Resistance training is the best way to reduce your visits to the chiropractor. How? A physiological fact is that muscle moves bones. Therefore, if muscles are weak or unconditioned you are susceptible to straining muscles. This resulting pain may lead to a chiropractic visit to a chiropractor or another healthcare practitioner.
We are not referring to the weekend warrior that plays inter-league rugby or an injury due to an accident. We are talking about Mr. or Ms. Average who go to work everyday and get light, if any, exercise on the weekend. So how can resistance training help? With a proper exercise program, you can strengthen the weak muscles and condition your body so that activites of daily living do not create painful conditions, such a low back pain from moving "the wrong way".
A key part of the initial examination with the doctor is identifying the muscles that need conditioning, along with the muscles that need stretching or lengthening. Often, if a muscle is weak, its antagonist is tight. When you add the prescribed exercises from the doctor to an overall strengthening program your can reduce or eliminate your need of care,whether it be chiropractic or other types of treatment.
Moreover, there are many additional health benefits to regular exercise. It reduces your risk of heart disease, the #1 killer. It reduces your chance of getting Type II Diabetes, which has become an epidemic in the United States amongst young and old alike. Resistance training helps maintain bone density as well. Although women are more susceptible to bone loss over their lifespan, men experience the same type of loss, only to a lesser degree. There is no doubt that exercise improves one’s quality of life, but what about one’s length of life?
A study was conducted between 1975 and 1994 of 15,902 Finnish adult twins (both identical and fraternal). It examined subjects who exercised 30 minutes or more at least six times per month, those who worked out less regularly and those who didn’t exercise at all. In the 434 cases in which one of the twins died during the study, the risk of death was reduced by an average 43% among the group that exercised more; even the occasional exerciser had a 29% better chance of living longer than did sedentary subjects. The risk of death declined even more with increased physical activity. The value of living a longer, healthier life can not be measured!
If you have never participated in resistance training, we highly recommend that you seek the services of a certified personal trainer. Improper form when lifting can cause as many problems as not working out at all. Professional help will give you proper form. Whether you already have a personal trainer, or would like to receive training at your gym, the doctor will work with your trainer at no additional cost. Personal training is also available at our office.
There is an old saying; “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” We say an hour a day, 3-4 times a week of resistance training may do the same thing.
What Every Body Needs Chiropractic & Rehabilitation
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