As a chiropractor, I often treat people suffering from chronic lower back pain, neck pain, and similar forms of discomfort. While a spinal adjustment is very effective when it comes to alleviating this pain, I don’t think chiropractic care should end when a patient steps out of the office. Personally, I consider it part of my job to provide my clients with suggestions they can use to reduce their discomfort and boost their overall wellbeing on their own.
Frequently, I recommend that they purchase an 18″ or 36″ foam roller and use it daily to stretch out their muscles. This simple habit offers a wide range of benefits. These are just a few:
Improving Circulation:
A good massage isn’t just relaxing—it also serves to increase circulation in the body. Unfortunately, most of us can’t get a massage every single day. Luckily, a foam roller can have the same effect. Using one regularly provides greater blood flow and oxygen delivery throughout the body, paving the way for general wellness.
Decreasing Pain:
There are many potential causes of chronic lower back pain and neck pain, but very often, tension is to blame. A combination of emotional stress and improper posture can cause our muscles to tighten up to an uncomfortable degree, leaving a person in significant discomfort throughout the day. With a foam roller, you can massage those muscles, loosening them up and undoing the harm caused by high levels of tension. Over time, many patients find that doing so reduces their pain substantially. This will improve not only your physical health, but your emotional health as well.
Building Up Mobility:
When your muscles are stretched out and loose, your mobility increases too. Anyone who has ever suffered from long-term back pain or any other form of tension knows that it’s simply not as easy to move around when your body is stiff and uncomfortable. The reduced tension and increased blood flow that comes from using a foam roller counteracts this problem. On a day-to-day basis, this allows patients to enjoy greater comfort while performing basic tasks. On top of that, it gives them more fitness options. The greater your mobility, the more types of exercises you can perform.
These benefits should not be thought of as separate from one another, though. They all work together to improve your wellness. In general, chiropractic care represents a holistic approach to health. A chiropractor is someone who understands and appreciates the fact that improvement in one area of your health leads to improvement in others.
For example, if using a foam roller provides you with better mobility, you might finally decide you can take up a fitness practice like yoga or Pilates. Doing so will boost your flexibility, increase your strength, give your cardiovascular system a necessary workout, and supply you with plenty of emotional and mental health benefits. Best of all, using a foam roller is easy. The next time you visit your chiropractor, ask them to recommend some exercises you can perform with yours. Together, the two of you can work to vastly improve your wellness.