Sports Spine Specialist Chiropractic Team: Athletes strive to achieve their body’s maximum performance by participating in numerous training regimens consisting of strenuous exercises and physical activity and ensuring they meet all of their body’s nutritional requirements. Through proper fitness and nutrition, many individuals can condition themselves to excel in their specific sport. Our training programs are designed for athletes that look to gain a competitive edge in their sport.
We provide sport-specific services to help increase an athlete’s performance through mobility, strength, and endurance. Occasionally, however, the excess workouts can lead many to suffer injuries or develop underlying conditions. Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chronicle of articles for athletes displays in detail the many forms of complications affecting these professionals while focusing on the possible solutions and treatments to follow to achieve overall well-being.
The discs that cushion the vertebrae are made up of a tough outer layer and a softer inner layer. When the outer layer is damaged and the inner layer comes out into the spine, it is referred to as�disc herniation.
Often the symptoms of a herniated disc include back pain, as the inner layer of the disc puts pressure on nerves in the spine. A herniated disc can impact the sciatic nerve, leading to sciatica.
If you know that your sciatica was caused by a herniated disc then try these exercises and stretches to help reduce back and leg pain.
Exercises that help relieve sciatica from a herniated disc
If your spine specialist or chiropractor informed you that a herniated disc is what caused the pain also known as lumbar radiculopathy they may recommend� three sciatica exercises:
Prone on elbows into Press-up
Upper back extension
Opposite arm and leg extension
These stretches can help provide relief when the root cause of sciatica from herniated or bulging disc.
Prone Elbows/Press-Up
This exercise is to ease sciatica from herniated disc pain and pressure in the lumbar spine/low back.
How to:
Lay on stomach
Slowly push up until rested on forearms
Beginners hold for 30 seconds
Once strength is gained and you feel comfortable then hold for 3 to 5 minutes
Gently lower to the floor
Repeat 10 times
Once comfortable holding for 5 minutes then perform an extended arms version, which is like push-ups raising your arms to the point where your elbows lock
Upper Back Extension
This exercise is to strengthen and stabilize the low back muscles.
How to:
Lay on your stomach with a small pillow or rolled towel under your hips
Rest your arms at your sides
Slowly lift your upper body up off the floor, contracting your low back muscles as you rise
Hold the lifted position for 3 seconds
Slowly lower your body to the ground
Repeat 10 times
Throughout this exercise, keep movements fluid and controlled.
Opposite Arm and Leg Extension
This exercise is to stabilize your spine and strengthen your low back, hamstring and gluteus muscles.
How to:
Lay on your stomach with a small pillow or rolled towel under your abdomen
Extend both arms in front of you
Contract your abdominal muscles as you slowly lift both your right arm and left leg
Hold for 3 seconds. Lower your leg and arm down
Repeat with your left arm and right leg
Hold for 3 seconds
Repeat the exercise 5 to 10 times on each side
As you alternate the lifts, make sure to keep abdominal muscles contracted to get the full benefit.
How do these exercises relieve sciatica from herniated disc
These exercises and stretches are designed to move the pain from the leg and into the low back.
This is centralization/localization.
This is a good thing, as the goal is to get the pain centralized and back at the source.
When the leg pain goes away, it means the pressure on the sciatic nerve and related nerves has been removed.
If sciatic pain stretches down to the foot, you will feel these exercises, meaning that the pain and electrical sensations will move through the ankle and knee. Which means you’re doing it correctly.
This does not mean that the pain is immediately going to centralize to the low back, it does take time because you are trying to stretch and straighten out this long nerve.
But you will notice sciatica pain does not go as far down the leg.
Therefore�these exercises need to be done consistently and be made a part of your routine.
What to know before exercising
Before starting these stretches, consider three recommendations:
Get a doctor�s approval
A spine specialist should clear you to perform these stretches and exercises before you start.
While these exercises are safe, get a doctor�s permission before starting physical activity.
Know the cause so your exercise program helps and not makes the condition worse
Sciatica from herniated disc means a different type of exercise than sciatica caused by piriformis syndrome.
Knowing this information will help you choose an exercise plan that provides maximum relief.
Don�t push too hard
Don’t aggravate sciatica, listen to your body and go slow.
Experience any pain or symptoms:
Weakness
Tingling
Numbness
Contact a spine specialist immediately!
Sciatic nerve pain caused by a herniated or bulging disc is a common problem.
But incorporating these exercises and stretches can provide sustained relief.
The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that travels from the lower back down both of the legs and into the feet. When pressure is placed on the nerve, such as from a herniated disc, it can lead to the symptoms commonly referred to as sciatica.
The sciatic nerve can be impacted by a number of different things, including injury and degenerative diseases.
Difference Foot Orthotics Make to *REDUCE FOOT PAIN* & Correct Posture | El Paso, TX (2019)
Custom made foot orthotics can help control foot motion and posture. Healthcare professionals prescribe custom foot orthotics to help patients focus on their foot posture and mobility control. Research studies have ascertained that using custom foot orthotics for posture and mobility control can help fix excessive foot pronation and supination to prevent a variety of foot health problems. The subsequent video describes how custom foot orthotics will help control foot posture and mobility to improve health and wellness.
NCBI Resources
Sciatica is a common back ailment that affects approximately 1 in 10 adults in the United States. It is most prevalent in people between the ages of 25 and 45. Sciatica is characterized by a shooting pain that originates in the lower back and travels down through the hip, buttock, and back of the leg.
The pain can be so severe that it inhibits mobility and can prevent people from working, taking care of their homes, or just enjoying their life. Traditionally, doctors have treated the condition with medications and some invasive therapies, but chiropractic treatments have been found to be extremely effective in alleviating the pain and curing the condition.
Children are not born with a fully developed microbiome, and a baby’s diet has a large impact on the foundation set for a healthy guts future (Biotics Education Team, 1).� Setting up a child to have healthy gut flora from early stages can help them:
In the TEDDY study published in Nature Medicine, it shows that a child’s microbiome goes through 3 transitional phases:
Developmental phase (3�14 months)
Transitional phase (15�30 months)
Stable phase (31�46 months)(Stewart et al., 3)
Throughout the developmental stage, those with a higher breastfeeding rate were associated with increased levels of Bifidobacterium.� “However, once the infants were weaned, there was a rapid loss of the�Bifidobacterium spp.,�and a quick turnover occurred in the microbiome, which featured a higher population of bacteria within the�Firmicutes�phylaphase (Biotics Education Team, 1)”.� Once infants begin to wean off milk, it is helpful to start providing them with probiotic powders.
Prebiotics are the dietary fiber that the live organisms in the probiotics need to eat in order to flourish.
Some foods that include prebiotics are:
Vegetables
Fruits
Legumes
It is great to start toddlers on prebiotics and probiotics because it can help them to continue to have a healthy gut. A healthy gut can help prevent many issues that adults face later on in life (Veereman-Wauters, 4) Having a healthy gut can help to protect the gut from harmful bacteria and fungi, it can aid in sending signals to the immune system, regulate inflammation, create a supportive barrier in the cell lining of the colon and reduce the risk of cancer (Lewis, 2)�
Probiotics are safe for most children and can reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and well as helping to reduce their risk of allergies. It is beneficial to have toddlers on probiotics and prebiotics so they do not develop a “leaky gut”. By starting children on probiotics and prebiotics young, it can aid their overall health for life.
ProbioMax� for Toddlers
Prebiotic and Probiotic Support for Toddlers*
�Overall, it is best to start building the child’s microbiota through the maternal diet in pregnancy, expose them to environments, and talk with their pediatrician about starting them on probiotics. It’s better to start young and build a healthy foundation than to be diagnosed in their 20’s with leaky gut from something that could have been prevented. – Insight from Kenna Vaughn, Health Coach�
NCBI Resources:
Our knowledge of microbiota is rapidly developing and changing. A relatively young field, the science of gut bacteria has been quickly taken up by industry. Most drugstores sell probiotics in some form or another, and yogurt and other fermented foods are frequently hailed as healthy for the gut because they contain live bacteria. Probiotics are food or supplements that contain living microbes intended to support or improve your microbiome’s health. If your favorite yogurt contains �live and active cultures,� you are getting a dose of probiotics along with your breakfast. These microbes are thought to bolster or replace the bacteria communities in the gut of people.
�Cites:
Biotics Education Team. �Impact of Diet on Baby’s Microbiome.� Biotics Research Blog, blog.bioticsresearch.com/impact-of-diet-on-babys-microbiome.
Lewis, Sarah. �Probiotics and Prebiotics: What’s the Difference?� Healthline, Healthline Media, 3 June 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/probiotics-and-prebiotics.
Stewart, Christopher J., et al. �Temporal Development of the Gut Microbiome in Early Childhood from the TEDDY Study.� Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 24 Oct. 2018, www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0617-x.
Veereman-Wauters, Gigi. �Application of Prebiotics in Infant Foods.� The British Journal of Nutrition, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2005, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15877896.
Athletes both recreational and fully competitive can be impacted by injuries to the muscles and ligaments around the hip.
These injuries interfere with performance levels and sometimes end participation completely.
�Excessive pronation along with shoes with poor shock absorption has been found to be an underlying cause for various leg/hip injuries.
Custom made Orthotics improve the biomechanics of the feet and reduce the extent of pronation helping to prevent sport-related leg/foot injuries.
Over Foot Pronation
Research has determined that athletes with more foot pronation have a higher probability of sustaining a leg injury, including iliotibial band syndrome that comes from excessive tightness of the hip muscles.
People involved in sports or recreational activities lower their likelihood of developing traumatic and overuse hip injuries through chiropractic treatment and using custom foot orthotics.
The amount of pronation during standing and while running at a standard speed is determined by measuring the angles of the footprints.
Athletes with more pronation have a higher likelihood of an overuse injury.
Standing (static) and running (dynamic) prints show the amount of pronation and is a predictor of developing an overuse injury.
Athletic performance and injury prevention involve regularly checking the alignment of patients� feet in the standing position.
Hip Injuries & The Hamstring
Many hip injuries develop from poor biomechanics and improper movement, especially when running.
Smooth muscle coordination provides balance and support for the pelvis and is needed for optimum sports performance.
This includes:
Hamstring muscles
Hip abductor muscles
Tensor fascia lata or the iliotibial band
When there is an issue with the feet and ankles, abnormal motion like over-rotating the entire leg is the perfect set-up for pulls, sprains, and strains.
50% of standing consists of heel strike and maximum pronation.
The hamstring muscles function to control the knee and ankle when the heel strikes and absorb the impact.
The theory behind orthotic support is that orthotics help the hamstrings control the position of the calcaneus and knee, so there is less stress on the hip and pelvis.
Hip Injuries & Over-Pronation
Orthotics can correct excessive pronation and treatment of hip problems. These are some of the problems/pathologies that can develop.
These conditions develop in athletes who push their body’s to the limit going for optimal performances.
Conclusion
Overpronation and poor shock absorption contribute to leg injuries � from:
Foot
Lower leg
Knee
Thigh
Hip
These conditions can be prevented with custom-made orthotics.
Foot biomechanics evaluation is a must
To avoid hip injuries, athletes need regular evaluations of foot alignment and function
Wear well-designed and solid-constructed shoes
Chiropractors can prevent arch breakdown and foot problems with custom orthotics, and also treat numerous injuries to the lower extremities, especially the hips.
Excessive Foot Pronation can Affect *FOOT POSTURE & MOBILITY* | El Paso, TX (2019)
The following video discusses how excessive foot pronation can ultimately affect foot posture and mobility. Several factors can affect foot posture and mobility, such as excessive foot pronation. Excessive foot pronation is most prevalent among the general population, therefore, it is considered to be one of the most common factors for abnormal foot posture and mobility, which can lead to a variety of health issues like overuse injuries. Excessive foot pronation and even supination can ultimately affect overall health and wellness.
Hip Labrum tears in athletes can occur from a single event or recurring trauma. Running may cause labrum tears due to the labrum being utilized more for weight-bearing and taking excess forces while at the end-range motion of the leg. Sporting activities are probable causes, specifically those that require frequent hip rotation or pivoting to a loaded femur as in ballet or hockey. Constant hip rotation places increased strain on the capsular tissue and harm to the iliofemoral ligament. This subsequently causes hip instability putting increased stress on the labrum and causing a hip labrum tear.
What’s Afoot
Chiropractic�seeks to find the cause of the conditions it is used to treat, including pain, instead of just treating symptoms. Because of this, the chiropractor will work to find the cause of the pain, in this case, overpronation and overpronation, and correct it � or the effects of the condition � in addition to treating the back pain.
Overpronation and oversupination can cause a variety of injuries and conditions that affect not only the feet and ankles, but also the knees,�hips, and back as well. Some of the more common injuries and conditions include:
Flat feet or posterior tibial tendon dysfunction
Ankle Sprains
Achilles tendinitis
Arch pain
Plantar fasciitis
Corns
Shin splints
Heel pain
Tight calves
Calluses
Knee pain
Patellar tendonitis
Tight hip flexors
Back pain
Sciatica
Herniated disks
NCBI Resources
Muscle imbalances in the hip, such as tight hip flexors, can cause low back pain � or at least contribute to it. When the hip flexor muscles are too tight, it causes what is known as an anterior pelvic tilt.�Hip flexors�can become too tight if the person sits for extended periods of time or engages in activities like cycling and jogging. A chiropractor can guide you through exercises that will help release the tight muscles and stop the micro spams that occur as a result.
As humans, we depend on microbiomes to stay alive. Microbiomes are essential in fighting off germs and maintaining health. The development of microbiomes begins in utero where the microbes have been isolated to the placenta, fetal membranes, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood, but are mainly transferred from mother to child during birth in a process referred to as “seeding” (1,2). “Seeding”� occurs as the child passes through the mothers vaginal canal and becomes coated in her microbiome. In addition to this, small amounts of microbiomes get transferred to the child as the mother breastfeeds. This early introduction from mother to infant serves as an inoculation process with long term health outcomes for the newborn (2). With the number of cesarean births being higher this decade than in the past, you may find yourself asking, “How does a cesarean birth affect my child’s microbiomes?”
Vaginal
With vaginal births still being the most common way of delivery (68%), these children are seen to have overall better health throughout their lifetime than those born via cesarian (2). Vaginal birth is the most effective way to spread the microbiomes to the child’s skin, but studies have found that microbiomes do differ between ethnic groups. Microbiomes are made up of multiple bacterias and specifically, women with a higher pH have a smaller community of protective biomes. It has also been seen that the gut microbiota in pregnant women with gestational diabetes, tend to have an increased abundance of disease-associated microbes (2). That being said, the pH and mothers gut microbes play a significant role in the types of microbiomes that get transferred to their child.
Cesarean
There are generally two ways a child ends up being born via cesarean, labor ending in a cesarean, or a planned cesarean with no labor attempted. Children who are born via cesarean with labor attempted first, have a slightly higher number of microbiomes due to the vaginal fluids exposed to them during labor than that born elective cesarean. The most effective way a mother can transfer microbiomes to their newborn via cesarean is to “incubate” a cloth for 1 hour in their vaginal canal. When the infant is born,� the doctors rub the child’s mouth, eyes, and skin with the cloth that was previously incubated within minutes after birth (2). This process ensures that the child will have microbiomes more closely related to those born vaginally. Children born elective cesarean without using the incubation method, show fewer gut microbiomes related to their mother, but rather have more skin and oral microbes, and bacteria due to the operating room (2).
Children who are born via cesarean, whether labor was attempted first or not, are more likely to develop immune-related disorders such as asthma, allergies,� inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity (2). This is directly linked to not being “seeded” by the mother. Furthermore, adults who were born via cesarean contain a fecal microbiota that is drastically different than adults who were born vaginally (2).
The purpose of the female reproductive system is to reproduce and birth. Therefore, the best route will always be vaginal if it is safe for baby and mom. This being said, a cesarean is not a bad way to bring a child into the world. The child will just face more skin irritability and have a greater risk of developing health issues due to not receiving the same microbiomes as a child born vaginally. – Kenna Vaughn, Health Coach Insight
References:
(1) Aagaard, Kjersti, et al. �The Placenta Harbors a Unique Microbiome.� Science Translational Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 21 May 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4929217.
(2) Dunn, Alexis B, et al. �The Maternal Infant Microbiome: Considerations for Labor and Birth.� MCN. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5648605/.
As people grow into adults, maintaining normal flexibility gets to be much more challenging and losing flexibility can result in a lot of pain to the musculoskeletal system.
Unfortunately, many of us do not retain flexibility throughout the day, even when attempting to be active. Many jobs are largely sedentary, and even leisure activities keep us stuck in one place. In order to remain functional, joints and muscles need to be used, which means they need to be properly stretched without being overworked. The balance is often very delicate, fortunately, chiropractic adjustments increase flexibility.
Chiropractic’s Role in Flexibility
Most adults are not concerned with being able to twist like a pretzel, however, they do want to be able to maneuver through daily life without a lot of pain. One of the main things accomplished in most chiropractic visits is that the chiropractor will look for misalignments in the spine and seek to correct them with a combination of chiropractic adjustments and exercises.
Adjustments
When the spine is misaligned it can affect many different areas of the body including flexibility. Someone who is not flexible will have a limited range of motion (ROM) and treatments are designed to improve this and restore natural posture.
But being flexible is about more than moving better. When the body is stiff, even simple movement results in pain because it is blocked by the misalignment. When this is adjusted/corrected, blood flow improves and the process of improving flexibility becomes less taxing.
Nutrition
There is more to a chiropractor’s day than correcting misalignments in the spine. Chiropractic is holistic in nature and in order to be truly successful, it relies on the patient to be a cooperative participant in treatment. Giving nutritional advice is a big part of this.
While advice can vary from patient to patient, generally, when a person struggling with flexibility adds protein and fatty acids into their diet it can help joints and muscles to be properly nourished. People should also monitor their intake of processed and pre-packaged foods as these can contribute to inflammation.
Training Exercises
Because of many factors in our lives, as well as the effects of aging, people’s range of motion inevitably decreases as time goes by, especially if nothing is purposefully done to maintain it. Flexibility exercises are commonly strongly suggested by chiropractors as they strive to help their patients with range of motion (ROM) and flexibility issues.
In many cases, such as those where someone is suffering from tendinitis or bursitis, the truly therapeutic exercises are resistive exercises. These, however, are limited, unless a higher level of flexibility is achieved.
Flexibility programs are implemented in order to make a given joint have a wider level of extensibility, which may be achieved by either traditional static stretching or Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) techniques, which incorporates a slow reversal hold.
Working with a chiropractor on a regular basis for help in gaining flexibility can help assure that a patient moves forward at an appropriate pace that is in line with their age and fitness level. This will help them achieve a higher level of success in their chosen sport or similar activity, and/or become more productive in their daily lives while experiencing less pain.
*FIX BAD POSTURE* with Custom Orthotics | El Paso, TX (2019)
Proper Posture
Your spine does more than keep your body upright: it�s the brain that communicates to the rest of the body. Posture even affects your emotional well-being, including self-confidence!
Poor posture takes a serious toll on health. Here are a few of the negative results:
Muscle soreness
Subluxations
Blood vessel constriction
Nerve constriction
As the years go by the problems worsen, which results
Maintaining proper posture involves sitting, standing, and lying down properly. Here is an excerpt from the American Chiropractic Association website on how to:
Sit the right way
Keep your feet on the floor or on a footrest, if they can’t reach the floor
Don’t cross your legs. Your ankles should be in front of your knees
Keep a small gap between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.
Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips.
Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
Keep your knees slightly bent.
Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
Let your arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
Lie down the right way
Find the mattress that is right for you. While a firm mattress is generally recommended, some people find that softer mattresses reduce their back pain. Go with your comfort
Sleep with a pillow. Special pillows can help with postural problems resulting from a poor sleeping position
Avoid sleeping on your stomach
Healthy Feet Equals A Healthy Spine
The feet are complex structures which function�to provide protection and support to the body in relation to the spine and head posture. The feet are essential towards balancing the body�s entire weight, allowing it to walk, run, stand, and, jump. Consequently, foot complications may cause severe issues throughout the spine, hips, knees, and ankles if left untreated.
Gait & Chronic Postural Pain
Chiropractic care can be effective for treating injuries or conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and ankle sprains, among others. Foot health is essential towards establishing the body�s proper support and balance, together with a proper spinal posture. In the presence of foot complications, chiropractic treatment can be used to achieve long-lasting health.
NCBI Resources
Flexibility is a critical component of keeping your body fit and healthy. Research shows that people who are more flexible are better able to reach their�optimum fitness level. It can also help to prevent injury and reduce your risk of conditions like arthritis and other�chronic diseases.�They also have a better range of motion and mobility as they age.
Golfer�s elbow is a condition that affects far more than those that golf regularly. According to Dynamic Chiropractic, golfer�s elbow can affect violinists, construction workers, tennis players, bikers and more. It’s more an expression similar to tennis elbow.
Anyone who overuses the elbow can find themselves with pain inside the forearm and elbow, pain that is unlikely to go away without treatment.
While medication and surgery can be options for treatment, chiropractic provides a non-invasive, effective way to relieve golfer�s elbow without the side-effects that come with surgery and medications.
What is it?
The joint and muscles on the inside of your elbow are activated during so many activities�pretty much every time you squeeze, grip or throw something, you use them. Even when you are doing less athletic activities like texting or typing at a keyboard, you are activating the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding your elbow. It is not surprising that they can be overused, especially during work activities or leisure activities that you love so much you play all the time.
Golfer�s elbow is considered an overuse injury�an injury caused by using one or more parts of the body so much that they cannot recover quickly enough. Inflammation becomes constant, scar tissue can develop and pain becomes a regular problem.
How Chiropractic Helps Golfer�s Elbow
Chiropractic care is ideal for the treatment of golfer�s elbow. For some sufferers, coming to the chiropractor is the first and obvious choice. For others, going to the doctor is the first place they start.
Once they find that prescription medications are not alleviating the problem, they may be presented with the idea of surgery. Most people are hesitant to go through surgery if they do not have to, which is understandable. They reach out to a chiropractor because they are looking for an alternative that will help them heal without the pain and uncertainty that surgery brings.
At the chiropractor, you will find non-invasive, drug-free treatments that work to return your range of motion, reduce inflammation and break up the scar tissue in the soft tissues surrounding your elbow joint.
Chiropractic Treatment
Once you visit a chiropractor you will be given a careful, thorough physical examination to determine the nature of your problem and its cause. With golfer�s elbow, the problem is fairly obvious, so your chiropractor will focus on understanding exactly what your golfer�s elbow consists of�including your level of pain, your range of motion and the effects it is having on your day-to-day movement.
Some of the ways chiropractic can treat golfer�s elbow include:
Break Scar Tissue Up
Scar tissue keeps your muscles from operating correctly and causes pain. Chiropractors have methods for breaking up scar tissue to return normal muscle function, including active release.
Returns Mobility
Joint manipulation from your chiropractor is designed to make your joints move properly. The chiropractor will gently move your elbow back and forth to realign it and to ensure that it goes as far as it should go, and no further.
Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is what causes much of the pain you are experiencing in your elbow. Joint adjustments and breaking up scar tissue are excellent ways to reduce inflammation. As the inflammation reduces the body can heal more easily and the pain will lessen.
We Can Get You the Help You Need
As you know, golfer�s elbow can be painful and make it difficult to do the things you need to do. Let us help you get some relief. Please contact our office today to schedule an appointment with our chiropractic team.
As you move into your senior years, you may expect some discomfort and loss of mobility. Aging is hard on the body. But it is important to understand that there are things you can do to feel better. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and chiropractic care can all make your senior years active and thriving.
How Chiropractic Can Make Your Senior Years Fantastic
The benefits of chiropractic for seniors can be considerable, including:
1. Takes away the pain.
If you are experiencing pain due to spinal or joint issues, chiropractic can help. Chiropractic care focuses on providing pain relief without the need for prescription medications or surgery.
Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of chiropractic for pain relief. In fact, one study showed that chiropractic was considerably more effective than prescribed medications. Unfortunately, many seniors assume that their pain is here to stay when it may be reduced or eliminated through regular chiropractic care.
2. Improves balance.
Seniors who are suffering from balance and coordination issues often have problems with the cervical spine, the technical term for the neck. When degenerative disc disease or other injuries disrupt the function of the mechanoreceptors located in the neck responsible for sending to the brain important information related to balance, then problems with balance can result.
Chiropractic adjustments and other related therapies are quite effective in treating neck injuries and degenerative disc disease. Regular adjustments from your chiropractor may be enough to help you get your balance back.
3. Improves mobility.
Injuries and aging can lead to a loss of range of motion, both in the spine and in the extremities. Fortunately, chiropractic care is designed to help you regain range of motion.
Your chiropractor has a variety of treatment methods to heal existing injuries while also improving range of motion. It may take several treatments to achieve the results you want, but a few visits to the chiropractor are well worth the increased range of motion you will enjoy.
4. Wear and tear on the joints are reduced.
The spine and joints need to be aligned to minimize wear on discs, bones, and other tissues. When you go for an extended period of time with a misaligned spine, it will increase the rate that your joints wear down.
One of the major benefits of chiropractic care is the way it keeps your whole body in alignment. As long as alignment is maintained, wear is minimized. Of course, alignment is lost in day-to-day life, but you can get it back by revisiting the chiropractor.
When you visit your chiropractor, he or she will ask you several questions and listen to your story to better understand the challenges you are dealing with. Once the chiropractor understands your situation, he or she will design an overall treatment plan designed to help you be as healthy as possible. Seniors that get regular chiropractic care often say they feel much better than they did before, which allows them to do more of the things they love to do.
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
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