely.

Need Help?

If you have any questions about your Tyro Health link, or if you’d prefer to pay in-clinic, please contact us directly.

In 2023, the focus of Spinal Health Week is on the impact headaches have on Australians while providing solutions to elevate headache pain so sufferers can take back control of their health and wellbeing.

Migraine and tension-type headaches are the most prevalent headache disorders, both with disabling potential having the greatest impact on public health. With more than 7 million Australians suffering from debilitating tension headaches and more than 4.9 million suffering chronic migraine; the economic impact to Australia exceeds $35.7 billion annually.

However, the real cost to headache sufferers is immeasurable. Every day, headaches impact the lives of more than 46% of Australians causing debilitating pain and robbing sufferers of productive time at work and study, essential relaxation and social activities, and precious time with children, family and friends.

Migraine and tension headaches are the most common headache disorders, but there are many types of headaches, and many triggers that can cause them. While some headaches are just a mild inconvenience, others can be severe, chronic and have a debilitating effect on the daily life of sufferers.

The connection between spinal health conditions (especially of the neck) and headaches are well recognised in research. It’s vital that headache sufferers have their spine examined and, if appropriate, seek early, effective drug-free chiropractic care. Along with some simple lifestyle changes, this can go a long way to relieve pain, reduce the incidence of headache and migraine and help people take back control of their life.

Studies have shown that university trained chiropractors provide reliable, low risk, effective treatment for the three most common types of headaches – tension and cervicogenic (neck-related) headaches and migraines with notable improvement in cervicogenic headaches following chiropractic treatment.

While one study suggested that spinal manipulation of the neck and mid back is more effective than mobilisation and exercise in reducing cervicogenic headaches, another study found chiropractic adjustments reduced migraines in 72 percent of people surveyed and decreased their duration and severity.

And although pain medications (prescription and over the counter) may provide temporary relief from headache, it’s often a ‘Band-Aid’ solution that treats the symptoms but not the cause.
Often there are lifestyle factors that may be responsible for headaches that occur at home or at work. These might include diet or sedentary behaviours that our chiropractors can identify during an assessment, enabling sufferers to modify these behaviours to manage headaches or avoid them altogether and improve patient’s overall health and wellbeing.

At Sure Start Health our ACA accredited chiropractic healthcare professionals are trained to identify the causes of headaches and provide specialised low-risk, effective drug-free treatment for people of all ages.

So, if you or someone you know is among the 11.9 million Australians suffering from headaches or migraines and you’re tired of headaches holding you back, contact us today to make an appointment so you can take back control of your life.

Call Sure Start Health on 8272 2862 or book online.