519-578-7840  339 Highland Rd W Kitchener, ON N2M 3C6

The short answer is no, you can’t skip your next three or four chiropractor appointments because you’ve been going to the gym or doing yoga. Even though you’re able to exercise while actively seeing a chiropractor, there are spinal adjustments you just can’t do yourself. Why not? Well, that’s what we’re about to find out.

No Voluntary Control

One of the main reasons that you can’t replace proper chiropractic spinal adjustment treatments with pilates, yoga or stretching is because you have no control over specific sections of your vertebrae. Not only are you unable to physically reach these areas on your back and apply the proper force to realign a misplaced disk, but your brain prohibits you from controlling your spinal muscles. While our brain is connected to the nerves in your spine, it can’t consciously control them into readjustment. You can move other body parts, like your neck and lower back, to adjust the top and bottom of your spinal column, but that’s about it. You can’t maneuver specific segments of your vertebrae on your own, especially if there’s scar tissue build-up in the mix.

How Adjustments are Different

Yes, stretching and exercising are good in some cases when it comes to readjusting your body, but not in every case. In fact, it can even aggravate an injury, resulting in less mobility and more pain or discomfort. It’s for this reason that professional Kitchener chiropractors will assess your spine and other areas of concern, take X-rays and determine exactly where on your vertebrae an adjustment needs to occur. The specific joint that needs to be fixed will be the focus of an appointment, not the area surrounding the problem. Oftentimes, when people try to readjust their own body, they end up cracking or shifting joints around the problem area instead of hitting the specific disk that’s causing your pain.

Tips to Maintain a Healthy Spine

Do you sit at a desk all day in an uncomfortable chair that does nothing to support your back? This will inevitably ruin your posture and cause a misalignment in your spine. To remedy this, always make sure you’re sitting up straight with your legs uncrossed. This will help to reduce the pressure on your back. It’s also important that you take frequent walking or stretching breaks throughout your day, as this will increase the blood flow in your spine and encourage mobility.

 

At Goss Chiropractic, our dedicated staff of certified chiropractors is here to help you improve your health and well-being. Our chiropractic Kitchener services include cold laser treatments, shock and electrical therapy, acupuncture and more. With easy-to-follow care plans, at-home exercise programs and same-day treatments for new patients, call us or visit our website to book an appointment.