Montpelier Family Chiropractic Newsletter
Our free monthly e-newsletter is designed to be used as a resource for our patients in discovering and empowering them to make the best choices for their health and wellbeing.
16022 Newfound Hills Lane
Montpelier, VA 23192
Ph1: 804-883-3000
Fax: 804-883-7247
Theresa Neiss
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Exercise and Health
Dr. David L. Phillips
[ read article ]
Athletes Improve Performance With Chiropractic Care
Dr. George Traitses
[ read article ]
Hockey Referee has Career Saved by Chiropractic
Dr. John Zimmerman
[ read article ]
Wellness Care For The Athlete
Dr. Pamela Stone
[ read article ]
Exercise and Health
Dr. David L. Phillips
email - website
Proper exercise is like proper eating, people know what they should be doing, but rarely follow their conscience. Most people that I know and that I treat are already well aware that they should be exercising. They understand that a regular exercise program is critical to their continued good health. Virtually everyone who comes into my office for chiropractic care is, at some point, offered exercises and encouraged to do them daily. In some cases, I get some resistance, which leads to non-compliance. Ultimately, whether to exercise or not is that patient’s individual choice and depends largely on his health self-image. In this article, I don’t want to merely rattle on about how good exercise is for you. You’ve probably heard that ad nauseam from many sources by now. What I will attempt to relate in the following paragraphs is the latest research and current trends about exercise. My thinking is that: if exercise does not come naturally to you but you realize that you must do something, you might as well do the best and most effective/efficient type of program. First, let’s get this on the table as it is beyond debate: exercise programs have been proven beyond a doubt in the prevention and treatment of muscle and skeletal injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries include back, neck and other joint pains, strains and sprains, tendinitis conditions and most other common conditions seen daily in a chiropractic office. Even acute cases will benefit from some forms of exercise; right from day one. However, this is a new concept and not widely recognized.
I recently read of a study in which three groups of rats were administered a hamstring contusion. Each group was allowed to heal differently. One group was rested for the entire healing time; one group was rested for 72 hours before beginning running or swimming exercises for 15 minutes per day. The other group began 15 minutes of running or swimming exercise within an hour of being injured. All of the exercise groups healed more quickly than the rested group. The group of rats, which began immediate exercise, healed the fastest. An interesting side-note is that running seemed to be the best therapeutic choice for rats with hamstring contusions. (So, perhaps a rat race is not such a bad thing, after all.)
Obviously, not all injuries respond to vigorous exercise at the outset; but it is almost better to err to the active side than to the bed rest mode. It is well established that in cases of acute lower back pain, more than 3 or 4 days of bed rest is decidedly deleterious. The determining factor is the degree and location of inflammation. You don’t want to attempt weight bearing impact exercises on an inflamed joint. However, neutral-resisted and isometric exercises can be beneficially carried out gently and with wisdom very shortly after even a moderately severe joint strain.
My advice has always been that the basis of anyone’s exercise regime should be aimed at flexibility. Generally, people once out of their teens have enough strength to get by; it is the lack of flexibility that causes most of their physical aches and pains. Without adequate joint and muscle flexibility a false step, an extra-long reach or a quick, unexpected movement can cause pain or strain. If you are already exercising, stretching for flexibility is critical for avoiding repetitive strain injuries and keeping muscles and joints in tone.
Flexibility is best achieved with regular (and that is the key) ‘stretch and hold’ positions, which isolate specific muscle groups. There are several good books available that illustrate these stretch positions. The important thing to keep in mind is that you must hold the stretch position for a prolonged time. When first stretched, a muscle’s impulse is to contract to oppose the stretch, to fight back as it were. This natural reflex lasts for about 6-8 seconds after which your body realizes that the stretch is not threatening and it allows the muscle to begin to relax. During the next 10 or 15 seconds, the greatest health benefit of the stretch exercise occurs.
Done on a daily, or better twice daily, interval, real gains can be made in re-establishing the ‘flex ability’ that you may remember as a younger person. So many patients tell me that when younger they could bend so far this way or that and how now they can barely reach their knees. I often point out that that is precisely the reason they are visiting a chiropractor. That degree of flexibility today would be very protective.
So, my advice to readers is that you should get a simple stretch routine that concentrates on those areas in which you have lost most flexibility and perform this routine daily. The entire set of 8 or 12 stretches, each lasting about 25 seconds, will take less than 12 minutes from your morning. Morning is best, I feel, because you are at your tightest then and a good stretch sets you up for the day.
Regularity is most important. Even if you do not ‘have time’ to do all the positions, at least do 1 or 2, just to keep up the routine with an eye to establishing a habit. It should get to a place where missing your exercise would seem like starting your day without brushing your hair or showering or whatever morning routine you have that’s important to you. You would never think of leaving for work without covering all aspects of your morning routine. Why not make 10 or 15 minutes of stretching part of your morning?
We welcome you to our clinic! We are a family oriented practice. We are here to help you reach your health care goals and encourage you to take an active role in the process. We use a variety of techniques and look at all aspects of your life to find a plan that works best for you. Care is taken with every patient we see. You are the reason we are here, You are like family to us, we will treat you with integrity and the best possible care.