Getting chiropractic care is one of the best ways you can help your body and keep it in tip-top shape. It has a plethora of health benefits, like pain management from injuries, reducing headaches or migraines, and helping improve your body’s blood circulation. But there are a number of things you need to keep in mind to make chiropractic care as effective as it can be.
Dos and Don’ts Of Chiropractic Care
Keep in mind, going to your chiropractor for regular treatment and care can only do so much. What you do in between sessions of chiropractic care can heavily impact how much you’re getting out of your treatments. We want to make sure you’re getting the best value out of your treatments so we’ve compiled a few dos and don’ts you should keep in mind when you are taking chiropractic care.
Do
Stay Physically Active
In between your chiropractic visits, make sure that you stay physically active. That means that you should do low-impact exercises, go on walks, go biking, or even swim. You can also ask your chiropractor for any exercises that might help your body. But keep in mind not to do any high-impact exercises or activities like weight lifting, which we’ll talk about later.
Get Enough Quality Sleep
Getting enough quality sleep is incredibly important, not only in between your chiropractic visits but in general. Quality sleep helps your body regenerate and stay refreshed. Moreover, it helps your body’s recovery process from an injury. So, get enough quality sleep every night, but make sure that you have a good sleeping position to maintain good body alignment.
Keep Your Posture in Mind
When you’re in between your chiropractic visits, we will always remind you to keep your posture in mind. This is because posture can have a profound effect on how your body recovers. So keep your head up, your shoulders back, and your feet on the ground. Not only will you look better, but proper posture will also help you feel better.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is key when trying to recover from an injury or trying to improve your health. Chiropractic care relieves pain and has other health advantages by adjusting joints, muscles, and bones. But chiropractic treatments can only do so much if you’re stiff from dehydration.
Water also helps your body wash out harmful toxins and promotes healing. If you don’t drink enough water, the toxins can start building up and can affect your recovery.
Don’t
Do High-Impact Physical Activities
In between your chiropractic care, avoid any high-impact physical activities that can strain your body, change your body’s alignment, and cause more pain. So, avoid doing any heavy lifting, mountain climbing, or any extremely extraneous activities as these can make certain conditions like body pain worse.
Apply Heat on New Injuries
Heat should not be applied to any new injuries. This is due to the possibility that heat may initially stimulate swelling at the injured site. Use cold or ice packs in the area as an alternative. During the healing process, which usually takes place 48 to 72 hours after the injury, heat can be applied.
Stay Seated for Long Periods of Time
Staying seated for long periods can cause your posture to deteriorate. This can cause alignment problems like Herniated Discs and can slow down your body’s ability to recover. Severe cases of bad posture can also reverse the positive effects of your chiropractic treatments. So take a few steps and stretch every few hours to avoid being sedentary.
Final Thoughts
Remember, chiropractic care is only as effective as the things you do to keep it effective. Keeping these dos and don’ts in mind will help make your chiropractic journey smoother, faster and more enjoyable!