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Treatments at Cityside Chiropractic
 

​Cityside Chiropractic Accident & Injury Clinic provides chiropractic, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and soft tissue treatment for patients recovering from auto accidents, slip and fall injuries, work-related injuries, and other musculoskeletal conditions throughout Rhode Island. Dr. Mark Mulak brings 24 years of clinical experience to the evaluation and treatment of injury-related conditions.


Conditions We Commonly Treat

Cityside Chiropractic provides evaluation and treatment for patients injured in motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall incidents, and workplace accidents covered under workers’ compensation. Commonly treated conditions include:

  • Whiplash and cervical spine injury

  • Motor vehicle accident (MVA) injuries

  • Slip and fall injuries

  • Workers’ compensation injuries

  • Post-concussion symptoms

  • Soft tissue and musculoskeletal injury

  • Chronic neck and back pain following trauma

Intro

Cityside Chiropractic provides chiropractic and physiotherapy-based treatment for patients recovering from motor vehicle accidents and related musculoskeletal injuries in Providence and Cranston, Rhode Island. Our care combines hands-on treatment, soft tissue therapy, rehabilitation, and in-office modalities to help reduce pain, restore function, and support recovery.

 

Dr. Mark Mulak is licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health in both Chiropractic Medicine and Physiotherapy and has passed the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ Physiotherapy Examination. This dual licensure supports a broader in-office treatment scope, including rehabilitative, soft tissue, and physiotherapy-based modalities delivered under one provider, and reflects extensive experience treating patients injured in motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall incidents, and workplace accidents.

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Why Choose Cityside Chiropractic Accident & Injury Clinic?

  • 24 years of clinical experience

  • Licensed in Chiropractic Medicine and Physiotherapy

  • Treatment for auto accidents, slip and fall, and work-related injuries

  • Advanced treatment options, including dry needling and shockwave therapy

  • Serving patients throughout Rhode Island from offices in Providence and Cranston

  • Individualized treatment plans based on examination findings and recovery goals

How Treatment Plans Are Developed

No two injuries are exactly alike. Following a thorough examination, treatment recommendations are based on the patient’s diagnosis, functional limitations, clinical findings, and recovery goals. Depending on the condition, care may include chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapy, physiotherapy modalities, rehabilitation exercises, dry needling, shockwave therapy, or other supportive treatments.

Treatments Commonly Used After Injury

Depending on the diagnosis and stage of recovery, treatment may include chiropractic adjustments, physiotherapy modalities, soft tissue therapy, rehabilitation exercises, dry needling, shockwave therapy, and other supportive services. Not every patient requires every treatment, and care recommendations are individualized based on clinical findings and recovery goals.

Manual and Manipulation-Based Treatment

  1. These treatments focus on restoring joint motion, reducing pain, and improving mechanical function after trauma, whiplash, and other accident-related injuries.

  2. Chiropractic manual adjustment — Hands-on spinal and extremity adjustments used to restore motion and reduce pain.

  3. Diversified Technique — The classic chiropractic adjusting method using a precise, controlled thrust.

  4. Instrument-assisted adjustment — Low-force correction using Activator or Impulse-style instruments for more sensitive cases.

  5. Joint mobilization — Grade I-IV mobilization used to improve restricted motion without a high-velocity thrust.

  6. Extremity adjustments — Treatment for injured joints such as the shoulder, hip, ankle, and wrist.

  7. Manual cervical traction — Hands-on neck traction used to relieve pressure and improve comfort after whiplash-type injuries.

  8. Intersegmental traction table — Passive rolling traction is used to reduce tension and improve segmental spinal mobility.

Soft Tissue and Myofascial Therapy

These treatments address muscles, fascia, scar tissue, and movement restriction that often persist even when imaging does not fully explain a patient’s symptoms.

  • Myofascial release — Manual soft tissue treatment directed at fascial restriction and muscle tightness.

  • Graston Technique — Instrument-assisted treatment used to address scar tissue and fascial restriction.

  • IASTM — Tool-assisted soft tissue mobilization used for adhesions, restriction, and scar tissue.

  • Trigger point therapy — Focused manual pressure used to release tender muscular trigger points.

  • Cupping therapy — Negative-pressure soft tissue treatment used to improve circulation and reduce tightness.

  • Kinesiology taping — Flexible supportive taping used to reinforce movement without rigid bracing.

Electrical, Thermal, and Light-Based Modalities

These in-office modalities help manage pain, reduce spasm, calm inflammation, and prepare tissue for manual therapy and rehabilitation.

  • Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) — Electrical stimulation used to reduce pain, spasm, and muscular guarding.

  • Interferential therapy — Deeper-penetrating electrical stimulation used for pain and inflammation control.

  • Heat therapy — Moist and standard heat modalities used to relax muscle and improve tissue flexibility.

  • Tecar therapy — Radiofrequency-based deep heating used to support circulation and tissue repair.

  • Therapeutic ultrasound — Sound-wave treatment modality used to heat soft tissue and improve flexibility.

  • Class 4 laser therapy — Higher-powered therapeutic laser used for deeper soft tissue and joint injuries.

  • Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) — Lower-intensity light therapy used to support healing and reduce inflammation.

  • Red and infrared light therapy — Adjunct light therapy used to support localized comfort and circulation.

Advanced Therapeutic Treatment

These specialized options are reserved for specific injury patterns and used selectively based on clinical findings, response to care, and candidacy.

  • Dry needling — Certification-based trigger point treatment using thin sterile needles for muscular dysfunction.

  • Extracorporeal shockwave therapy — Acoustic wave therapy used to stimulate healing in chronic soft tissue injuries and tendon conditions.

  • Whole-body vibration therapy — Vibration-based therapy used to support muscle activation and proprioceptive rehabilitation.

Rehabilitative and Functional Care

Active rehabilitation helps patients regain strength, motion, stability, and day-to-day function after the acute stage of injury.

  • Therapeutic exercise — Structured rehabilitation used to rebuild strength, stability, and function.

  • Range of motion therapy — Passive and active-assisted stretching used to restore normal movement.

  • Postural rehabilitation — Corrective rehab used to improve alignment and reduce strain during recovery.

  • Balance rehabilitation — Exercises used to improve stability in patients with dizziness or impaired balance.

  • Gait training — Walking pattern correction used after lower-extremity, spinal, or balance-related injury.

  • Proprioceptive training — Exercises used to restore joint position sense and reduce reinjury risk.

  • Ergonomic assessment — Evaluation of work or daily movement patterns that may aggravate an injury.

  • Custom orthotics — Foot support devices fitted to improve mechanics and reduce strain.

  • Orthopedic bracing and support fitting — Supportive devices and cervical orthoses fitted to the patient’s condition and recovery stage.

  • Nutritional counseling — Nutritional guidance used to support healing and tissue recovery.

At-Home Recovery Support

Recovery continues between visits with guided self-care and customized home support.

  • Cold packs and cryotherapy guidance — Home-use cold therapy instructions may be provided to help manage pain and inflammation between visits.

  • Home exercise programs — Customized home exercise programs reinforce in-office progress and support recovery between appointments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a referral for treatment after a car accident?

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No referral is required to be evaluated and treated at Cityside Chiropractic following a car accident. Patients can schedule an evaluation directly.

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Does Rhode Island workers’ compensation cover chiropractic treatment?

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Yes. Every employer in Rhode Island with one or more employees is legally required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, and Rhode Island law specifically includes chiropractic care among the medical treatments covered for a work-related injury. Patients being treated under workers’ compensation can receive chiropractic and physiotherapy-based care at Cityside Chiropractic as part of their covered treatment.

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Do you accept patients under a medical lien?

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Yes. Cityside Chiropractic accepts patients under a medical lien for injuries related to motor vehicle accidents and other personal injury matters.

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Can I receive treatment if an attorney is handling my case?

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Yes. Patients with an attorney handling their personal injury case can continue to receive treatment at Cityside Chiropractic throughout the course of their case.

 

What is dry needling?

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Dry needling involves inserting a thin, sterile needle directly into a tight muscle band or trigger point to release tension and reduce pain. It is a certification-based technique distinct from acupuncture, used specifically to address musculoskeletal dysfunction.

 

What is shockwave therapy?

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Extracorporeal shockwave therapy uses focused acoustic sound waves to stimulate healing in chronic soft tissue injuries and tendon conditions that have not fully responded to other treatment.

 

What is Tecar therapy?

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Tecar therapy uses radiofrequency energy to generate heat within deeper tissue layers from the inside out, increasing circulation and supporting the body’s natural repair process in injured muscles, tendons, and joints.

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What conditions respond to Class IV laser therapy?

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Class IV laser therapy is commonly used for deeper soft tissue and joint injuries, including muscle strain, ligament sprain, and tendon injury, where reducing inflammation and supporting cellular repair can speed recovery.

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How long does treatment typically last after an accident?

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Treatment length varies based on the severity of the injury, examination findings, and the patient’s response to care. Following a thorough evaluation, Dr. Mulak provides an individualized treatment plan with an estimated course of care, which is reassessed at regular intervals.

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Can chiropractic and physiotherapy treatments be combined?

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Yes. Dr. Mulak’s dual licensure in Chiropractic Medicine and Physiotherapy allows chiropractic adjustment, soft tissue therapy, and physiotherapy-based modalities to be combined within a single, individualized treatment plan delivered under one provider.

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What should I expect during my first visit?

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The first visit includes a thorough examination to assess the patient’s injury, functional limitations, and clinical findings. Based on these findings, Dr. Mulak develops an individualized treatment plan tailored to the patient’s diagnosis and recovery goals.

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Do you treat whiplash injuries?

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Yes. Whiplash and other cervical spine injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents are among the most common conditions treated at Cityside Chiropractic.

Related Resources

Schedule an Evaluation

  • If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, slip and fall, workplace incident, or are experiencing musculoskeletal pain, contact Cityside Chiropractic Accident & Injury Clinic to schedule an evaluation.

  • Providence Office: (401) 272-5710

  • Cranston Office: (401) 272-5710

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