The snow mounds have melted. Baseball is back. That means hibernation should be ending. And, like clockwork, I’ve started to see some familiar faces around the office. So, here’s your Spring reminder to not be a stranger – some chiropractic and body care work does a body good – whether it’s for wellness or pain/injury management.
Trending
As you’ve come to expect from my newsletters, I share with you an emerging trend in physical injury management. The traditional model of care tends to narrowly focus diagnostics to “damaged tissue” (eg. sprains/strains, disc herniations, arthritic joints, etc.). Then, those diagnoses are matched to physical rehabilitation strategies like focused strength and stretch exercises and physical therapies. And let’s be clear: There is nothing wrong with this approach. In fact, this approach has proven to be far more effective than more antiquated approaches like ‘bed rest’, medication, unnecessary surgery. But researchers and physical health industry leaders are speaking loudly these days about the role of other variables that explain people’s pains and physical limitations. And hopefully this is no surprise to you, these variables are things I talk about regularly with you and my other patients. Some researchers refer to these variables as “non-communicable diseases”, including illnesses such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Causes of non-communicable diseases are often the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors. With that in mind, I highlight below four common behaviours that lead to non-communicable disease:
- Poor Sleep Quality and/or Quantity
- Poor Nutrition
- High Stress
- Poor Fitness
So, while physical injury may be the most obvious reason someone has pain, it doesn’t explain why person “A” has pain, but person “B” does not, even though their “injury” is the same. Perhaps person B has better fitness and thus can metabolize their injury faster, or perhaps person B sleeps better and thus can recover from their physical damage more efficiently.
Advice
- Prioritize sleep quality & quantity
- Optimize your nutrition
- Invest in a robust fitness routine. This includes strength/resistance training 1 – 2 times/week; Cardiovascular/metabolic training 2 – 3 times/week; and don’t forget to include some balance work – such as Yoga practice, or at least a few Yoga poses that challenge your balance.
- Self-Care – which can include anything that helps you prioritize your health. Physical treatment – like chiropractic care, massage therapy can be very relieving for both the mind and body. Meditation, reading, exercise. Find what works for you. Then repeat.
Need help with any of the above? That’s what I’m here for. Whether you’re managing a new or old injury/pain, need exercise advice/assistance, or help strategizing some behavioural changes, I look forward to your next visit.