What we check
- Gait, squat, and overhead reach compared to before the fall
- Guarding patterns and asymmetry in the neck, back, hips, and shoulders
- Range of motion in whichever region took the impact
- How a child has quietly changed how they sit, climb, or move since the fall
- INSiGHT nervous-system scan findings
- Whether an injury needs a referral for imaging or specialist evaluation before proceeding
What to expect
Tell us exactly how the fall happened and what your child could and couldn't do afterward, including things that seem minor. If a fracture or head injury hasn't already been ruled out medically and your child's symptoms suggest one, we'll say so and refer you before doing anything else. Otherwise the first visit is a consultation, movement and hands-on exam, and an INSiGHT scan, with pricing detailed on our what to expect page.
Book a first visitHead-First Falls: Concussion Screening First
Any fall where the head hit the ground, monkey bars, playground equipment, or the pavement gets treated as a possible head injury until proven otherwise.
- Watch for: confusion, vomiting, a headache that builds rather than fades, unusual drowsiness, balance trouble, or any loss of consciousness, even briefly
- If any appear: emergency room, not a wait-and-see
- We do not diagnose or clear concussions ourselves
- Once a physician has cleared a head injury or determined it doesn’t need same-day evaluation, our dedicated page covers what supporting a child through concussion recovery looks like on our end
Wrist, Arm, and Collarbone
Kids reflexively put a hand out when they fall, which is why the wrist and forearm are two of the most common playground injury sites.
- Fractures don’t always look dramatic in this age group — sometimes it’s swelling and reluctance to use the arm rather than an obvious deformity
- Collarbone fractures from a fall onto the shoulder are common too, usually announced by a child holding the arm close to the body and refusing to raise it
- Any suspected fracture needs an X-ray first — including before a chiropractic visit
- After a fracture is ruled out or has finished its medical healing course, we look at how the surrounding shoulder, neck, and upper back are compensating for weeks of guarding a sore arm
Tailbone, Low Back, and Hip Falls
A fall straight onto the seat — off a swing, a scooter, or down a few stairs — often lands squarely on the tailbone or low back.
- Most are bruising that resolves with time, ice, and a softer seat for a week
- Medical evaluation first if a child cannot bear weight on one leg, hip pain doesn’t improve with rest, or a limp shows up the next day rather than easing
- Once fracture and hip injury are ruled out where relevant, we assess pelvic and low back mechanics and gait
- Compensation is the quiet part — kids will change how they sit, walk, or climb stairs for weeks after a hard fall without mentioning it
What We Assess Once the Medical Question Is Settled
Our exam is hands-on and movement-based.
- How your child walks, squats, reaches overhead, and turns, compared to how they moved before the fall
- Guarding patterns, asymmetry, and restricted motion in the neck, back, hips, and shoulders
- An INSiGHT nervous-system scan, to see what tension the fall left behind
- A plan built from what we find
- A plain answer if something looks like it needs a referral rather than an adjustment
See a medical provider right away if you notice
- Any loss of consciousness, confusion, vomiting, or worsening headache after a head-first fall — emergency room now
- Visible deformity, inability to use an arm or bear weight on a leg — needs an X-ray before anything else
- A limp or refusal to walk that appears or worsens the day after a fall — medical evaluation
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness following the fall — seek emergency care
- Swelling that is rapidly increasing, or skin that looks pale, blue, or cold below the injury — same-day medical care
- A fall from significant height, or onto a hard surface at speed — err toward medical evaluation even if your child seems fine
Common questions
My child fell but seems fine now. Do we still need a doctor?
If none of the red flags above are present and your child is moving, eating, and behaving normally, many falls don't need same-day medical care. When in doubt, especially after a head-first fall, err toward having it checked.
Can you tell if something is broken?
No. A suspected fracture needs an X-ray, which we don't provide. We'll refer you for imaging first and pick up the mechanical piece afterward, once a fracture is confirmed or ruled out.
How long after a fall can we still come in?
Weeks later is fine. We often see kids who quietly changed how they walk or sit after a fall and never mentioned the pain outright — that guarding pattern is exactly what we're looking for.
Is this different from care after a car accident?
The forces and typical injury patterns differ, so yes, we approach them somewhat differently. If the fall happened in a car accident specifically, our children's car accident page covers that in more detail.
This page is educational and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Chiropractic care does not treat or cure disease; it supports the function of the nervous system and spine. Please speak with your pediatrician or a licensed clinician about your family's specific situation, and seek immediate care for any urgent symptom.