Seeing A Chiropractor Regularly for Injury Prevention and Maintenance

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Physiotherapist giving neck massage to a woman in clinic

Seeing A Chiropractor Regularly for Injury Prevention and Maintenance. A common question that comes up is how often is it necessary to visit a chiropractor? Everyone is different and the frequency of treatment depends on each individual’s specific situation/condition, health goals, and needs. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind that can help get an idea of what to expect.

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Seeing a Chiropractor

Chiropractors are the top experts in addressing underlying issues concerning the spine and musculoskeletal system. The most common reasons for seeking chiropractic treatment are musculoskeletal:

Conditions
Injuries – work, sports, automobile, personal
Rehabilitation
Pain relief
Fitness
Chronic fatigue
Brain fog
Sleep problems

As an example, back pain is one of the top causes of disability. The workforce and medical community are seeing the effectiveness of chiropractic in reducing medical costs and loss of productivity. Spinal misalignment is an overlooked problem that can lead to a variety of health issues, including chronic pain and poor blood and nerve circulation. Restoring alignment is the first step in building sustainable health and achieving optimal quality of life.

Effective Treatment

Chiropractic treatment follows three stages. There is an emphasis on each stage and a specific focus for working toward long-lasting optimal health. Each phase is also associated with a different range of treatment protocols to achieve the best results.

Stage 1 Pain Relief

Starting treatment when the pain is at its most intense means the first step is bringing relief as quickly as possible. This is accomplished through:

Adjustments
Ultrasound
Heat and Ice
Massage
T.E.N.S
Stretching
Exercise
Other techniques to stabilize the individual

Stage 2 Restorative Care

Once the pain is relieved, the focus turns to long-term healing of affected tissues like the:

Muscles
Ligaments
Neural tissues

This helps with long-term recovery while reducing the risk of worsening or creating further injury/s.

Stage 3 Maintenance Care

This final stage is the monitoring stage. The chiropractic provider understands how important it is to regularly monitor an individual’s health and alignment to address any issues that come up and deal with them before they worsen or lead to other problems. Monitoring prevents unnecessary distress and helps the individual get back to their normal life.

Optimal Results

Achieving lasting results for symptoms cannot be done with a quick one size fits all treatment. With the guidance of a chiropractor, the individual will learn to recognize subtle changes in their body to alert them to adjusting lifestyle habits. Contact Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic to determine what treatment and frequency offer the best results.

Body Composition

Inflammation That Can Become Permanent

When white blood cells cause inflammation, this is a sign that the body’s immune system is properly functioning. Inflammation starts, the white blood cells attack the invader, it is neutralized, and the inflammation recedes. This is how the body’s defense system works naturally. But the white blood cells are not the only type of cell that has the ability to release cytokines. A second type of cell that can release cytokines and cause inflammation are adipocytes/fat cells. The body stores excess calories as fat so that the body can use it later for energy.

Scientists have learned that fat is an active endocrine organ. It can secrete a host of proteins and chemicals, including inflammatory cytokines. When the body keeps adding more and more adipose tissue cytokines are released by the fat cells, triggering inflammation. Obesity is characterized as a state of low-grade, chronic inflammation. This means that increased fat cells put the body in a constant state of stress and immune response. This means that the body is always in a state of inflammation and the immune system is permanently switched on. Perpetual, never-ending inflammation is not healthy for the body.

Disclaimer

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP, CIFM, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico

References

Hadler, N M. “Chiropractic.” Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America vol. 26,1 (2000): 97-102, ix. doi:10.1016/s0889-857x(05)70123-x

Iben, Axén et al. “Chiropractic maintenance care – what’s new? A systematic review of the literature.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 27 63. 21 Nov. 2019, doi:10.1186/s12998-019-0283-6

Goertz, Christine M et al. “Effect of Usual Medical Care Plus Chiropractic Care vs Usual Medical Care Alone on Pain and Disability Among US Service Members With Low Back Pain: A Comparative Effectiveness Clinical Trial.” JAMA network open vol. 1,1 e180105. 18 May. 2018, doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0105

Tight Hip Flexors and How To Release

By

Dr. Alex Jimenez

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selective focus of mature woman suffering from back pain while sitting on sofa

Tight hip flexors are a common complaint among individuals. Sitting for too long is the usual suspect, but highly active individuals can experience tightness. Here is a hip flexor test to determine if there is tightness:

Lie on back on a table or bench
Let the lower part of the legs hang off the side at the knees
Pull one knee up to the chest while keeping the head, shoulders, back, and hips in contact with the table/bench
The other leg will stay in contact with the table/bench with the knee at a 90-degree angle if the hip flexors are not tight
If they are tight, the other leg will come up from the table/bench, causing the knee to come out of the 90-degree angle
Perform on both sides, because one hip flexor could be tighter than the other

However, if the hip flexors are not tight but there is still discomfort, soreness then the most common cause is weak hip flexors.

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Why Hip Flexors Become Tight

Figuring out what’s making them so tight varies from person to person. Some individuals are more susceptible to tight hip flexors than others. Here are common reasons why individuals experience discomfort, soreness, and pain:

Sitting for a long time shortens and weakens the flexors
A shifted pelvis could be an anterior or posterior pelvic tilt
Uneven hips can cause tightness on one side
Poor posture can lead to standing or leaning on one hip
Sleeping too much on one side
Running or exercising without regular stretching especially of the hips

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Tight Hip Flexors and How To Release

Tight Hip Flexor Symptoms

Many are surprised by how tight hip flexors can affect the rest of the body. This is because of the many different muscles in the hip flexor group. They help lift the leg at the hip, help stabilize the spine, and can affect the neck and shoulder area.

Tightness in the upper groin/hip area
Pain/tightness in the glutes
Tight hamstrings
Pain/tightness in the lower back when standing up
Trouble standing up straight
Pain/tightness in the neck

Releasing Tight Hips

The test is a great way to determine if the hip flexors are tight. Before attempting to stretch the hip flexors, it is key to determine that the flexors are tight or weak. If the hip flexors are not tight, stretching them will not help. Instead, they need to be strengthened. Individuals can confuse tight hip flexors with weak ones and become frustrated when there is no relief after stretching.

Stretches

Here are some easy stretches for the hip flexors.

Butterfly Stretch

Sit on the floor with the heels and toes of the feet pressed together
The weight of the knees as they open and move forward to the floor will stretch the hips
For a greater stretch, gently press down on the inside of the knees
Hold for 30 seconds to a minute

Chair Figure 4 Stretch

Sit in a chair
Raise one leg and place the ankle on the opposite knee
Straighten the back and then hinge the torso forward
The stretch will be felt in the hip and glute
Hold for one minute
Switch legs and repeat

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Kneel down with one leg bent at 90-degrees in front and the other at 90-degrees underneath
Keep the back straight
Squeeze the glutes
Tuck the pelvis forward
Maintain this position, lean forward gently into the forward leg
The stretch will be felt along the hip and front of the underneath leg
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds
Repeat 3 to 5 times

These stretches can be done 2 to 4 times throughout the day keeping the flexors from tightening up.

Chiropractic Care To Loosen Tight Hips

If dealing with pain in the hips when stretching or sitting, there could be something other than tight hip flexors, or in addition to tight flexors. If exercising or stretching, causes discomfort/pain, stop the activities and contact a chiropractor for a possible hip adjustment. Chiropractic medicine specializes in the entire musculoskeletal system.

Massage

Combined with a hip adjustment, massage therapy will help relieve pain, stiffness and improve circulation. Many find relief from a massage after an adjustment, while others receive a massage before the adjustment.

Hip Flexors Cracking

A less common issue with hip flexors is cracking or popping during activity/s. Individuals can experience this while they are exercising or running and is usually caused by a tendon or muscle sliding over the bone. It can be difficult to determine the cause of the cracking/popping without seeing a medical professional. In some cases, it could be gas escaping the hip joint, while in others, it could be an issue that needs to be addressed by strengthening, massaging, and working out the muscle or tendon.