Improve Your Recovery With Corrective Chiropractic Exercises
I see many visitors to my practice who are suffering from back pain and hope that an adjustment will solve the issue. In many cases, I can offer short term pain relief via chiropractic manipulations, and this is preferable to taking powerful painkillers on a regular basis. Any hands-on treatment that I offer, however, will be by its nature short-term in the relief that it provides.
The spine is a complex system which is supported by muscles, and which is under strain constantly. Even when you are sleeping, if your back is not properly supported some of the discs may be out of alignment. Walking, sitting at your desk, carrying heavy bags and even exercising can place stresses on your back and if you are not doing corrective chiropractic exercises then you run the risk of ending up with your pain coming back quite quickly.
How Henry Chiropractic Can Help You Beat Back Pain
At Henry Chiropractic one of the services that I offer is advice on corrective chiropractic exercises. These are things that you can do at home that will help you to develop better posture, improve your muscle tone, and take the stress off your back. This can help to reduce the risk of back pain coming back and can also help to improve your overall energy levels.
I have worked with many people who are suffering from back or neck pain or referred pain that relates to issues in those areas. Rather than simply offering adjustments, which are a short-term fix for some people (but can be of long-term use to those who have suffered an injury which can clearly be associated with a specific event, such as falling, or a sports injury), I can offer advice on exercises and movement changes that will help you to improve your overall spinal health.
Simple Steps to a Healthy Back
Corrective chiropractic exercises are important if you are looking to improve your strength and support your core. There are many small, simple changes that you can make while waiting for an appointment, too. Building positive habits will help you to avoid back pain as you get older:
– Bend at the knees if you need to pick up a heavy object
– Carry objects close to your body, ideally in front of you rather than out to one side
– Use a backpack if you carry loads regularly
– If you must wear a messenger bag or handbag, swap shoulders on a regular basis
– Take breaks when doing manual labor
– If you are standing for a long time, try to rest one foot on a low step, ledge, or even a rock, to take the stress off the back
– Try to avoid sitting at your desk for long periods; get up and walk around regularly
Protecting Your Back When Exercising
Corrective chiropractic exercises are a personal thing. The exercises that are recommended for one person may not be a good idea for another. For this reason, I highly recommend that you see a chiropractor before embarking on a new program of rigorous activity.
Exercises will not correct subluxations, in general, and they will not always correct problems with your posture. It is important that you seek professional advice to make sure that you are approaching any posture issues you have in the most efficient way possible.
Some people can benefit from stretches to relieve tight hamstrings and reduce the pressure on the spine. It is particularly important for older people to stretch on a regular basis because muscles can become shorter and tighter if they are not used on a regular basis, and they can also begin to lose tone. Much of the ‘age-related’ loss of strength and flexibility can be prevented with regular exercise. Simple stretching exercises will do a lot of good for helping people to avoid injury and prevent back pain.
If you are new to exercise and stretching, then basic yoga movements such as the sun salutations are a good idea. Consider attending classes to learn the movements under supervision, to avoid injury.
As a part of my consultation service, I will recommend stretches that are specific to the needs of each individual. In addition to those stretches, I may suggest abdominal exercises such as planks, abdominal curls, pelvic floor exercises, neck mobility exercises and obliques bridges that will help to strengthen the related muscles and improve your range of motion. With the correct program of stretches and strength exercises, you can improve your balance, strength, range of motion and endurance, so that your spine is under as little stress as possible.
Recommendations for Athletes
Overuse injuries are some of the most common problems that I see in athletes. Many athletes practice the same motions dozens or hundreds of times per day and this increases the risk of injury through fatigue or through excessive tension in specific muscles.
Rest days and active recovery time are essential for athletes who want to get the most out of their training. Even school-age athletes should be wary of the dangers of over-specialization. Training more than one sport (ideally sports that use different muscle groups or different movement patterns) can help to prevent damage to the joints used in the athlete’s primary sport and will also reduce the risk of mental burnout, thereby greatly prolonging their sporting career.
There is a huge emphasis on ‘practice time’ in many sports, but it can be counter-productive to spend too much time training specific actions, especially if an injury results in an athlete being forced to step away from the sport for a period of several weeks or months.
If you would like to know more about corrective chiropractic exercises or chiropractic adjustments, or any of the other services that I offer, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I would be happy to discuss your lifestyle, current spinal health and needs, consider what you are looking to get out of chiropractic treatments and work with you to produce a fitter and healthier you.
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