Is It Safe To Supplement Chiropractic Care With At-Home Exercises?

Chiropractic care is a modality that can help those suffering from accident injuries and chronic conditions. But the healing journey doesn’t end when you leave the chiropractor’s office. You can complete exercises at home that can supplement your adjustments and aid in the recovery process.

But what exercises are best? Don’t worry! If you’re unsure, our Impact Medical Sun City Center team shares some of our favorite at-home exercises to help your body return to optimal health. Let’s get into it!

What is Chiropractic Care?

First, let’s discuss what chiropractic care entails. By adjusting the spine, chiropractors can alleviate pain, improve posture, and restore range of motion to those suffering from accident injuries.

Ultimately, if you have aches and pains caused by strain or an injury to your musculoskeletal system, a chiropractor can likely help, and you won’t need to take pain medication.

Chiropractic treatments often include:

Adjustments: Realigning the joints decreases pain and helps to increase the range of motion.

Soft-tissue Manipulation: This helps to relax any tight muscles, relieve muscle spasms, and release tension.

Exercises & Stretching: These help to maintain strength, joint stability, and mobility.

The best part is that chiropractic care is a holistic therapy that can impact an individual’s overall well-being and can be used in conjunction with several other modalities.

Why Do You Need to Exercise After Visiting the Chiropractor?

Though chiropractic care can be a powerful tool to help accident victims heal after an accident, its beneficial effects are amplified when paired with gentle exercises and stretches.

Doing so will:

Keep the spine aligned
Strengthen muscles
Boost flexibility & mobility
Protect against future injuries

Think of it as a comprehensive approach. Chiropractic care can correct and align the subluxations in the body, while exercises will keep your body in optimal shape, helping you recover faster and prevent re-injury.

Exercises to Supplement Chiropractic Care

Before we share some of our favorite exercises, it is important to note that patients should be cautious with exercise after chiropractic care. We recommend waiting around 30 minutes after the appointment to allow the body to adjust to the changes that the chiropractor made.

Excessive workouts should be avoided right after a chiropractic appointment. And we always recommend to our patients to warm up and stretch before doing any exercises.

To enhance your chiropractic treatments, try:

Neck Exercises: Gentle neck exercises can help support any cervical adjustments that were completed by your chiropractor. Try rotating the neck slowly back and forth, and around in a circle. Just be careful not to overdo it.

Back & Core Exercises: Yoga-style movements like the cat-cow stretch and child’s pose, as well as planks, can help strengthen the back, core, and spine. They can also help maintain spinal alignment and alleviate pain.

Shoulder Exercises: Wall stretches and slow shoulder rolls can help complement any shoulder adjustments that your chiropractor performed.

Hip Exercises: Gentle leg stretches while sitting or standing can help keep hips in alignment and boost stability.

Remember, when starting any exercise regimen, it is important to start slow so you don’t overdo it or undo the work your chiropractor did when adjusting your body. If you aren’t ready for these kinds of exercises or stretches, try a lower-impact activity such as swimming, riding a bike, or taking a walk.

Also, make sure to follow your chiropractor’s instructions on how often to exercise.

Heal & Gain Mobility with Impact Medical Sun City Center

Accident injuries do not have to be debilitating. With chiropractic adjustments completed by our skilled team at Impact Medical Sun City Center, you will walk away with an improved range of motion, less pain, and greater mobility.

Don’t let injuries hold you back from living a vibrant life. Schedule a chiropractic consultation with our team by calling (813) 938-5195 today!