Flexibility is widely considered to be one of the ten components of physical fitness. It is easy to appreciate the importance of flexibility while you’re watching a sporting event. A wide receiver who can contort his body like a tomcat is better able to evade tackles and catch awkward passes. An inflexible pole vaulter would probably succeed only at giving themself a concussion.
But flexibility is no less important to those of us who aren’t athletically inclined. Reaching to the top shelf at the grocery store shouldn’t feel like a great feat; nor should craning your neck to look up at the moon. Fortunately, chiropractic is just as well-equipped to help an Olympian regain and improve their full range of motion as it is a great-grandmother.
How does chiropractic care improve flexibility? It’s not magic. It’s chiropractic’s multifaceted approach to helping the body return to the natural state in which it can heal most effectively.
Chiropractic Adjustments
The goal of chiropractic is not to treat the symptoms of inflexibility. It is to treat the cause of the inflexibility itself. This means identifying precisely where and how the spine is malfunctioning. Once the chiropractor has performed a thorough assessment of their patient, they will be able to pinpoint the areas in which the spine is misaligned.
By administering a brief and typically painless series of adjustments to the spine, the chiropractor works toward restoring their patient’s natural posture. The spine and its surrounding nervous system, muscle tissues and ligaments all function best in this condition. That enables the body to heal itself to the best of its ability. This in turn restores – or even improves – flexibility.
Spinal manipulation, which is one of chiropractic’s core techniques, has repeatedly been shown to increase range of motion in the neck, hips, and lower back. It does all of this while simultaneously relieving pain in these and surrounding areas. It can treat inflexibility in any other part of the body as well.
Nutrition
A good chiropractor will not only perform adjustments on their patient. To restore the greatest range of motion possible, they also utilize a holistic approach which includes nutrition education.
Inflammation in the joints commonly contributes to inflexibility. This is why a chiropractor or dietitian may recommend foods that reduce inflammation such as mackerel and salmon, which are both rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They also might recommend nuts, berries, leafy greens and olive oil. Additionally, they recommend dairy products and other foods that are high in vitamin D and calcium to improve flexibility. As are protein-rich foods which help nourish the joints and muscles.
Whichever foods they might recommend, the chiropractor or dietician will not offer blanket diet advice. They take each patient’s unique needs under consideration while they design the diet that should help them recover best.
Exercise
A chiropractor will not advise their patient to take up pole vaulting. However, they will recommend flexibility training, in which the patient undertakes several activities to stretch and limber up their affected muscles and ligaments.
Flexibility training is popular among athletes who wish to maintain or improve their range of motion. While the intensity of these exercises will vary according to the patient’s abilities, they are also effective at restoring flexibility lost due to arthritis, degenerative disc disease, bursitis, tendonitis, Achilles’ heel, tennis elbow, and many other conditions.
As with chiropractic adjustments and nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all flexibility training program. Although taking regular light exercise should benefit most anyone, a flexibility training regimen is most effective when you tailor it to a patient’s individual needs.
Call Fargo Spine for Chiropractic Care
Would you like to see how chiropractic care increases flexibility for yourself? Then we invite you to experience Fargo Spine’s multifaceted treatment in person. Our team offers the spinal manipulation, nutritional coaching and flexibility training you need to enjoy your fullest range of motion – and quality of life. Please contact us today to learn more or schedule an initial assessment!