Many of our chiropractic patients already know the value of a chiropractic adjustment, but something we are often asked is how patients can supplement their chiropractic care by making positive lifestyle changes. In an attempt to answer this question, below you will find 5 Daily Tips to Supplement Your Chiropractic Care!
1. Stand Up
One of the easiest things that most people can add to their daily routine to improve their chiropractic health is simply standing up! Whether it’s working a desk job or sitting on the couch after a long day of work, too much time spent sitting can be detrimental to spinal health. Sitting adds 40% more pressure to the spine than standing; often resulting in low back pain. For this reason, among others, it’s important to make sure you’re taking the time to stand and walk (even if its just around the home or office) every 30 minutes or so.
2. Practice Good Posture
Although sitting for extended periods cannot always be avoided, one thing we do have control over is our posture. Good posture can play an important role in both minimalizing strain on muscles/ligaments and injury prevention. Two quick and easy tips include making sure your feet touch the ground and that you adjust your seat if possible so that it properly supports your low back. For a more complete list of tips regarding posture, check out this great article from the American Chiropractic Association.
While good posture can mitigate many of the negative effects of sitting for extended periods, poor posture can create additional problems. According to the Chiropractic Resource Organization the issues that can arise as a direct result of poor posture include subluxations, pinched nerves, and in extreme cases spinal curvature.
3. Adjust How You’re Sleeping
Just as sitting properly can promote good spinal health and mollify the negative effects associated with sitting for extended periods, the same can be said for how you’re sleeping. For the most part, all of us fall into one of three categories when it comes to sleeping: back sleepers, side sleepers, and stomach sleepers. Of these, most of our Olathe chiropractors recommend sleeping on your side or back. These two position groups put less of a strain on your spine and have much less of a negative impact on long-term spinal health. For more specific tips on how to make the most of your sleeping position, check out our article ‘Pillow Advice from Overland Park Chiropractors.’
4. Exercise!
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is highly recommended that adults get 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (5) days a week; and perform muscle-strengthening activities (2) days per week to live a healthy lifestyle.
Now the list of reasons why exercise beneficially coincides with chiropractic care is nearly limitless, but in the interest of keeping this article concise we can just briefly discuss a couple of the most noteworthy ones. In the opinion of our Olathe Chiropractors, one of the most apparent benefits of exercise to spinal health is its ability to aid disc health. When you exercise regularly the discs are able to more effectively exchange fluid, receive nutrition, and do their job!
Secondly, regular exercise chiropractic adjustments by strengthening the muscles around the spine. Naturally, this reduces the strain put on the spine and helps to support the rest of your body. Transitively, this also aids in injury prevention (commonly of soft tissue injuries) due to the increased aid being given to the spine.
5. Stretching
Exercising does wonders for your spinal health and is an absolutely necessity, but stretching needs to coincide with it. Our Olathe chiropractors recommend stretching prior to any workout to ensure you are keeping your tendons and muscles loose. Properly stretching before a workout can be the difference in avoiding injury!
Now that you’ve read these 5 Tips to Promote Chiropractic Health, you’re hopefully in a in a better position to supplement your chiropractic adjustments by living a healthier lifestyle! The back doctors at Fulk Chiropractic specializes in all types of care and is the best option for your chiropractic health care in all of the Kansas City area! Our chiropractors treat patients from Olathe, Shawnee, Overland Park, and Lenexa. Call our office 7 Days A Week to schedule an appointment at 913-764-6237 if you are suffering from lower back pain, headaches, or neck pain!