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James Leipold | Make A Comment | Asheville Chiropractor , Asheville drug-free pain relief , Asheville pain relief , Chiropractic Advice , Stretching ,
We all wanted to grow up to be big and strong, but sometimes it’s not enough for our health to build muscle to achieve our fitness goal. It’s also important to think about flexibility and mobility, too. Stretching can help! With a body full of muscles, the idea of daily stretching may seem overwhelming, but we don’t have to stretch all our muscles every day.
Stretching your calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders, neck, and lower back can all be beneficial, but stretching once today won’t magically give you perfect flexibility. However, stretching for 10-15 minutes 3-5 times a week, or daily even, when done correctly, could help improve range of motion.
We should all stretch some to help protect our mobility and independence, as stretching can help the muscles remain flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain the range of motion in all our joints. Without it, the muscles can shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are unable to extend all the way and that could potentially cause joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.
But how do we stretch our muscles without hurting ourselves? It’s important that we learn how to stretch properly. First, remember that stretching shouldn’t hurt, if you do feel pain, there may be an injury or damage. You should stop stretching that muscle and talk to your doctor. It’s good to take slow deep breaths while stretching, deep breathe into your stretch, and hold for 30-45 seconds, and finally breathe out and release. Remember not to bounce during your stretch, as that could cause injury. You’ll feel some tension during a stretch, but again you should not feel any pain.
It’s important to stretch before and after working out. A good warm-up for our muscles is about 5 to 10 minutes of light stretching before, to prepare our bodies. Post-workout, 5-10 minutes of light stretching can help your muscles cool down and relax. It can be beneficial to stretch after any kind of workout, including aerobic and weight-training workouts. And if you don’t exercise as often as you’d like to, that’s okay! You can still benefit from stretching, even without working out.
Questions about what stretches could help alleviate your muscles the most? To find a list of our recommended stretches, visit our Resources page, ashevilleartofchiropractic.com/resources/ or, come visit Doc! He can assess your muscle strength and help tailor a stretching program to better fit your needs. Feel free to give us a call at (828) 575-9631, or stop by and see us at 606 A New Leicester Hwy, in Asheville NC!
James Leipold | Make A Comment | Asheville Chiropractor , Asheville chronic low back pain , Asheville drug-free pain relief , Asheville pain relief , Chiropractic Advice ,
This week at Art of Chiro, we wanted to help you not only become aware of and improve your posture but also encourage you to share with others! Have you ever heard a loved one complain about a painful back? Did you know that if you recommend a friend come see us, and they tell us you sent them, you get a FREE ice pack? It’s true!
How often do you notice yourself slouching when you sit? Did you know that poor posture is more than just a bad habit to break and that it could be causing discomfort? Over time our body physically reacts to poor posture with inflexible muscles that can decrease range of motion, or how far a joint can move in any direction. Things like overly tight, shortened hip muscles tug your upper body forward and can disrupt your posture, and overly tight chest muscles can pull your shoulders forward. If you do notice these things yourself, all hope is not lost! You can always work on your posture, but what does good posture look like?
Good posture can mean:
-chin parallel to the floor
-shoulders even (roll your shoulders up, back, and down to help achieve this)
-neutral spine (no flexing or arching to overemphasize the curve in your lower back)
-arms at your sides with elbows straight and even
-abdominal muscles braced
-hips even
-knees even and pointing straight ahead
-body weight distributed evenly on both feet.
When sitting down, try keeping your chin parallel to the floor; your shoulders, hips, and knees at even heights; and your knees and feet pointing straight ahead. Muscle strength also affects balance in some ways. The “core muscles” of the back, side, pelvis, and buttocks form a sturdy, important central link between your upper and lower body. Weak core muscles can encourage slumping, which can tip your body forward and off balance. Strong lower leg muscles also help keep you steady when standing. Start small! First, try to become more aware of how you stand, move, sit, and even how you sleep! Did you know, sleeping on the stomach can affects the spine in negative way? In addition, make sure the mattress and pillows are comfortable but provide enough support for the back and neck, consider sleeping on your back or side to reduce pain. The American Chiropractic Association recommends using an additional pillow between the legs or under the knees for people who sleep on their side or on their back.
Chiropractors can, and often do, recommend specific exercises designed to help with posture and strengthen the core. Chiropractors can also do spinal adjustments and other treatments that can help you focus on improving your posture. In addition, they can make suggestions about improving the ergonomics of your home or office. Curious about how Doc could aid your back problems? Give us a Call at 828-575-9631, or swing by our office at 606 A New Leicester Hwy, Asheville NC 28806