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.
Post spine surgery physical therapy or PT is the next phase after a discectomy, laminectomy, fusion, etc., to gain optimal mobility and ease the transition for a full recovery. A chiropractor and physical therapist team will help with proper muscle training and activation, pain and inflammation relief, postural training, exercises, stretches, and educate the individual on an anti-inflammatory diet. Physical therapy post spine surgery reduces:
Scar tissue
Inflammation
Muscle weakness
Muscle tightness
Joint stiffness
The therapy also identifies and treats any issues that caused or contributed to the spinal damage/injury. A study found physical therapy to improve postoperative ambulation, pain, disability, and decreased surgical complications.
Post Spine Surgery Physical Therapy Goals
Physical therapy goals are to return the individual to full function before chronic pain or injury. These include:
Decrease pain and stress around the surgical site.
Loosen and stretch the muscles surrounding the surgical site.
Strengthen the back and neck muscles.
Stabilize the back and neck muscles.
Learn to move around safely.
Prepare for everyday physical activities like standing up or sitting down, lifting, and carrying objects.
Improve posture.
The therapy team will develop a customized treatment/rehabilitation plan as well as post-surgical recovery at home to help the individual and family to understand what to expect, including psychological factors like not wanting to perform the exercises or stretches to avoid pain, frustration, anger, depression, and wanting to give up. However, individuals can maximize the benefits to ensure an optimal outcome before surgery by pre-conditioning identifying structural and functional issues contributing to the injury.
Physical Therapy Involves
Therapy can be done at home, in a hospital or rehab setting, or at a chiropractic/physical therapy clinic. Therapists use:
A physical therapy session can last 45 minutes to an hour. It’s essential to discuss hopes and expectations post-surgery and after the therapy has finished. The therapists will explain the healing process, the treatment progression, and any questions a patient may have. Understanding the treatment process will help the individual want to engage in the treatment plan. The therapist team will also interface with the surgeon to prevent adverse outcomes.
Optimal Health
The physical therapy team will help the individual feel better with each session and stay motivated. Having a solid relationship with the therapy team makes it easier to share goals, worries, and challenges that the team can adapt to as progress is made. To gain the most from the therapy:
Try working with a therapist that the surgeon recommends can be helpful as they already have a working relationship.
Keep communication open between the surgeon and team.
Adhere to any precautions and restrictions set by the surgeon and therapy team.
Maintain recommended exercises at home between sessions.
Ease into activity and avoid overexertion.
Post spine surgery physical therapy helps accelerate the healing process and serves to help individuals regain their quality of life.
Body Composition
Power Of Protein
Protein is an essential component of muscle development, bone density, muscle mass, and lean tissue when building a healthy body. Protein is necessary for all the body’s physiological functions.
References
Adogwa, Owoicho et al. “Assessing the effectiveness of routine use of postoperative in-patient physical therapy services.” Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong) vol. 3,2 (2017): 149-154. doi:10.21037/jss.2017.04.03
Atlas, S J, and R A Deyo. “Evaluating and managing acute low back pain in the primary care setting.” Journal of general internal medicine vol. 16,2 (2001): 120-31. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2001.91141.x
Gellhorn, Alfred Campbell et al. “Management patterns in acute low back pain: the role of physical therapy.” Spine vol. 37,9 (2012): 775-82. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181d79a09
Jack, Kirsten et al. “Barriers to treatment adherence in physiotherapy outpatient clinics: a systematic review.” Manual therapy vol. 15,3 (2010): 220-8. doi:10.1016/j.math.2009.12.004
Lindbäck, Yvonne et al. “PREPARE: Pre-surgery physiotherapy for patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorder: a randomized controlled trial protocol.” BMC musculoskeletal disorders vol. 17 270. 11 Jul. 2016, doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1126-4
Sports chiropractic athletes: A sports chiropractor is a specialist that works with athletes to improve their performance. These doctors specialize in assessing and treating sports injuries. Treatment also prevents future damage/injury by providing a customized rehabilitation, strengthening, flexibility, and mobility program, that includes:
Exercise prescription
Ergonomic recommendations
Health coaching/counseling
Therapeutic sports massage
Sports chiropractic deals with preventing, diagnosing, and treating sports-athletic-based injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Sports chiropractors have extensive training in evaluating muscular-skeletal problems related to sports participation overuse. Diagnosis is acquired through:
Chiropractors are masters of the human body and trained to use advanced diagnostics tools. A sports chiropractor evaluates individuals from all levels of sports and fitness, including:
Athletes – professional or recreational
Weekend warriors
Military personnel
The objective is to identify musculoskeletal problems related to sporting activity or overuse, alleviate pain, rehabilitate, and strengthen to prevent future injury. They can diagnose and treat sports-related injuries from common overuse injuries like:
Hip pain from frequently running on pavement.
Shoulder pain from damage caused by continued overhead throwing or hitting.
Low back and leg issues from twisting, bending, jumping, and reaching.
Balance
Athletes need a healthy balance of endurance, strength, and structure. Through biomechanics training, sports chiropractic restores the body’s natural balance and proper function. The goal is to get the athlete re-engaged and protected against further injury and play without any problems or limitations. Sports chiropractic athletes can return in a short amount of time from injuries that include:
Torn ACLs
MCL Sprain
Ankle Sprain
Achilles Tendonitis
Rotator cuff tears
Quadriceps Strains
Hamstrings Strains
Shin Splints
Sports Hernia
Neck Pain
Back Pain
Spondylolisthesis
Prevention Regimen
They can recommend prevention programs to prevent potential problems before an athlete gets hurt. A chiropractor will detect developing muscle imbalances before they turn into a chronic condition that can lead to damage to the rest of the body. Additional therapies include:
Massage
Hot/cold treatments
Ultrasound therapy
Low-level laser therapy
Adjustments, stretching, core training, therapeutic sports massage, health coaching, and nutritional counseling will strengthen the body, allowing for performing physical activities and sports at optimum levels.
Body Composition
Sports Performance
Working with sports chiropractic athletes means achieving a balance of lean mass to maintain sports performance and reduce the risk of injury. Athletes, doctors, and trainers monitor gains over time to maximize performance and watch for signs of potential injury. A method of monitoring for potential injury is the ECW/TBW Analysis. When training and engaging in sports, the body is under physical stress. The proper amount of rest and recovery are needed to allow muscles to recover and regrow. Inflammation is reflected in the ECW/TBW by monitoring changes over time. A steady increase can indicate a sign of overtraining or improper recovery. Monitoring this progression can alert doctors and trainers that an athlete needs a less intense workout or longer recovery to reduce the potential for overtraining injury.
References
Corcoran, Kelsey L et al. “Association Between Chiropractic Use and Opioid Receipt Among Patients with Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) vol. 21,2 (2020): e139-e145. doi:10.1093/pm/pnz219
Naqvi U, Sherman Al. Muscle Strength Grading. [Updated 2021 Sep 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (F.L.): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK436008/
Nelson, Luke et al. “A descriptive study of sports chiropractors with an International Chiropractic Sports Science Practitioner qualification: a cross-sectional survey.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 29,1 51. 13 Dec. 2021, doi:10.1186/s12998-021-00405-1
Williams, Sean et al. “Kinesio taping in treatment and prevention of sports injuries: a meta-analysis of the evidence for its effectiveness.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 42,2 (2012): 153-64. doi:10.2165/11594960-000000000-00000
Flexibility and range of motion are essential elements for an individual’s overall health, physical fitness, and quality of life. Healthy flexibility helps the body:
Maintain a physically active lifestyle.
Maintain strength.
Improve endurance.
Prevent injury.
Flexibility and Range of Motion
Joint stiffness and pain can make it challenging to engage in everyday activities and maintain mobile, physical, emotional, and internal health. To keep the body flexible and moving, individuals need to use their entire body and range of movement. Becoming sedentary affects the body’s flexibility, leading to slowed/blocked blood circulation, nerve energy signal disruption, and sickness. To improve flexibility and range of motion, it is recommended to include:
Stretching the body
Regular exercise and physical activity
Yoga
Healthy diet
Healthy weight
Proper sleep
For individuals with stiffened muscles and joints, chiropractic medicine can increase the body’s flexibility, improving the range of motion in the joints. Chiropractic optimizes the function of the joints, improving mobility with less pain. When living with arthritis, chiropractic is an excellent therapy to decrease pain and activate the body’s natural healing abilities. Chiropractic adjustments align the spine and improve nervous system function.
Nerve Pressure
Nerve pressure can cause pain or tingling sensations that can become difficult to manage. A shifted misaligned spine can compress nerve endings, causing pain that presents with or without movement. Getting the body in motion and moving around is essential to treat stiffness and joint pain. The objective of chiropractic is to align the spine and body and relieve pressure on the nerves helping the body gain back its flexibility and range of motion. Once the body is adjusted, the nerve endings are no longer irritated, relieving the pain. Chiropractic uses various techniques to deal with areas of compression, including stretching, percussive massage, low-laser therapy, ultrasound, and strengthening exercises.
Chiropractic adjustments relieve pain and improve mobility.
Strengthening exercises to keep the spine in proper alignment.
Exercising keeps the adjustments in place.
A careful assessment of the condition will determine the cause of stiffness and joint immobility. Chiropractic can treat the joints, bones, and muscles to improve flexibility manage muscle spasms and soft tissue tenderness to alleviate symptoms restoring and improving range of motion. Chiropractic adjustments are combined with therapeutically designed stretches and exercises to perform at home, along with an anti-inflammation diet and supplements.
Body Composition
Zinc
Zinc is an essential nutrient that provides overall immune function. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation responses. Various bodily chemical reactions require Zinc. Zinc is necessary for muscle protein synthesisand hormone regulation. Zinc deficiency is common in older individuals and has been connected with degenerative diseases that include:
Green, S et al. “Physiotherapy interventions for shoulder pain.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 2003,2 (2003): CD004258. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004258
Hartvigsen, Jan et al. “What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention.” Lancet (London, England) vol. 391,10137 (2018): 2356-2367. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30480-X
Kavuncu, Vural, and Deniz Evcik. “Physiotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis.” MedGenMed: Medscape general medicine vol. 6,2 3. 17 May. 2004
Page, Carolyn J et al. “Physiotherapy management of knee osteoarthritis.” International journal of rheumatic diseases vol. 14,2 (2011): 145-51. doi:10.1111/j.1756-185X.2011.01612.x
Wessels, Inga et al. “Zinc as a Gatekeeper of Immune Function.” Nutrients vol. 9,12 1286. 25 Nov. 2017, doi:10.3390/nu9121286
Today, more than ever, individuals are less physically active and sitting down for more extended periods causing the gluteus muscles to be used less and weaken. Weak, inactive, or tightening glutes can cause instability in the lower spine, the hips, and the pelvis to shift out of alignment. This leads to low back and buttock pain. The pain is constantly dull, aching, pulsating, then when moving, getting up, it throbs and stings. Gluteal strengthening exercises can strengthen the muscles and alleviate the pain.
Gluteal Strengthening
Every individual has a unique physiology. The body develops asymmetrically as the individual favors one side or area of the body over another. This can cause imbalances in the muscular system, leading to awkward positioning that causes pain. The muscle groups that support the lower back consist of the:
Core muscles
The gluteal muscle group includes:
Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus
Pelvis muscles
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
In some cases, the development or lack of level of an individual’s upper back strength can also affect the amount of strain on the lower back.
Gluteal Strengthening Difference
Many joints connect in this area that can have functional problems. The muscles within the lower back need:
Stretching allows the body to enhance the limits of its flexibility and mobility. Most of the stretches are involve the hip joint, as this is one of the most effective ways to loosen the gluteal regions. It’s essential to warm the muscles slightly with a light activity while stretching them to elongate naturally.
Seated Figure 4 Stretch
Sitting in a chair.
Cross the right leg over the left.
With the right ankle resting on the left knee.
It should resemble the number 4.
Bend forward at the hip, placing slight pressure onto the left leg.
Hold this stretch for ten-twenty seconds.
Stretch the other side.
Placing the left foot on the right knee.
Repeat this three times.
Downward Dog
This yoga pose engages all the muscles along the back. With the glutes at the top in this position, it forces them to activate, allowing them to stretch fully.
Hold this pose and focus the attention on the glutes.
Squats naturally engage the glutes. This is a variation on a squat that focuses on developing gluteal strength.
Stand with the back facing the wall.
Place a Swiss stability ball between the wall and the back.
Lean back into the ball for balance.
Lower the torso until the knees reach 90 degrees.
Return to standing.
Repeat for ten reps.
Do three sets.
Body Composition
Analysis An Effective Tool
Opportunities to increase physical activity lead individuals in a positive direction. The most common reason for reducing and stopping healthy changes is a lack of motivation and feedback. Strategies that provide immediate feedback are essential to:
Monitor progress for establishing a baseline.
Set appropriate and attainable goals.
Track changes over time.
Ensure success.
Monitoring changes with a simple weight scale or Body Mass Index calculator provides limited ability to accurately track changes that only highlight weight changes and not track progress in muscle gain or fat loss. In less than 45 seconds, the InBody Test provides doctors, trainers, and physical therapists with easy-to-understand, accurate and objective measurements to evaluate body composition that includes:
Assessing muscle distribution.
Target areas weakened by condition or injury.
Identify muscle and fat imbalances in each area of the body.
Monitor changes to determine the efficacy of the treatment plan, exercise program, and diet plan to ensure long-term success.
References
Akuthota, Venu et al. “Core stability exercise principles.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 7,1 (2008): 39-44. doi:10.1097/01.CSMR.0000308663.13278.69
Distefano, Lindsay J et al. “Gluteal muscle activation during common therapeutic exercises.” The Journal of orthopedic and sports physical therapy vol. 39,7 (2009): 532-40. doi:10.2519/jospt.2009.2796
Glaviano, Neal R et al. “Gluteal muscle inhibition: Consequences of patellofemoral pain?.” Medical hypotheses vol. 126 (2019): 9-14. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2019.02.046
Jeong, Ui-Cheol et al. “The effects of gluteus muscle strengthening exercise and lumbar stabilization exercise on lumbar muscle strength and balance in chronic low back pain patients.” Journal of physical therapy science vol. 27,12 (2015): 3813-6. doi:10.1589/jpts.27.3813
Macadam, Paul et al. “AN EXAMINATION OF THE GLUTEAL MUSCLE ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH DYNAMIC HIP ABDUCTION AND HIP EXTERNAL ROTATION EXERCISE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.” International Journal of sports physical therapy vol. 10,5 (2015): 573-91.
Athletes or weekend warriors hate to be sidelined from an injury or physical limitation. This is where chiropractic medicine and physical therapy for athletes can strengthen the body for improved performance and injury prevention. Sports chiropractors and physical therapists are trained and certified professionals that have extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal system, maintaining and rehabilitating the body. This includes:
Exercise science
Physiological factors
Nutrition
Sports psychology
Treatment techniques include:
Massage
Electrotherapy
Muscle strengthening
Water therapy
Core stability training
Sports medicine professionals include medical doctors, sports chiropractors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and massage therapists. They are trained in:
Assessment and diagnosis
Treatment
Rehabilitation
Management
Referral
Health coaching
Injury prevention
Chiropractic physical therapists restore function and mobility, manage or alleviate pain, and return individuals to their lifestyle and athletes to their sport. They understand training demands and advise on injury prevention, relieving pain, and optimizing performance.
Performance Treatment
Chiropractors and physical therapists provide:
Pre and post-surgery consultation
Pre and post-surgery treatment
Pre and post-surgery exercise programs and rehabilitation therapy
A chiropractic physical therapist will go through a series of examination routines to test and assess the body’s functionality and mobility, looking for areas of pain and weakness.
Personalized Treatment Plan
The analysis data helps to develop a customized treatment plan that looks at:
Weaknesses
Painful areas
Physical and positional demands of their specific sport.
Alleviate Pain
This is done through:
Therapeutic exercises
Manual techniques
Instrument-assisted manipulations with:
Percussive massagers
Ultrasound
Taping
Electrical stimulation
To relieve pain, restore muscle, and joint function.
Improve mobility
Stretching and strengthening exercises restore mobility.
Avoid Surgery and/or Expedite Recovery After Surgery
Effective physical therapy can eliminate the need for surgery, hasten recovery, and reduce healthcare costs.
Expedite rehabilitation and recovery post-surgery.
Prevention Techniques
Chiropractic physical therapy provides tools and exercises to maintain:
Strength
Balance
Fitness
To prevent new injuries or injury recurrence.
A customized chiropractic physical therapy program can help individuals return to a high level of performance from a team of professional chiropractors physical therapists. Individuals learn activities and lifestyle changes that will help prevent further injury and improve health and wellbeing.
Body Composition
Skipping Rest Days
Not listening to the body and taking time to recover can have serious consequences. When the body is not allowed to rest, recovery inflammation is not given the time to heal. This can lead to injuries, a weakened immune system, and the potential for muscle mass loss. During periods of intense stress, like an intense workout, the body’s immune system does not fully function. This means the body is compromised when fighting germs and viruses and constantly taking medications. This is why prioritizing rest is necessary. Another side effect of skipping rest days is burnout. Burnout is the feeling that anything is better than working out. It typically happens when individuals forget or choose not to take time off and rest for life outside of fitness.
References
Cullen, Michael-Flynn L et al. “Passive Recovery Strategies after Exercise: A Narrative Literature Review of the Current Evidence.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 20,7 (2021): 351-358. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000859
Levy, Emily, and Thomas Chu. “Intermittent Fasting and Its Effects on Athletic Performance: A Review.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 18,7 (2019): 266-269. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000614
Reinke, Simon et al. “The influence of recovery and training phases on body composition, peripheral vascular function and immune system of professional soccer players.” PloS one vol. 4,3 (2009): e4910. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004910
Resnik, Linda, and Janet K Freburger. “Health Services Research: Physical Therapy Has Arrived!.” Physical therapy vol. 95,12 (2015): 1605-7. doi:10.2522/ptj.2015.95.12.1605
Suchomel, Timothy J et al. “The Importance of Muscular Strength: Training Considerations.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 48,4 (2018): 765-785. doi:10.1007/s40279-018-0862-z
Detoxifying does not necessarily mean juicing and going on a diet. Detoxing is about cleansing the whole body of environmental pollutants, food waste, bacteria, and toxins. Things like medications and alcohol also need to be flushed from the body. When the body becomes unhealthy and overweight, it can put its systems in a chronically stressed state, leading to nerve energy production failure, fatigue, a weakened immune system, and disease. The body constantly works to cleanse itself. Exercise helps expedite the process.
Exercise To Detoxify
Exercise removes harmful toxins by getting the lungs and the blood pumping and increasing sweat production, which encourages detoxification. More blood circulating throughout the body allows the liver and the lymph nodes to flush out toxins properly. With exercise, fluid intake increases, allowing more sweat production to release toxins. Drinking more water during workouts also helps the kidneys function at optimal levels to flush out toxins, fats, and waste.
Aerobics
Any low-intensity aerobic exercise that increases heart rate and increases heavier breathing is recommended as long as the breathing is within the fat-burning heart rate. Exercises can be anything from:
Bouncing on a mini-trampoline, also known as rebounding, is another form of exercise that promotes toxin release. The low-impact motion stimulates the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes filter substances and fight off infections by attacking bacteria/germs that travel into the lymph fluid. Twenty minutes on the trampoline two or three times a week to detoxify.
Yoga
There are yoga poses that help to detoxify specific organs. Yoga can help the body cleanse inside and generate more energy.
This pose improves circulation, stretches, and strengthens the low back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.
Step with the feet 3 to 4 feet apart.
Hands-on hips.
Lift tall through the whole torso.
Fold slowly over the legs.
Bend from the hip joints without rounding the lower back.
If the back starts to round, stop folding forward.
Sweating and Detoxing
Sweat is one of the body’s primary ways of eliminating toxins. However, more sweat does not mean more toxins are being flushed. Excess sweat could be caused by the body overheating and can lead to dehydration. This is why it’s vital to maintain the body’s hydration levels while working out. Fluids like juice and sports drinks can help maintain hydration, but they contain sugar and other ingredients that could interfere with thorough detoxifying.
Body Composition
Before Starting A Detox Diet
Individuals are recommended to talk with their doctor, nutritionist, health coach about detox diet methods to lose and maintain weight.
Talk with a doctor
Seek consultation with a physician before starting any body detox cleanse, especially if there are underlying medical conditions like diabetes or kidney disease.
For individuals struggling with obesity, a physician can recommend alternative diet approaches and exercise programs.
Realistic expectations
Detox diets work primarily through caloric restriction like a conventional diet.
Individuals could feel better from a body cleanse because they will likely be avoiding processed foods and empty calories.
Adopt a long-term frame of mind
Diet and exercise to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is a lifelong journey.
Detox diets can be a helpful tool to get going in the right direction.
References
Ernst, E. “Alternative detox.” British medical bulletin vol. 101 (2012): 33-8. doi:10.1093/bmb/lds002
Klein, A V, and H Kiat. “Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence.” Journal of human nutrition and dietetics: the official journal of the British Dietetic Association vol. 28,6 (2015): 675-86. doi:10.1111/jhn.12286
Obert, Jonathan et al. “Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques.” Current gastroenterology reports vol. 19,12 61. 9 Nov. 2017, doi:10.1007/s11894-017-0603-8
Chiropractic can enhance the effectiveness of an exercise program. Chiropractic works on the neuromusculoskeletal system, which comprises the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems. It produces an indirect effect on the immune system, involving the body’s processes resulting from exercise and muscle development. Most individuals are familiar with the benefits of regular exercise and physical activity. Regular physical activity and exercise:
Increases circulation
Improves strength
Increases immune system function
Produces brain-boosting endorphins and chemicals
Improves mood
Increase muscle mass
Contributes to enhanced flexibility and mobility
Exercise-boosting practices can multiply the effectiveness of a workout program. Exercise-enhancing methods that are well known include:
Incorporating rest days
Staying hydrated
Consistent and high-quality sleep
Utilizing supplements that enhance the body’s ability to produce and sustain muscle.
A chiropractor can develop a personalized treatment plan to support and enhance an individual’s workout/exercise program. This plan can include specific interventions to improve alignment or maintain muscle relaxation and prescribed stretches and movements to decrease the strain from an exercise regimen.
Nervous System
Chiropractic helps to balance the nervous system. Treatment allows pressure to be removed from compressed, bruised, and severed nerves. Chiropractic decreases and eliminates pain originating from inflamed muscles, joints, and tissues. When it comes to exercising, nerve pain usually originates from vigorous movement. Swelling and inflammation in the body can cause nerves to become inflamed or compressed. Misalignment in the spinal structure and joints can occur during strenuous exercise, particularly when weight resistance is involved. It can also constrict/pinch nerves, contributing to sciatic pain, which originates in the lower back and spreads down the gluteal muscles and back of the legs. Chiropractic can help:
Reduce pain and discomfort
Improve physical responsiveness
Decrease inflammation
Improve immune function
Muscular System
The muscular system is interconnected with the nervous and skeletal systems. Manual chiropractic manipulation helps to:
Reduce pain in inflamed muscles that have been utilized during exercise
Release tense and strained muscles
Remove muscular knots
Accelerate muscle repair
Improve exercise performance
Skeletal System
The skeletal system is the foundation for all physical movements and activities. It plays a role in physical activity/exercise, recovery, and the development of strength and musculature. During exercise routines, the joints can become misaligned, especially with weight-bearing or lifting activities. Chiropractic for the skeletal system can:
Rebalance the system
Realign bones and joints
Decrease muscular strain
Improve posture and form
Reduce and eliminate pain in the knees, wrists, and shoulders
Increase the body’s capacity for taking on additional weight healthfully
Keep The Chiropractor Informed
To receive enhanced exercise and performance-related benefits from chiropractic care, individuals must keep their chiropractor informed of goals and style of physical activity. The more the chiropractor knows about the types of exercises, the more they will provide a customized treatment plan for an individual’s specific needs. Any injury or strain experienced during an exercise session or a specific part of the body seems to be recovering at a slower rate than the rest of the body, inform the chiropractor. They can survey posture, stance, determine imbalances, and discover other body areas that may be over-straining to compensate.
Time Sessions Appropriately
Depending on the type of physical activity and exercises, individuals may be advised to seek care on rest days or the same days of the workout. Discuss with the chiropractor what days of the week are best for treatment and before or after workouts.
Health Goals
Movement and exercise practices are unique and vary with each individual. Individuals have different goals for their regimens that range from:
Increasing flexibility and agility
Building strength, endurance, and muscle mass.
Identify health goals and share them with the chiropractor. Depending on the purpose of the exercise routine, treatment may vary to support and enhance specific objectives.
Body Composition
Improve Insulin Sensitivity
When consuming carbohydrates, it is broken down into sugar. The body needs a certain amount of sugar to function. However, cellular damage occurs if the levels become too high for too long, like in diabetes. Insulin’s role is to guide excess sugar – glucose into the safety of the cells. However, more individuals are experiencing high blood insulin levels, called hyperinsulinemia. It’s dangerous to let glucose levels remain elevated, which is why more insulin is produced to bring the blood sugar down. After a time, constant hyperinsulinemia results in a condition called insulin resistance, where the cells become resistant to the effects of insulin and less effective.
Insulin Sensitivity and Weight Loss
A high insulin level in the blood can trigger weight gain and make it difficult to shed excess fat. Research shows that high insulin:
Erion, Karel A, and Barbara E Corkey. “Hyperinsulinemia: a Cause of Obesity?.” Current obesity reports vol. 6,2 (2017): 178-186. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0261-z
Hawk, Cheryl et al. “Best Practices for Chiropractic Management of Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline.” Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) vol. 26,10 (2020): 884-901. doi:10.1089/acm.2020.0181
Hoogvliet, Peter et al. “Does the effectiveness of exercise therapy and mobilization techniques offer guidance for the treatment of lateral and medial epicondylitis? A systematic review.” British journal of sports medicine vol. 47,17 (2013): 1112-9. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2012-091990
Peluso, Marco Aurélio Monteiro, and Laura Helena Silveira Guerra de Andrade. “Physical activity and mental health: the association between exercise and mood.” Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) vol. 60,1 (2005): 61-70. doi:10.1590/s1807-59322005000100012
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