December 27, 2016

Health and Fitness

Numerous professional athletes, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Brady, and Joe Montana, extol the benefits of chiropractic medicine in improving performance and increasing overall health. Of course, it isn’t just professional athletes who reap the benefits of chiropractic treatments. Whether you’re looking to enhance strength and agility or lose weight, regular adjustments can help. Here are three ways chiropractic care can improve your health and fitness.

3 Ways Chiropractic Medicine Enhances Health & Fitness

Reduces Negative Effects of Sports on the Body
There are many benefits to playing sports, whether it’s professional hockey or weekend pickup basketball. Sports can help you to stay fit, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, among other things. However, the caveat is sports can also take a toll on the body. The physical demands of training, as well as impact during play, can cause spinal misalignments, resulting in vertebral subluxations. These create focal areas of irritation in the nervous system, which impact other parts of the body. This often leads to discomfort and pain, as well as diminished athletic performance. Fortunately, with regular adjustments, athletes can prevent vertebral subluxations and maintain optimum performance. Chiropractic adjustments also help to increase flexibility, promote circulation, and reduce the risk of future injuries. Chiropractors may use a variety of techniques to treat specific sport-related damage, including the Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, functional dry needling, and electrical muscle stimulation.

Assists in Weight Loss
Excess weight puts undue pressure on various parts of the body, including the knees and lower back. It can also affect internal systems, including the cardiovascular and respiratory. Although you probably know the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, losing excess fat may seem like a daunting task, particularly if you have stiffness, pain, or limited range of motion. Exercise and diet are the keys to weight loss, but many workouts are hard on the knees and ankles, making it difficult to stick with a regular fitness routine. If you’re avoiding exercise because of pain or soft tissue injuries, ongoing chiropractic treatment could be extremely beneficial. Chiropractic care can alleviate pain and improve flexibility and range of motion, which allows you to work out more frequently and with higher intensity, without the unpleasant side effects.

Promotes Healing 
In addition to enhancing athletic performance, chiropractic treatment can help to treat existing sports injuries. Studies have shown high-impact sports like football, wrestling, and hockey can put a strain on the body equal to that sustained in an auto collision. Chiropractic adjustments reduce irritation in the nerve roots between vertebrae, promoting faster healing. For instance, about 60 to 90 percent of headaches are related to neck and back pain. Spinal manipulation can provide fast, long-lasting relief. Furthermore, chiropractic care is a fantastic addition to traditional sports and physical therapy treatments to reduce the pain associated with injuries. Chiropractic medicine is also drug-free and non-invasive, with no unpleasant side effects.