As we all know, exercise is a necessary ingredient to keeping your body healthy. Moving your body allows the joints and muscles to stay well nourished. However, there are times in the gym, or in any exercise program, when a 'kink' is noticed in your neck, hip, knee, back, etc. that makes it difficult to accomplish a certain activity. This is when a chiropractic adjustment may be helpful.
For example, if your femur (leg bone) is not moving freely, it may be difficult to perform hip abduction (seated outer leg motion). It could feel like a twinge or even painful to move the legs out to a certain degree or maybe one leg simply does not go out as far as the other. Some of us may try to work through the pain, which can actually cause greater damage , and others will work the muscles using a smaller range of motion. However, repeated movements of unbalanced muscles lead to strain and joint dysfunction. Although a smaller range of motion may be pain free, the muscles are not being exercised or utilized to the fullest extent and there is increased risk of joint injury.
Once the muscles and nerves involved are balanced and working together properly, then doing those exercises and movements that were painful or created a 'kinked' feeling in the past, may not be a problem any longer. In addition, with the body and joint motion balanced, optimal performance and exercise results can be attained .
Exercise also helps those of us that originally seek chiropractic care for back pain and other injuries. Exercise, whether it is walking, doing rehabilitation, or beginning an overall exercise program, is utilized as part of the healing process. For any patient that comes in for a particular problem, exercise becomes part of the discussion. Exercise and chiropractic both help the body to heal and maintain health.
