There is no fixed number: it depends on what is wrong, how long you have had it and what you want to get back to. Your chiropractor gives you an estimate at your first visit, after examining you, and updates it as you respond.
A recent, simple strain usually needs less care than a problem that has been building for months or keeps coming back.
What affects the number of visits
- How long you have had the problem. Recent injuries tend to settle faster than long-standing ones.
- What the injury is. A stiff joint, an irritated tendon and a nerve-related problem each recover on a different timeline.
- Your goal. Sitting comfortably at work asks less of your body than returning to hockey or heavy lifting.
- What you do between visits. Doing your home exercises and adjusting your training load makes a real difference.
- Your general health. Sleep, stress and other conditions affect how quickly tissue recovers.
How a plan usually runs
Visits tend to be closer together at the start, when pain is highest, and then spaced out as you improve and take on more of the work yourself through exercise. Your chiropractor re-checks your movement and symptoms along the way. If you are not improving as expected, the plan changes or you are referred to someone else.
Do I have to keep coming forever?
No. The aim is to resolve the problem and give you the tools to manage it. Some people choose to come back from time to time during a heavy training block or season, and that is your decision.
Planning around insurance
Most extended health plans set a yearly maximum for chiropractic. Tell your chiropractor what your plan allows so visits can be planned around it. See is chiropractic covered by OHIP in Ontario?
More about our approach is on the sports injury focused chiropractic page.
Want an estimate for your injury?