There are a lot of different options for pain relief. This is particularly true of neck and back pain. While you may have heard of chiropractic care, you most likely have also heard that a good workout can help. The truth is that it can help you, but by no means should you mistake it for a chiropractic adjustment equivalent.
Exercise Benefits
If you suffer from chronic neck, back or shoulder pain, it doesn’t hurt to look into yoga, Pilates or other workout routines to help alleviate pain or to improve flexibility. Proper stretches and a good workout routine are beneficial to the body. When you exercise, you do move the vertebrae in your spine, so by no means should you ever feel deterred from working out.
By no means is it the same as an adjustment, however. When you workout, you cannot isolate which vertebrae you move. When you perform neck stretches, you move all of the vertebrae in your neck. Likewise, if you stretch your lower back, you move all of the vertebrae in that section of your back. Now, say that you have five stuck vertebrae or a couple vertebrae that shifted. While your workout will help bring motion to that area of your body, it will not specifically impact those misaligned vertebrae.
Exercise Disadvantages
If you do have a misaligned spine or stuck vertebrae, you have to be careful when working out. One of the biggest reasons you should visit a chiropractor is to find out what type of injury you’re suffering from. A workout can aggravate the area. Before you choose a workout regimen, you have to know what your body can handle.
Adjustment Benefits
An adjustment is different. When you receive an adjustment, the chiropractor does an exam and possibly an x-ray to find out which vertebra or joints need an adjustment. There are no generalized stretches. Instead, the adjustment brings your joint into a movement beyond your regular active or passive motion. It performs a function that you cannot get through working out. Stretching and working out are not the same as an adjustment. You cannot get the same effects from working out that you get from a chiropractic visit.
When it comes to living a healthy, pain-free lifestyle, working out and stretching is a great part of it. By all accounts, patients should get plenty of exercise. However, your stretching exercises will not replace a chiropractic adjustment. Nothing can replicate the results of an adjustment. If you’re ready to visit the chiropractor and set up your first visit, make the call today!
Resources:
Wikipedia, Chiropractic Care
