Summer is finally here! School’s out, sun’s out, and it’s time to enjoy long days and balmy nights. But don’t overdo things or jump into outdoor activities without preparation. If so, you might find yourself benched indoors with sprains, strains, aches, and pains. Consider adding chiropractic visits to your schedule to maintain and improve balance, mobility, flexibility, and reduce flare-ups from injuries in the past. At Family & Sports Chiropractic Clinic, Dr. Henderson can work with you wherever you are—or hope to be—so you’ll be ready for wherever summer takes you.
BEFORE
Before you dig out shorts, sandals, and swimsuits, consider stopping by their Vancouver WA chiropractic clinic for a stress relieving adjustment to kick things off. Reports show that “On a practical level, that low-grade chronic stress impacts your daily decisions that adversely affect overall health. When you’re constantly stressed, you’re less likely to exercise. You might reach for chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, or a few glasses of red wine to dampen your feelings. You sleep less deeply, which subsequently makes you more stressed.”
“But chronic stress also manifests in physical ways,” say these researchers. “Keeping your body’s stress response fired up on all cylinders when it should taper down contributes to many pathological processes including chronic pain disorders, immune disorders, cardiovascular disorders, metabolic disease, and behavior disorders…And that’s where chiropractic care can help: Visiting your chiropractor regularly can potentially have a positive impact on managing chronic stress and its wide-ranging repercussions.”
DURING
Summer also brings unique activities limited to the warm weather seasons. Whether boating, swimming, hiking, or traveling with family and friends, old injuries can slow you down if you’re not careful. Regular chiropractic treatments—even when not actively recovering from an accident or injury—keep the body limber and pain-free without the use of medication today and all season long.
The Cleveland Clinic explains that “The goal of a chiropractic adjustment is to restore your health over the long term, rather than to relieve your symptoms short term. Your chiropractor will encourage you to learn about new ways to position your body at your desk, when you’re standing and moving and when you’re in bed. They might also recommend incorporating stretches into your daily routine. These long-term tips can help prevent future problems.”
With this life-long mentality, visits to the chiropractor are tailored specifically to you. Dr. Henderson will ask about past medical issues, medications, and overall wellness goals. She can work to reduce pain, improve or maintain your active lifestyle, and even explain ways to avoid future injuries down the road.
AFTER
This time of year activities aren’t limited by the seasonal darkness of wintertime. But just as it’s not wise to overdo your exercise, it’s also best not to put fitness and preventive care on the back-burner. While exploring the backwoods and spending hours lakeside are suitable replacements for the indoor treadmill, stretching, warm ups, and cool down sessions in conjunction with chiropractic guidance can keep stiffness and sore muscles to a minimum.
Research shows that “Regular exercise is a crucial part of any healthy living plan. In fact, chiropractors generally work with their patients to come up with an exercise plan that ties into treatment plans. Aim for some form of daily aerobic exercise, and choose lower impact activities that aren’t as likely to aggravate back pain,” for example.
But, they remind us, “there are some precautionary measures to take, particularly right after you have an adjustment, because your body needs a chance to adapt to the treatment intervention. Working out right after a treatment can potentially undo the work that your chiropractor completed during the adjustment for tissues and muscles. There is a higher risk if you are recovering from an injury. However, performing the appropriate exercises after a chiropractic adjustment can improve treatment outcomes.”
In the Pacific Northwest, summer’s arrival is a reason for celebration. We love to wander, explore, and spend time outdoors with family and friends. (There’s also yardwork galore but even that’s tolerable when it’s sunny!) Don’t get slowed down or forced to rely on endless ibuprofen when true relief is just around the corner. Dr. Henderson and her team are skilled in all manner of chiropractic treatment including pregnancy, sports, and auto accident related. When you’re ready to take that first—or next—pain-free step, give the office a call at 360.254.0400 or book an exam online today. Then strap on those sandals and get outside!
