There’s a reason people working desk jobs experience neck pain and those in physical labour jobs may suffer from low-back problems. In many cases, the habits we keep throughout the day can have lasting effects on the rest of our body—especially if unmanaged!
In my own experience, I get shoulder aches due to adjusting patients in the practice everyday. Who would have thought - adjusting patients can take a toll on a Chiropractors body too! However, by combining regular chiropractic, exercise, stretching and occasional massage and consciously keeping my body in neutral positions while working has helped me balance out any aches and prevent long term injuries.
So how can you identify what's causing your aches and how to balance it out?
Identifying Daily Habits
To get started, begin by identifying patterns in your daily routine—think posture or repetitive motions.
To identify potential causes, here are some helpful questions to consider:
What movements/postures are you frequenting for a majority of your day?
Are you at a desk with shoulders slumped and head slightly turned one way?
Are you reaching overhead with your body turned to one side? Are you lifting?
While working out, are you using proper form? And remember, it’s not just physical habits—stress levels and nutritional intake also greatly affect how you feel and function.
Pain-Balancing Activities
While each body’s needs are unique, there are quite a few fun, easy activities that can help with pain relief as well as complement chiropractic care. One of the best? “Swimming—it’s low impact on the body, and it requires us to hold our head in a position that combats our poor posture on the daily,”
High intensity interval training is another great option. “Getting that heart rate up and down is key. Gradually work into more difficult challenges”, If you’re just getting started, even 10 minutes of 2 minutes walking, 20 seconds speed-walking in rotation will help.
We're always asked whether Yoga or Pilates is best, well the good news is they're both great for stretching, lengthening your muscles, building core strength and reinforcing good posture.
Chiropractic: Your Body’s Best Bet
The first and most important activity I can recommend is to get regular chiropractic adjustments. We all understand that we use our teeth daily and need to brush them and see the dentist; you use your spine so much more and it is imperative to take care of it.
Through gentle chiropractic adjustments and individualized therapies, chiropractic care can get you out of pain and functioning your best. My priority is to understand your concerns and figure out the solution that works for you, so talk to me about where you feel discomfort, what activities you enjoy and we can work on a tailored plan that suits your lifestyle and will help you feel the benefits.
#healthmaintenance #chiropracticadjustment #chiropracticcare