Doctors Fran and Rob Palmer are a husband and wife chiropractic team, parents of two children – 8-year-old Jake and 5-year-old Ali, active community members and dedicated rodeo followers. The only thing the two seem to lack is time.”When not in the office, our world revolves around our children and their activities,” Fran Palmer said. In fact, it’s the norm to find Ali lunching with her parents in the office or Jake answering the phone.Rob Palmer spent his childhood years in Minnesota, relocating to Littleton, Colo., when he was a teenager. He attended Fort Lewis College in Durango and the University of Colorado before receiving his doctor of chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, in 1993. He also received certification as a chiropractic sports physician from Northwestern College of Chiropractic. Palmer met Fran at Palmer College.Fran Palmer is a native of Long Island, New York. She graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton and received her chiropractic degree from Palmer College. Palmer also received a certification in pediatric care from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association in conjunction with Northwestern Health Sciences University in July 2004. She specializes in treating pregnant women and children.After graduation, the Palmers moved to Burlington, Colo., and opened a practice. Treating all ages, from newborns to the elderly, they focused on prevention of injury and disease and overall health and wellness. After eight years in Burlington, the Palmers sold their practice and moved to Falcon.”When we made the decision to relocate, we visited many different parts of Colorado,” Rob Palmer said. “Fran and I felt that Falcon was a growing community and had the most to offer us personally and professionally.”Palmer Chiropractic opened at the Safeway shopping Center in Aug. 2003.”It was a huge step,” Fran Palmer said. “We had three offices in rural Colorado, and a very successful practice. Coming here was literally starting all over.”Chiropractic care is one part of health care. We focus more on preventive care and total health and wellness rather than disease. Chiropractic is based on the fact that nerve interference results in organ and/or body malfunction, which, if not corrected, can result in disease. What we do is correct nerve interference by gentle spinal adjustments, thus, removing interference and allowing the body to do what it does best, which is take care of itself.”Rob Palmer was a regular on the sidelines of many high school sporting events in Burlington. “I could immediately check out injuries, such as sprained ankles, knee pain and back pain,” he said. “If warranted, we could go straight to our office and treat the kids to ensure correct and speedy healing.”The Palmers acknowledge that certain types of injuries require medical care.”We work with many physicians and surgeons,” Rob Palmer said. “If you tear your ACL, you need an orthopedic surgeon. However, there is much we can do both pre- and post-surgery to aid in the healing process. A team approach benefits the patient most.”The Palmers practice several different techniques depending on their patients’ needs. Their services range from spinal adjustments to therapies involving nutrition, exercise and rehabilitative recommendations. Every patient receives a computerized spinal examination.Fran Palmer’s special interest is pre/post natal care and children. She recommends that newborns see a chiropractor who specializes in infant care as soon as possible after the delivery.”Studies have shown that many expectant mothers under chiropractic care experience shorter labor and easier deliveries,” Palmer said. “The birth is extremely traumatic for babies, especially when forceps, vacuum extraction or C-sections are involved.”If Fran Palmer hasn’t treated the mother during pregnancy, she takes a full medical history including all aspects of the labor and delivery. “It’s very important to know if the baby experienced any type of in-utero constriction or any type of additional trauma during delivery.”Spinal adjustments on babies are slight and done with extreme gentleness. “I use about the same pressure one would use to check the ripeness of a tomato,” she said. “We have seen tremendous results with the techniques we use in infants. They cry less and sleep better.”Aside from treating babies, children and adults, Rob Palmer also is certified to treat animals. He has been a member of the Pro Rodeo for 11 years and recently returned from the Pro Rodeo finals in Las Vegas.”I treat the riders and the animals,” Rob Palmer said. He also travels the state and performs chiropractic care on dogs, horses, and bulls. “All the animals love it,” he said.He generally uses his hands on horses but sometimes uses a rubber mallet.He treats rodeo bulls in a holding pen using a rubber mallet to adjust their spines. “You can see the difference almost immediately in the way they move,” Rob said.The Palmers actively support many charitable organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation, where this past October they donated $600. On their rare days off, they enjoy rodeos, camping, hiking and traveling with their children.For more information on Palmer Chiropractic, visit their Web site at www.palmer-chiropractic.com or call their office at 494-1395.
