The purpose of chiropractic care is much more than addressing pain from injuries, muscle sprains, strains, and spasms, arthritis, and other such conditions. Skilled chiropractors perform an assessment and develop a customized treatment plan for each individual patient.
This treatment plan will not only be focused on treating your current condition but also include exercises to do at home to help prevent future injuries by strengthening muscles. For patients with arthritis, the objective of exercises is to help alleviate the level of pain and discomfort you experience.
Exercise programs that best fit your needs are developed by your chiropractor. It is essential that you ask questions and understand how to do each exercise correctly for maximum results. Some of the more common exercises prescribed by chiropractors to help improve muscular health and overall well-being include:
1. Glute Bridge
This exercise is where you lie on your back. Next, you elevate your back off the floor by using your feet while keeping your hands on the floor. The purpose of the exercise is to tighten the abdomen muscles as well as strengthen the muscles in the lower back and buttocks.
2. Squats
This exercise is where you stand with your arms raised out in front of you, and then bend your knees. Squats help build the muscles in the legs and buttocks.
3. Reverse Lunge
This exercise helps strengthen the muscles in the calves, thighs, and buttocks. You begin in a standing position. Next, you move your left leg backward and move into a kneeling position. Then you stand up and repeat this with the right leg.
4. Side Bridge
This exercise helps build muscles in the upper back and shoulder. Start off by lying on your left side and using your left arm to push you off the floor. Keep your legs and feet straight with the feet on top of each other. Straighten your arm out and hold this position for as long as you can. Repeat the exercise on the right side.
5. Shoulder Roll
To help alleviate tension in the shoulders while strengthening muscles, this exercise is perfect. You start off by slowly rolling your shoulders in a backward motion. Next, you tighten the shoulder muscles together and hold for five seconds. Repeat this several times.
6. Leg Lifts
Sitting on the floor, elevate your left leg as high as you can, keeping it straight and holding it up as long as you can. Repeat this with the right leg. Leg lifts help build the muscles in the legs and buttocks as well as improve endurance.
7. Seated Row
If your chiropractor supplies you with resistance bands, you can do this exercise. Sitting on the floor, place the resistance band over the bottom of your feet while holding each end in your hands. Pulls backward on the resistance bands toward your abdomen, while keeping your back slightly arched and legs slightly bent. Seated rows help build upper back and upper arm muscles.
8. Shoulder Press
Another exercise you can do with resistance bands is a shoulder press. While standing, step on the middle section of the resistance band. Next, pull the bands upward with your hands and raise them above your head. Lower the bands to shoulder height and then raise them above your head again. Shoulder presses help build shoulder and upper back muscles.
Before beginning any of these exercises, be sure to check with your chiropractor first.
If you are suffering from back pain, neck pain, arthritis, or other muscle and joint pain, please feel free to contact AlignLife at (877) 254-4654 to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our chiropractors today!
