Improve Flexibility and Reduce Pain With Chiropractic Care
“Use it or lose it.” You’ve heard it before, and it is very true when it comes to your flexibility. In order to maintain a normal range of motion in your body, joints and muscles must be regularly moved and stretched.
How Your Flexibility Deteriorates
As we age, there are a number of factors that contribute to a decline in flexibility:
- Obesity
- A sedentary profession or lifestyle
- Poor diet and sleep habits
- Progressive effects of wear and tear
- Injuries
These circumstances can cause pain, swelling and stiffness. This in turn can make us want to move and exercise even less, causing a pain spiral. A loss of strength and flexibility can also cause compensation patterns like limps that may lead to even more dysfunction.
Benefits of Increased Flexibility
Maintaining a full range of motion is important as it contributes to our overall health and quality of life. But being flexible is about more than moving better. There are a multitude of benefits including:
- Reduced risk of injury
- Reduction of muscle and joint pain
- Improved balance
- Better performance in sports
- Proper posture
- Enhanced muscle coordination
How to Improve Flexibility
- Stretching and regular exercise
- A healthy diet
- Getting enough sleep so your joints and muscles can rest
- Losing weight
- Yoga
- Chiropractic care
Multiple studies have shown that chiropractors can help patients regain flexibility and overall mobility; Dr. Levi does this every day! Chiropractic care helps increase flexibility in two main ways:
1. Adjustments/manipulation and Mobilization Techniques
Adjustments of joints and mobilization of the supporting tissues like muscles, tendons and ligaments is a technique used by chiropractors to help flexibility. By introducing motion to the joints that are restricted, range of motion increases as well as flexibility and fluidity into the supporting structures.
2. Stretches and Exercises
Chiropractic stretches and exercises target tight and spastic muscles. The stretching is used to increase circulation and elongate short and taut muscle fibers. Tailored exercises will isolate weaker deconditioned fibers and activate them to work in harmony with the remaining muscle fibers. These stretches and activating exercises are initiated in the office and will be prescribed to be done at home once you and your body are ready.
If you think your flexibility could use a stretch, set up an evaluation with Dr. Levi. Using his natural methods, he may be able to get you back in motion quicker than you’d think.