Three Ways To Make The Most Of Your Chiropractic Adjustment
If you've just had a chiropractic adjustment, whether it was a treatment for a recent injury or headache or for chronic pain buildup, you may be wondering what you can do to decrease the chances that your problem will recur. Following your chiropractor's recommendations for post-treatment care is a good place to start, but you can also make some lifestyle choices that will help decrease your incidence of back pain and related injuries. Here are three ways you can boost the effectiveness of the adjustment you just had and decrease your chances of making an emergency visit in the future.
1. Stretching
Your chiropractor may have given you some stretches that you can do to foster your newfound range of motion. But if you want to take it a step further, you can incorporate an overall stretching routine into your schedule to increase flexibility and muscle strength. This can decrease your chances of injury both by allowing muscles to stretch further without damage in a crisis situation and by helping them resist forces that may be trying to injure you (such as by trying to throw your back out of alignment). Yoga is a great way to add a series of intentional stretching exercises to your routine, and it also helps release tension so you're less likely to have stress-related back pain.
2. Exercising
Exercising can help you increase muscle strength as well, but there's an even more important reason to exercise after a chiropractic adjustment. Any improvements to your range of motion that you experience after your adjustment can just fade away if you don't stay active. There's nothing wrong with watching some TV, but if you're constantly seated and immobile, having an improved range of motion won't help you. You don't have to do serious strength training, but some light activity throughout the day may help the effects of your adjustment last longer.
3. Good posture
Keeping a confident, upright posture isn't just important during interviews. It's also a crucial aspect of your spinal health. If you slouch, you increase back strain, which means your back pain is more likely to return quickly. It also means you're more likely to injure yourself. Try to analyze your posture throughout the day. If you work at a desk, try a lumbar support cushion to help you sit up straighter. Posture is also important while driving and even while you sleep.
These three aspects of your day-to-day life can directly and indirectly affect your spinal health. If you do yoga or other full-body stretches regularly, stay active, and practice good posture, you can increase the effects of your last adjustment and minimize the amount of work your chiropractor has to do on your next visit. Contact a business, such as West Omaha Chiropractic & Sports Injury Clinic, for more information.