If you don’t move it, you lose it!!
If you have been injured or experiencing a lot of discomfort, then feeling better is surely your primary goal. Your first course of action to relieve your pain is rest and relaxation. Although resting is key, remaining completely stationary for more then 3-4 days, may make the healing process take longer. Oviedo chiropractors would agree that incorporating specific therapeutic exercises and stretches along with chiropractic care can help your body heal faster.
Dr. Ressler, an experienced chiropractor in Oviedo tells his patients not to, “become completely immobile by not getting enough physical activity. Although you may not have full range of motion, it is still important to move your body gently without causing you pain.” If you can only move the body part 25%or 50% of normal range of motion, that is fine. Just make sure you can do it without pain. As the body heals you will be able to increase the range of motion and it will continue to have less pain while performing the task. Exercising and stretching play a crucial element in healing as well as management of chronic pain. The addition of therapeutic exercises to chiropractic care speeds the healing process and elevates the effectiveness of Dr. Ressler’s chiropractic treatment plan.
Following an injury, the body’s natural response is to produce inflammation. The two most common acute inflammatory response symptoms are redness and swelling. Although these are symptoms of inflammation, they are typically considered to be a healthy response. One example of this is if you were to sprain your ankle while running, the body would produce swelling around the injured region to support the joint and prevent any further trauma. In this situation, the swelling is healthy as it acts like a natural sprint or brace. An unhealthy condition would be a strong inflammatory response where the inflammation becomes chronic. Chronic inflammation disrupts the body’s ability to heal quickly and therefore will prolong your pain. One all-natural way to treat chronic inflammation is by performing therapeutic exercises as they have been shown to be anti-inflammatory.
A study done by the University of Illinois showed that moderate exercise decreased inflammation and healing time in an experiment conducted with mice.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Exercise May Play Role in Reducing Inflammation in Damage Skin Tissue, 11/08/2007
Read the full study here!
If you are interested in learning more about inflammation and how it can actually help your body heal, check out our blog here!
Injury, stress, overuse, prolonged sitting or standing can all cause muscles and soft tissues to become tight and stiff. Tense and rigid muscles have limited flexibility which restricts mobility causing pain to occur with movement. Performing therapeutic exercises/stretching protocols are an excellent holistic way to relax tense muscles. Once muscles have loosened up you will find that your flexibility has improved, and range of motion will be restored.
Maintaining mobility is important to healing quickly, but building muscle strength is also a key factor. Lack of physical activity will cause muscles to weaken over time. As muscle degradation progresses it will become harder and harder to perform daily tasks. Although you NEVER want to push through the pain, not moving your body at all will only prolong your healing process. Implementing light therapeutic exercises will strengthen the muscle fibers. Strong muscles reinforce and support injured joints which will prevent a future injury from occurring.
Chiropractic adjustments alleviate pain and discomfort by keeping the spine in alignment and pressure off the nerve endings. This allows you to maintain full range of motion and perform the therapeutic exercises properly. Dr. Ressler uses a special tool called an “activator” in his chiropractic Oviedo office. This innovative tool is designed to correct only the specific misaligned vertebrae or joint. The activator method is highly effective to treat many kinds of injuries not only in the spine, but the extremities (shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles) as well. It is pain free and involves no twisting/cracking of the neck or low back. Keeping your joints in correct alignment ensures that your body can move properly without pain. That is why chiropractic adjustments and therapeutic exercise make a powerful healing combination.
Out of the many Oviedo chiropractors, Dr. Ressler designs his treatment plan to be as effective as possible. He has over 24 years of experience and has helped hundreds of patients recover from their injuries. Along with his gentle chiropractic technique, he prescribes a course of therapeutic exercises and stretches that are tailored to a patient’s specific condition. The kind of therapeutic exercises Dr. Ressler suggests depends on the type and severity of your injuries or condition. Your customized chiropractic treatment and therapeutic exercise plan will help strengthen your muscles, reduce inflammation, increase flexibility, prevent future injury, and improve your overall health.
If you are looking for chiropractic treatment in Oviedo, FL that is designed to help you recover from your injuries ASAP, check out our amazing Oviedo chiropractic office-Oviedo Injury and Wellness Center! We offer same day appointments and late hours (M,W,F open until 7 pm) so you can start your healing journey today! Call 407-977-5005 or request your local Oviedo chiropractic appointment by clicking here.