For most of us, the winter weather limited our ability to go outside and move therefore we have been somewhat sedentary. We are not moving the important muscles that we need to stabilize the body. The core helps stabilize the hips and the low back. The glutes and the hamstrings help move us along. When those muscles are weak and lazy and we have poor alignment in the low back and joints are subluxated and not moving well from too much sedentary activity, for example, sitting in a flex position at work, when spring rolls around and we try to jump up and start to move, the muscles have to work much harder. When muscles, soft tissue, ligaments and tendons are working harder than they should that creates compensation, and that creates adhesion, which creates weak, inflexible tissue called scar tissue. Joints will not move well with weak, inflexible tissue, and that is a recipe for lower back pain.
A chiropractor can evaluate joint function. They are trained on performing detailed orthopedic exams and subluxation exams, all different types of exams and X-rays that can pinpoint poor joint function. A chiropractor can find the joints in the lower back that aren’t moving well and then deliver chiropractor adjustments to get those joints moving. If the joint and the soft tissue are being adjusted and treated, that’s going to allow the joint to move better. Through soft tissue therapy supplemented with rehab, chiropractors can make sure there are no muscle imbalances in the joint, it has healthy tissue and it is stabilized. Then when that joint is loaded under tension, it will move with good range of motion. Moving well with stability is going to decrease our chance of breaking down with an injury.
By addressing subluxations, poor joint function in the spine and in the joints, working on spinal alignment and good posture, breaking down poor tissue, and stabilizing those muscles that move us, when we go to move, specifically the shoulder, the knee or the hip, we will have better flexibility, range of motion and we decrease the chance for pain, dysfunction and injury.
If we are going to be exercising, we want to make sure that all those muscles that are super important are doing their job: the core is stabilizing the low back and the hips, and the hamstrings and the glutes are engaged. So, when you are physically upright and you are moving, all the muscles are sequencing and firing as they should, and that’s going to decrease your chance for low back pain. If those things aren’t happening and that is creating your back pain, we will correct it. With good joint function, good alignment, good balance, good muscle strength, and no back pain, there is absolutely no reason your body shouldn’t be able to do what it is designed to do, which is move without restriction.
