Despite those who see the bigger benefits of chiropractic care on a consistant basis, ie improved immune function, improved performance (athletes), improved stress adaptability, etc etc. One of the things chiropractors are known for is helping people restore their range of motion, or their ability to move normally. This can be in the neck, mid back, low back, hips, shoulders, knees, ankles, & wrists. At times, on a patient experiencing migraine symptoms I will check for the presence of decreased mobility in the cranium. Thats right your noggin can get adjusted to. Contrary to the science that I learned in Jr. High and High School, to bones in your skull move too!
Anyway- back to the topic…the reason that we are so good at helping people with this is because we work on two profound systems of the body. The neurological portion, which simply said is the breaker switch to your body, directing and coordinating EVERY action of your body, as well as the mechanical portion, which is the muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons.
In post doctorate work in chiropractic neurology one of the text that is used is “Principles of Neural Science”, by Kandel and Schwartz, which is a 1400 page text book about the ins and outs of neurology. A good read for some- and a cure for ‘insomnia’ for others. In this book it gives us a perfect model of how we as chiropractors restore normal motion in the body.
The chiropractic treatment puts a fast stretch (just what it sounds like) on the muscle spindles and the golgi tendon organ in the muscle, which in turn creates a reflex relaxation response, thus activating the 1B fibers of the golgi tendon organ which creates relaxation with the muscle. This whole crazy reaction then allows you to turn your head normally, or bend forward at the waist the way you are supposed to. Sound complex? It really is, but this is how chiropractors get such great results! Chiropractic adjustments affect the nervous system so profoundly!
A lack of mobility in your neck or back can be a ‘warning sign’ of much deeper issues, such as degenerative changes, scar tissue build up, and arthritis. More so, lack of motion begins to impair the entire body, as you begin to compensate for the lack of movement. The saying we use alot is “Motion is Life”. Remember that…. movement is vital to our existence. Think about someone who breaks their hip and never gets out of bed again, other problems start to occur more frequently. If you’ve ever been stuck in bed following a long stent of being ill, you know first hand how hard it is to get back into the routine of life.
Remember a vital component to being well is Motion! So get moving today!
Eat well, move well, think well!!!
Living Innately Driven 