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By Beth 0 Comments Blog

New Year’s Resolutions for a Happy and Healthy Spine

Is it March already?

The District has experienced many extreme snowfalls this winter, as well as fluctuating high and low temperatures. Luckily, permanent warm weather may be right around the corner! Beginning at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 10th, get your clocks ready to spring forward for Daylight savings time!

As you prepare your mind and body for spring, why not update your New Year’s resolutions as well? Studies have shown that most Americans tend to make resolutions that focus on weight loss, diets, finances, or relationships, but, there’s one important health-related goal that people tend to overlook: their spine.

Leave your back pain in 2018 with these  tips for a healthy spine:

  1. Practice at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day

Doctors often recommend 30 minutes of exercise each day to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, increase heart health, improve memory, productivity, and self-confidence, and boost your overall mood.

Lesser known, however, is the life-altering benefits physical activity can have on your spine. The last thing you want to do when your back in aching is get up and go for a run, but, research shows that getting your body in motion is beneficial for your spine!

A regular routine of aerobic and strength training exercises can help alleviate neck or back pain by reducing the likelihood of and/or severity of flare-ups, keeping the spine functional and mobile, burning calories to help achieve or maintain optimal weight (this can remove excess pressure on the spine), and increasing the production of endorphins which act as a natural painkiller.

To strengthen your back, stomach, and leg muscles, try:

  • Partial Crunches
  • Hamstring Stretches
  • Wall Sits
  • Pelvic Tilts
  • Bridges

To strengthen your lungs, heart, and blood vessels (and help you lose weight), try:

  • Swimming and other water aerobics
  • Elliptical or step machines
  • Biking
  • Walking

For a combination of both, try:

  • Yoga
  • Pilates

For severe pain, start with shorter intervals of exercise, such as 5-10 minutes of walking or swimming, and gradually work your way up to a more extensive routine.

2. Improve your Posture

Spinal discs are loaded three times more while sitting than standing. During long periods of stationary activity, stress is added to your back which can lead to backaches, muscular pain, and headaches.

If you work at a desk all day, practice good ergonomics by positioning your monitor at eye level, standing tall with your shoulders pulled back and spine in a neutral position and feet flat on the floor. To avoid hunching or straining your neck, hold your cell phone, tablet, or other mobile devices in front of your face when using them.

In addition, choose the right office chair! The purchase is worth the comfort. For help choosing the right chair, go to http://ow.ly/3U9S30nVU7z.

3. Stay Hydrated

This may go without saying, but water is an imperative source of nourishment for our bodies, and especially our backs! Because the discs between your vertebrae are composed almost completely of water – and play an important role as “shock absorbers” – maintaining proper hydration is key to successful back health.

When not properly hydrated, these discs begin to shrink, which can lead to swelling and eventually pain or worse case, a ruptured disc.

So, drink lots of water throughout the day to keep your muscles and intervertebral discs healthy, happy, and hydrated!

5. See a Chiropractor

Getting adjusted regularly might not be at the top of your priority list, but, it should be!

Routine adjustments from your chiropractor can help correct misalignments and imbalances before they cause back pain or other serious health issues.

When your spine is aligned correctly, your muscles, nerves, and joints can reach optimal functionality and enable your body’s restorative healing properties.

Become a practice member today with Ashburn Family Chiropractic. We’re here to help!

humidity in winter
By Beth 0 Comments Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Winter Weather: A Humidifier May Help Keep You Healthy

Temperatures have dropped as low as 11 degrees in the area this winter, and though it may not be as cold as the record-breaking chill of the Midwest, it’s important to take extra precautions to stay safe during the remainder of the season.

While turning up the heat, keeping tissues on hand, and cleaning the surfaces of your home can contribute to maintaining a healthy environment, homeowners often overlook one of the most important necessities: a humidifier.

When the air in your home is dry, you’re more susceptible to discomforts such as congestion, bloody noses, irritated vocal cords, dry coughs, cracked lips, sinus congestion, and headaches – which humidifiers have been known to treat.

This invaluable appliance has also been proven to ease the symptoms of the flu or common cold by adding moisture to the air and effectively reducing skin, nose, throat, and respiratory irritation.

On top of the many benefits that humidifiers add to human wellbeing, they can be great for your houseplants, too! Houseplants can become more vibrant, and wood floors, wallpaper, and furniture may last longer!

Signs You Need A Humidifier

According to Healthline.com, “When used with care, humidifiers can make a significant difference when it comes to dry skin and airways.”

Here are a few of the common reasons to consider using a humidifier in your home or office space:

  1. Your Hands and Lips are Constantly Dry:

Central heating can cause a 20-30% humidity level dip, which can make your skin lose moisture. Lack of moisture can leave your skin feeling tight, dry, flaky, or itchy. The skin on your hands and lips are especially vulnerable to moisture loss.

Quick fixes like hand lotion and chapstick may do the trick for a day, but, a humidifier would naturally – and seamlessly – rehydrate your skin!

  1. You Experience a Frequent Dry or Scratchy Throat:

Do you suffer from recurring seasonal colds or bacterial infections like strep throat? There are more than 3 million cases of strep throat and 1 billion diagnosed colds each year in the U.S. alone. When exposed to dry, indoor air, your vocal cords can become irritated.

A humidifier can help maintain the optimal levels of humidity in your home while soothing and lubricating your throat.

  1. You Live or Work With Kids

If you live with kids – or someone who works with them – then you know one thing: germs spread quickly!

According to Compactappliance.com, humidifiers can help you avoid getting the flu altogether. Studies have shown that the flu virus is able to survive longer in low humidity. By adding moisture to your environment during the flu season, you’re creating a less-than-ideal setting for the virus to thrive – decreasing your chance of catching it.

  1. You Snore

As if the heightened risk of developing illnesses and unpredictable weather weren’t enough, dry air can also contribute to your snoring symptoms! Lack of moisture in the air causes the nose to become congested and throat to swell, resulting in restricted air movement through the nose – that’s where humidifiers step in!

Maintaining optimal humidity levels encourages natural air movement and reduces snoring.

  1. You Have Allergy or Asthma Symptoms

Research suggests that being exposed to too high or too low levels of humidity can increase the risk of asthma-like symptoms.

Humidifiers can relieve the symptoms of people who struggle with dry sinuses or airways who are prone to allergic reactions.

 

While a humidifier is not a cure-all for winter sickness, flu prevention or the symptoms listed above, it may help. If you have severe snoring or sleep apnea symptoms, allergies, asthma or other medical conditions, please let us know!

Pixabay
By Beth 0 Comments Blog, Chiropractics, Exercises, Work Injury , , , ,

Snow Shoveling Safety and Tips for Safe Winter Activities

The weekend forecast is calling for snow showers Saturday and Sunday with highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s, and Virginians know what that means: shoveling. Lots of shoveling.

While most recreational winter activities and chores are harmless, a select few can pose problems for outdoor enthusiasts. Injuries including concussions, dislocated shoulders, spinal strains, broken elbows, skier’s thumb, and ankle sprains are all possible from shoveling, skiing, sledding and ice skating.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, “Simply walking outside in the freezing weather without layers of warm clothing can intensify older joint problems and cause pain.”

So when you head outside this weekend, be sure that you are geared up – and warmed up.

Here’s a list of safety precautions for this weekend!

Snow Shoveling Safety

  • Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm. It is important to wear not only the amount of clothing you think you’ll need but enough to withstand the outdoors for longer than a few minutes.
  • Do warm-up stretches and moves before you head out, similar to what you would do before exercise. You may feel silly, but you’ll thank yourself when you go back inside. When you muscles are cold, they are more likely to be strained.
  • Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions. Go slow and be careful if you think there could be ice.
  • An ergonomic shovel can help take some of the strain off of clearing your sidewalk. No matter what type of shovel you use, bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Or, avoid lifting the show and shove it to the side when you can!
  • Stop immediately if you feel chest pain, get tired, or have shortness of breath. There is a correlation between shoveling snow and heart attacks, so be aware of how you’re feeling and call 911 if you think you’re having a cardiac event.

If you do strain your back or fall on ice this weekend, contact us!

If you plan to go skiing, sledding, ice skating or having a good old-fashioned snowball fight, here are tips on how to stay safe and healthy!

Hitting the Slopes

If you’re heading to a local ski resort, going ice skating or taking the kids sledding, here are a few tips from the American Chiropractic Association.

Warming up is not optional – it is essential. If you don’t have much time, it’s better to shorten the length of your workout and maintain a good warm-up than to skip it altogether. A good warm-up can be completed in 15-20 minutes and will make the transition into your chosen winter exercise much easier and more rewarding.

Skiing

  • Do 10 to 15 squats, standing with your legs shoulder-width apart and knees aligned over your feet.
  • Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet.
  • Then, stand up straight again.
  • It’s a good idea to wear layers because you may be going from a cold environment (outdoors) to a warm environment (indoors).

Ice Skating

  • Perform several lunges.
  • Take a moderately advanced step with one foot and let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips.
  • Repeat the process with your both feet.

Sledding:

  • Perform knee-to-chest stretches to fight compression injuries caused by repetitive bouncing over the snow.
  • While either sitting or lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and hold for up to 30 seconds.

Remember: cool-down stretches are almost as important as warm-up stretches. Take your time. For instance, at the bottom of the sledding hill, before walking back up, do additional knee-to-chest stretches or repetitive squatting movements to recover flexibility.

Above all else – have fun! Happy snow day(s) to everyone from AFC.

 

By Beth 0 Comments Uncategorized , , , , , ,

Natural Prevention and Survival Tips for Cold and Flu Season

Studies show that between 5 percent and 20 percent of Americans are affected by the flu each year. In addition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more.

The peak cold and flu season is between December and February. However, in just these three months of the year, over 200,000 people can be hospitalized in the United States, and sadly, some of those cases are fatal.

Fighting colds and the flu starts with prevention!

Try these immunity-boosting tips and products we have available in the office to get your body’s defenses in tip-top shape:

  1. Saline Nasal Spray:

If your nasal passages are dry, the nose can’t flush out bacteria, which results in a safe haven for germs. You can add an essential oil like OnGuard to a saline nasal spray as well (1 drop in 4 oz. of liquid).

  1. Essential Oils like OnGuard or Breathe

doTerra On Guard is a proprietary essential oil blend and provides a natural and effective alternative for immune support.

doTerra Breathe helps to minimize the effects of seasonal threats and promotes a restful nights sleep.

  1. Nutritional Supplements (by Standard Process and MediHerb)

Epimune Complex (vegetarian/Gluten Free) or Echinacea (Gluten Free) both help strengthen the immune system response.

Astragalus (Gluten Free) is good for the elderly or those with chronic immune system issues.

 If you already have the cold or flu, then try these (by Standard Process and MediHerb):

  1. Herbal Throat Spray (Gluten Free) for a sore or scratchy throat which is usually the sign of a cold, infection or flu coming on.

2. Andrographis Complex (Gluten Free) for acute infections associated with a cold or flu.

      3. Congaplex breaks up congestion and stimulates the immune system.

      4. Broncafect helps maintain healthy lung function and fights off a cough.

      5. Oscillococcinum®   temporarily relieves flu-like symptoms such as body aches, headache, fever, chills, and fatigue. (by Boiron)

6. ColdCalm® temporarily relieves cold symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, and minor sore throat. (by Boiron)

How do you know if you have the cold or flu?

Knowing how to identify a cold or flu means being able to identify what it feels like in your body. The symptoms of a cold or flu can be similar and each is caused by a different type of virus. You can tell the difference by asking yourself: “Are symptoms in my head or my whole body?”

Colds symptoms appear slowly over a few days and mainly affect your head; you’ll have congestion, sneezing, a sore throat or a cough. Conversely, the flu affects your whole body and comes on suddenly. You’ll experience pain and body aches, GI symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, and a fever.

Stay healthy this season!

 

By Beth 0 Comments Uncategorized

Little Backs, Big Backpacks – How to Keep Your Children Safe This School Year

Are you looking into buying your child or teenager a new backpack for the holidays this year?

Know before you buy.

Backpack safety is imperative for developing children, yet many parents don’t know how heavy is too heavy.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, young children are struggling with back pain significantly more than previous generations. ACA recommends that your child’s backpack weigh no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight and never hang more than four inches below their waistline, however, statistics show that only 4 percent of parents actually weigh their child’s backpack.

Excessive backpack weight can cause a myriad of painful issues in children and adults which can potentially lead to a lifetime of health problems. If a backpack is overloaded, it can create stress on the spine while wearing a backpack improperly over one shoulder can cause permanent misalignment of the spine, muscle fatigue and a lowered state of health.

Avoid backpack-related pain, and check out our 4 steps to safe backpack use:

Choose Right

Choosing the correct size backpack is an important step to safe backpack use. Don’t pick one that is too big for your child — It should never be longer than the length of their back. 

Pack Right, Pack Light

The maximum weight of a loaded backpack should not exceed 15 percent of your child’s body weight, so don’t overpack. This means for a 100 pound child, the backpack should weigh no more than 15 pounds and for an 80 pound child, the backpack should weigh no more than 12 pounds, and so on.

Backpacks alone can weigh anywhere from 2-4 pounds, whereas textbooks can weigh over 2 pounds each. With these measurements, you can see how quickly a backpack can surpass the desired safety requirements.

Without weighing the backpack yourself, an easy way to check if it bears too much weight is to see if your child is forced to bend forward while they carry it. If they are, then it is overloaded.

A great rule of thumb is to only carry what’s needed. For example, your child doesn’t need to be carrying around textbooks from last week’s exam, overdue library books, old papers, or uneaten snacks. If they don’t need it, they should rid of it, or at the very least, store it somewhere else so they aren’t transporting it on their shoulders throughout the day. 

Lift right

To lift the backpack correctly:

  • Face the pack.
  • Bend at the knees.
  • Use both hands to lift the pack, lifting with your legs.
  • Apply shoulder straps one at a time.
  • Avoid slinging the backpack onto one shoulder. 

Wear right

To wear the backpack correctly:

  • Use both shoulder straps, pulling snug, but not too tight.
  • If there is a waist strap, use it. It will distribute the weight better.
  • Don’t let the pack hang low on your back.

Most importantly, don’t ignore persistent pain. If your child frequently complains of pain in the back or neck or if one arm or leg hurts more than the other, this is not normal and should be checked out.

Regular adjustments can help your child to deal with the stresses of a heavy backpack, plus whatever else they have to face. Afterward, they will feel 10x better and healthier.

By Beth 0 Comments Blog, Chiropractics, Exercises, Studies ,

What is text neck?

To the name’s suggestion, “text neck” is the recently diagnosed epidemic of the infamous head bent downward, shoulders slumped texting posture that has become universal in the digital age.

It is the body’s automatic response to handheld technology, yet it is not just synonymous with texting. It can also be seen when people use many other digital devices such as tablets or e-book readers, computers, nooks, and gaming system controllers.

Everything we, as a society, know and understand as the appropriate relationship between our bodies and our technology has become dangerous for our spines.

What are the side effects?

You’re likely to recognize the pain, a sensation of tightness and achiness in your neck and shoulders, before pinpointing the cause. Whether you play games on your smartphone during your morning commute, respond to emails for hours a day or stare at your GPS on a cross-country road trip, when left untreated, the pain of text neck can lead to chronic headaches and constant discomfort.

The human head weighs between 10 and 11 pounds, a heaviness which strains the back of the neck when pulled too far forward. According to recent studies, for every inch forward you hold your head, the weight carried down through the spine increases by 10 pounds. At a 45-degree angle, the typical angle that most people view their cellphones, the head weighs 49 pounds, at a 60-degree angle, another popular perspective, it weighs 60 pounds.

The pressure that is put on the front of the neck also causes the back to gap, which can produce intervertebral discs to mitigate backward, increasing the chance for disc bulges, a common spine injury. The back of the neck also becomes strained because the muscles in the backside are in a constant state of contraction while trying to pull and support the head, making the muscle tense. Text neck can also create a tightening on the front of the neck and chest, leading to dysfunction in the shoulders and middle of the back.

When to visit your chiropractor:

Most people are so encompassed with and reliant on their phones that they lose track of their posture throughout the day and become unaware of how they look from an outside perspective. According to The Washington Post, research shows that over time, text neck can lead to early wear-and-tear of the spine, degeneration, and even surgery.

If you are experiencing symptoms of text neck, even on a minimal scale, act now; don’t wait for the discomfort to increase so much that the pain is unlivable for daily functions.

In the early stages, it may not be necessary to visit a professional chiropractor. In addition to a series of adjustments, there are many exercises that can be done at home to help alleviate the pain and symptoms of text neck.

The best possible action to take is to spend as much, if not more time in the opposite postural position (of text neck) to counterbalance the downward/forward head motion. In other words, if you spend time during the day looking down at your phone, spend time in the evening on a stretch that elongates the spine backward, such as the exaggerated nod head gesture.

8 helpful exercises to combat text neck:

  1. Exaggerated Nod
  2. Downward-Facing Dog
  3. Cat-Cow
  4. Padahastasana
  5. Bow Pose
  6. Chin Tuck
  7. Pigeon Neck
  8. Chest Opening

All exercises can be found at these links:

 

 

 

By Beth 0 Comments Blog, Studies , , , , ,

How Dehydration Affects Your Brain, Energy Levels, and Body

Most people know that dehydration is bad for them, but you may be surprised at how it can affect you.

Right now, we are still encountering the sweltering heat of summer —high temperatures are breaking records here in DC and around the world — and the Northern Hemisphere may experience its hottest year ever recorded.

There is typically a spike in dehydration in the mid- and late-summer months, when the heat index is the highest.

Aside from the general lightheaded feeling and dry mouth that individuals commonly recognize as dehydration, there are many hidden dangers that affect your physical and mental health. Our brains are highly influenced by hydration status and even mild dehydration (1-3% of body weight) can result in impaired brain function. Dehydration has been shown to negatively impact concentration, and functions such as problem-solving, motor coordination, and attention suffer the most.

Although it’s still unknown exactly when cognitive errors occur, studies show that the most severe impairments start to transpire at a 2 percent drop in body mass, a water weight loss that can happen quickly.

Surprising Benefits of Staying Hydrated

I usually tell my patients to go with the formula of 1/2 your body weight in ounces, so if you weigh 200 lbs., then you want to try to drink 100 ounces per day.

There are many benefits of staying hydrated — some you may not know about!

  • Prevent headaches: Dehydration can trigger headaches and migraines, and increasing your water intake can help.
  • Think more clearly: You may feel foggy and have trouble concentrating without enough water. Drinking up to be more productive at work!
  • Relieve constipation: Increased fluid intake can help alleviate symptoms of constipation. Low water consumption has been shown as a risk factor for constipation in young and elderly individuals.
  • Lose weight: Drinking water can increase satiety and boost your metabolic rate. Sometimes what we mistake for hunger is actually thirst.

Signs of dehydration include feelings of thirst, dizziness, heat cramps, nausea, mood changes, fatigue, and frequent headaches. In extreme cases, when left untreated, you may end up having to go to the emergency room for treatment.

How easily a person becomes dehydrated is dependent on their body mass. Younger children and infants need to monitor their hydration more than an adult would because they have a lower total body weight and a higher concentration of water. An infant’s total body water is 70 percent whereas it’s about 65 percent in older children and 60 in adults; infants and children can also turn over electrolytes and water faster than other age groups, meaning they lose water more quickly than adults.

Tips on Staying Hydrated Safely

  • Hydrate throughout the day: Drinking too much water can dilute the body, leading to a low sodium and salt intake in the blood and, in extreme cases, cause seizures. Stay hydrated by taking in fluids throughout the day, not all at once. Keep a water bottle with you!
  • Eat for the weather: Especially in hot weather and the summer months, try to consume fruits and vegetables and other foods that have high water content.
  • Exercise around the sun and heat: It’s great to stay active, but it’s best to exercise when the sun isn’t at its peak. Exercise indoors if it’s especially hot and humid outside, or go out for your walk, run or bike ride before the sun rises or after the sun sets. (Be sure to wear reflective, light weight clothing.)

Following these tips on hydration and ensuring that you always carry around extra liquids when out in the sun is a great way to ensure you don’t experience dehydration.

Stay cool! (And hydrated!)

 

By Beth 0 Comments Blog

Patient Appreciation Week

Come enjoy free food and drinks with us to celebrate all of our amazing patients! Hop on a roller table or get a free seated massage for no charge! Stop by Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, July 23 – 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., or 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.!

 

By Beth 0 Comments Blog , , , ,

Why It’s Important to See a Chiropractor Following a Car Accident – Even a Minor One

It’s common, after a car accident–even a minor one–to get out of the car and walk around and think, “I’m fine. Thank goodness I wasn’t hurt.”

After a crash, you can experience a big surge of adrenaline that can act almost like a numbing agent, making you feel less pain and leading you to think you are fine. However, many times, that pain will kick in later, once the adrenaline has left your system and your body calms down.

Many times, the pain won’t present itself until the next day, or even a few days later. All of a sudden, your neck can feel incredibly stiff and sore, and it may be extremely painful to turn your head from side to side, indicating whiplash. A similar feeling may happen in your back, arms and legs. You may notice red marks on your neck and chest where your seatbelt stopped you from going through the windshield. And for some reason, your abdomen may be sore, like you got punched in the stomach, even if you don’t see any obvious signs of bruising.

That’s because your body actually experienced a more traumatic event than you even realize, in the form of three separate collisions.

One car crash actually adds up to three separate collisions that your body experiences, within fractions of a second of each other. Those are:

  1. The physical collision of cars causes your car to buckle and bend as it hits something and comes to an abrupt stop.
  2. Your body collides with something in the interior of your car, such as the steering wheel or strap of your seatbelt.
  3. Your body’s internal organs hit the wall of your chest or your skeleton.

Seeing a chiropractor following a car crash can help significantly reduce pain and discomfort injuries that you may not know about immediately.

Reducing inflammation. Common injuries following a car crash — one that is not detectable by an X-ray — are micro-tears in the ligaments and muscles. This can lead to painful and uncomfortable inflammation in the body. An adjustment from a chiropractor can relieve tension and realign your spine, thereby reducing back pain and stiffness as well as inflammation.

Prevent internal scar tissue. Pain medication can help following a car accident, but it can sometimes mask a more serious problem such as the formation of internal scar tissue. Chiropractic care can help prevent scar tissue from forming and relieve pain without the need for pain medications, which can become addictive, by addressing the root cause of the pain and healing it naturally.

Restoring range of motion. Pain and inflammation can cause uncomfortable stiffness that is often not helped by pain medication. A chiropractic adjustment can restore blood flow to all your internal organs and remobilize your spine, which can even speed up the healing process and help you to get moving again without discomfort.

Catching problems urgent care or your physician may miss. It’s not uncommon for people to go to the hospital or be seen by their primary care physician and be cleared of injuries following a car crash, yet still continue to experience pain after they go home.

Urgent care and primary doctors often look only at the “big picture,” but they can miss the more subtle causes of pain such as inflammation, a slightly misaligned spine and more, and merely prescribe pain medication that doesn’t get to the root cause. Your chiropractor is uniquely qualified to catch these often undetectable injuries and treat them, sometimes even without the need for any medication at all.

As an added benefit, seeking the care of a chiropractor following a car accident can speed up the processing of your car insurance claim? Particularly if the accident was the other driver’s fault, seeking treatment immediately can often help ensure you receive the compensation you are due by obtaining documentation from the chiropractor.

Putting off seeing a doctor and/or chiropractor following a car accident can often end up being a mistake. Avoiding treatment can often only extend the amount of time you are in pain, or even allow subtle injuries to worsen, leading to long-term pain and discomfort.

If you have any questions about an injury or car accident, or even just your body’s regular health and wellness, please don’t hesitate to contact Ashburn Family Chiropractic, where we will treat you like family and help get you back in full health!

 

By Beth 0 Comments Blog , , , ,

How Can Chiropractic Care Benefit Runners?

The running world is a tight-knit, global community – those who love it, really love it, and are incredibly passionate about it. Most runners have a regular routine of runs every week, even on vacation. And now that warm-weather months are upon us, running season is already starting to kick up a notch in our area.

While running has many health benefits, both physical and mental, it can also take a toll on the back, the knees, the joints and the muscles. When you run for an extended period of time, you are literally “pounding the pavement” with your bones, joints and muscles, over and over again. For this reason, doctors who treat runners say they most often see injuries to the knees, ankles, hips and back, and causing shock to their musculoskeletal systems.

For these reasons, runners need to pay close attention to the care of their bodies.

Why are we telling you this? Besides the fact that we care about the health and wellness of all our patients and their friends and loved ones, we are pointing this out because many runners may not know how regular chiropractic care can be beneficial to devoted runners.

Here are just a few ways chiropractic care can improve a runner’s performance, and overall health:

Treating Chronic Pain: Running can sometimes lead to pulled muscles, sprains, strains, and a buildup of lactic acid in the soft tissue. Chiropractic treatments can help soothe those muscles, relieve that pain, and also speed up the recovery time and healing of common repetitive injuries.  In addition, regular treatment helps reduce the possibility of being injured in the same areas repeatedly.

Improve Joint Mobility: Chiropractic adjustments and treatments can help correct musculoskeletal imbalances, which in turn will increase a runner’s joint mobility, upping their overall performance. In addition, chiropractic adjustments can help heal damage from past injuries that may be holding a runner back. As Olympic marathon runner Desiree Linden says, after a stress fracture forced her to drop out of the 2012 Olympics, regular chiropractic care helped her work through old scar tissue and get her back to peak performance. “My stride feels a lot more normal. I feel really smooth now,” she described.

Prevent Future Injuries With a Properly Aligned Core: Taking care of yourself when you’re healthy can be the best way to avoid future injuries. As previously mentioned, running involves repeated (and literal) “pounding the pavement.” Almost no one in the world is born with perfect alignment – but regular chiropractic adjustments and treatments can help keep your core properly aligned; and when you have a properly aligned core, you’re much less susceptible to injury, and running will even feel easier. Joints can’t flow through the full range of motion when misaligned.

Focus on Function, Not Treatment of Pain: This largely goes along with the previous point. It’s much healthier, and feels better, if you focus on improving your body’s function, rather than waiting until you are experiencing pain and then come in for treatment of that pain. Some of the most common injuries from running are “overuse injuries” including plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle sprains, knee pain and hip pain. By being focused on function, and not always working to relieve pain, you and your chiropractor can catch injuries before they happen, and get you back on track faster.

In short, chiropractic care can improve several aspects of a runner’s performance, including:

  • Coordination
  • Reaction Time
  • Balance
  • Heightening Accuracy
  • Amplifying Precision
  • Building Stronger Muscles

As a runner, you always choose the best running gear (shoes, hats, clothing, sunglasses, heart rate monitors, etc.) to give you the ultimate data, comfort and power – why not also choose to up your body’s performance and comfort with regular visits to the chiropractor?

If you have questions about how Ashburn Family Chiropractic can help your body, or improve your performance, please contact us!