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Three reasons to get a health check before starting a new exercise or sport

With spring already upon us, and summer just around the corner, it’s time to get our bodies beach ready, right?

But before starting a new exercise program, or re-starting exercise after the winter hiatus and COVID couch quarantine, there are three key reasons why it may be a good idea to consult your health care professional first.

1. Avoid injury

If you haven’t done exercise for a while, or are starting a new exercise program, you may increase your risk of muscular, joint or back injury. It’s advisable to get an assessment to determine any existing joint or muscular stiffness or weakness, so that your health care practitioner can advise you about steps to take so that you can avoid strain or injury when you exercise.

2. Identify the right exercise program that will deliver the best results for you

Sometimes we’d like to try a new sport or exercise, but it may not be the best fit for our body, particularly if you are susceptible to any musculoskeletal weakness. Your health care practitioner can look at your musculoskeletal system and your biomechanics to determine if the exercise or sport that you’d like to do puts you at greater risk of injury.  Then, they can either identify an alternative exercise program that may be better suited to your body type, or provide advice about measures that you can take to help reduce your risk of injury.

3. Check your heart health

With many of us confined during COVID quarantine measures, we have probably spent more time on the couch this winter than in previous years. Suddenly starting strenuous exercise could put strain on the heart and may result in cardiovascular issues. It’s a good idea to check your heart health, even with a quick visit to your GP, so that you maintain a healthy heart during exercise.

It’s much better to be safe than sorry when it comes to starting a new exercise program, so that you can avoid injury or too much strain on the body and be able to continue your exercise without the interruption of injury.

Lane Chiropractic in Pottsville is offering free 15 minute spinal and biomechanical health assessments during September. Get your free assessment before starting your new spring/summer exercise program to give your body the best chance of avoiding injury. To book your no obligation, free back and joint health check call 6676 2270.

Eight subtle signs your body needs help

We can all feel stiff, sore and tired from time to time but if the same pain keeps resurfacing, it may be your body trying to warn you that something is seriously wrong.

With our busy lives, it can be too easy to ignore the subtle signs that our bodies give us but by ignoring the warning signs you could be at risk of missing the early detection of a more serious issue.

There are eight common issues chiropractors see that, if left untreated, can lead to longer term issues that may require surgery or lifelong pain management.  Some of these issues may also signal potential life-threatening conditions:

Neck stiffness

While neck stiffness is quite common, particularly for people who spend long hours working on computers or using smartphones, it can also signal something more serious. Persistent neck stiffness may be the result of a degenerative cervical spine disorder which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent nerve damage, compression of the spinal cord, paralysis and in rare cases, death.

Joint pain

Joint pain is often considered a natural part of the aging process, and it can also emerge following strenuous exercise. However, persistent joint pain can severely limit your mobility and impact your overall health in the longer term. For example, limited mobility may lead to poor psychological health and obesity, which in turn can increase the risk of issues such as diabetes and heart disease.

Muscle weakness

We all get muscle weakness from time to time due to factors such as illness or an intense workout that causes muscle fatigue. However, ongoing weakness in the muscles can be a sign of issues such as nerve damage, muscular or skeletal degeneration, a herniated disc, neuromuscular disorder, or a tumour.

Numbness or tingling

While we can get numbness or tingling from sitting too long in a certain position, such as when your foot goes to sleep, having this symptom without cutting off blood circulation is an early warning sign of injury, nerve damage, a herniated disc, or even diabetes. If numbness or tingling related to nerve damage, injury or a herniated disc is left untreated, you may end up needing surgery.

Uneven posture

If you have uneven shoulders or hips, asymmetry of the back or your head rests off-centre you may have scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine. If left untreated, it can cause a reduced range of motion, pain, disc degeneration, and possibly cardiovascular and breathing problems caused by the rib cage constricting the heart and lungs.

Headaches

Headaches can be caused by factors such as stress, dehydration, low blood sugar, or misalignment of the neck or spine. Persistent headaches may be a sign of migraines, food allergies, nerve degeneration, or tumour.

Intermittent pain or stiffness

If you have pain or stiffness that comes and goes, it could be a sign of nerve damage, muscular or skeletal degeneration, or disc bulge.  Similar to other forms of pain, if it is left untreated intermittent pain or stiffness can become chronic pain, which then requires more intensive treatment and possibly surgery.

Sharp, Shooting Pain in Your Legs 

A sharp, shooting pain or tingling and weakness in your legs indicates a pinched nerve or slipped disc.  Without treatment, this can lead to longer term issues requiring long term pain medication or even surgery.

Chiropractors are trained to treat many of these conditions, or will refer you to another health specialist if they suspect a non-chiropractic issue. To find out more about the subtle warning signs your body gives you and how to treat them contact Lane Chiropractic Pottsville on 02 6676 2270.

Flexion gives gentle pain relief

Lane Chiropractic Pottsville uses the flexion distraction technique, which embraces a combination of chiropractic and osteopathic principles using gentle mobilisation of various body parts and slow manual traction to treat many different forms of pain.

Some of the most common conditions treated using a flexion distraction table include sporting injuries, herniated discs, migraine, neck pain, rib pain, back pain, spinal stenosis and much more.

About the Flexion distraction table

A large number of chiropractic tables are designed to respond to quick thrusts from the chiropractor, thereby realigning the spine. Some are called drop tables because various sections drop under the pressure, using gravity to help return the spinal column to a healthier position.

A flexion table, on the other hand, was developed to work best with slow and controlled movements. With this particular option, the chiropractor manipulates the patient’s body by moving portions of the table as opposed to a more hands-on approach, which requires physically manipulating the patient’s limbs and torso. This provides for a much gentler and more relaxing treatment with the same good results you’d expect from your chiropractor.