Back pain is one of the most common health problems that people face. Back pain can be due to many causes from accidents to normal aging. About 1 in 5 Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is also a leading cause of disability worldwide. It is the number one reason that interrupts combat readiness for U.S. soldiers.Common treatments for back pain include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen or Motrin, steroid injections and physical therapy. Another excellent treatment for back pain is chiropractic care.
How to Prevent Back Pain
About 22 million Americans visit chiropractors a year. Nearly 35 percent of those people do so for back pain relief. Chiropractic care has been found to be effective for back pain relief. For example, researchers recently looked at whether or not chiropractic spinal manipulation can help active-duty soldiers with back pain. The study found that about three-quarters of the 750 participants reported less back pain and more satisfaction with treatment after six weeks.
Not only is chiropractic care effective at treating back pain but it can also help prevent it, as well. Here are some of the surprising ways that regular preventative chiropractic care can help prevent back pain.
#1 Better Posture
Good posture is vital for good health. Poor posture can lead to back pain. People spend a large amount of the day sitting — whether it’s from typing all day at work, commuting to and from work or just sitting in front of the TV. Regardless of the reason, sitting all day can lead to serious issues with posture.
You probably notice feeling stiff or sore after sitting all day at work. The reason that sitting causes discomfort is because it puts stress on the discs and muscles in the back. In addition, people sitting all day at computers often adopt a “forward head” posture, which is often a significant cause of neck and back pain.
Preventative chiropractic care can help you improve your posture. Periodic chiropractic adjustments can help resolve postural imbalances and problems like a forward head posture. Although these issues may not be noticeable or causing pain currently, over time they can have a serious negative effect on your health.
During a chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor will gently manipulate your body’s joints and spine. These adjustments help realign your spine, which improves posture. You will be asked to lay in a comfortable position on a table while the chiropractor performs the adjustment. You may hear a slight popping sound during the adjustment. This is a normal sound and is produced when gas is released between the joints.
#2 Improves Joint Motion
With age, joints can become stiff and immobile. Years of use can cause stiffness. Stiffness is common when waking up or after prolonged periods of sitting down. Not all stiff joints are due to age. Certain conditions like arthritis and lupus can cause stiffness and reduced joint motion.
Joint stiffness and immobility can range from mild to severe. Although it might start off pretty mild and only impact your mobility slightly, over time it can become worse. Chiropractic adjustments help bring movement to immobile joints. Restricted joint mobility is often due to adhesions that form in the joints of the vertebrae and prevent the joint from moving. Regular chiropractic adjustments help break up the adhesions, which allows the joints to move freely.
#3 Enhances Physical Function
Things like your range of motion, muscle strength and flexibility all play a part in your physical function. When you lack flexibility, have poor range of motion or muscle strength, then you are more likely to experience pain especially when working out or trying new activities.
Chiropractic care helps improve flexibility, range of motion, strength and neurological health. This type of preventative care will help you feel better overall. In addition, here are 9 tips for choosing the best chiropractor.
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