Choosing to see a chiropractor is an excellent first step toward improved mobility and wellness. By taking this step, you’ll be on your way to regaining balance, alignment, and relief from chronic pain. However, it is not simply the responsibility of your chiropractor to help you achieve your health goals.
Aside from getting your adjustments at our practice, you must also be proactive in improving your health and practicing good self-care. One thing to watch out for is WHAT you do after your appointments. Your actions will either boost or break the effectiveness of your adjustments. If you want to get the best results possible, then you need to do your part. Let’s look at the five things that we usually recommend people do after their adjustment:
#1 Stay hydrated all the time.
It’s important to drink a lot of water following an adjustment. Why? Because when you move and stimulate muscles and bones, there is often a release of toxins by the body. You can think of it as the body’s way of taking out the ‘trash’. If you have so much toxicity built up in your system, the more you need to flush them out continuously.Â
Related Article: Toxic Release from Chiropractic Adjustments
The best way to expedite the flushing process is by increasing your water intake. Start by drinking a glass of water shortly after your adjustment and continue drinking more water for a few days following your adjustment. As soon as you flush all the toxins out, your body can start the healing process. At this stage, you may go back to drinking water 8 glasses a day, just to keep your joints hydrated and the body functioning correctly.
#2 Move a lot
After your adjustment, you may notice that your mobility has improved. Your shoulder and arms can now reach a better height, or you may finally be able to stretch your neck or back more freely. This is all thanks to your body now adjusting to the correct alignment.
However, this is just the transitional phase and if you are not careful, your body can still relapse to its previous terrible position. This is highly possible if you stay inactive and let yourself be stuck again in an awkward position for a prolonged time. So the best way to avoid this from happening is to do the opposite— stay active! By all means, do anything you can do to keep up your progress. Stretch your back, neck, and shoulder muscles daily so you keep the same level of mobility.
Also, it’s important to maintain proper posture in every move you make. You want to make your body learn how to be in the correct position. To do that, you need to be aware of any awkward positions (like slouching) and do your best to avoid prolonged sitting because it causes you to slouch over time. In case your job/ hobby encourages you to do that (like desk jobs, painting, etc.) it might be best to switch to a desk that converts to a standing position. This way, you can stay active and switch positions throughout the day.
Related Article: Best Exercise to stop rounded shoulders
#3 Don’t forget your exercises
After your adjustment, your chiropractor may also recommend specific exercises for you to follow. These exercises may be slightly unpleasant or appear to be not doing anything special, but trust us, they are something you should not skip. These exercises, if done correctly and regularly, can help you strengthen imbalanced muscles, speed up recovery, and minimize pain. You’ll miss a big part of your healing if you’re not completing your exercises.Â
#4 Get quality sleep
It’s a no-brainer that we have to get sleep every day, and not just after an adjustment. Our body heals itself while we sleep, and if you don’t get enough quality sleep, you’re hindering your own’s natural ability to heal. If you are currently having problems getting quality sleep, you probably need to change something about your sleeping environment. Sleeping on a mattress that is too soft or a pillow that is too thick can place your body in an uncomfortable posture. This is a big no-no, considering the body after an adjustment is just relearning to adjust to a proper alignment. To keep it that way, we suggest getting your body in a healthy alignment even when sleeping. Always opt for a firm mattress that will keep your spine straight, and a good pillow that will align your neck and spine. Talk to your chiropractor about what will work best for you.
Related Article: Are you getting Quality Sleep?
#5 Turn up for your next appointment
During your first visit, the chiropractor will create a care plan that is tailored to your body’s needs. This could be for the short term or the long term depending on the severity of the issue. No matter how long your plan is, we highly suggest that you stick to it until the end. There will be times that you will feel good after one adjustment and that might tempt you to skip your next appointment. But we’ll say this again— Don’t skip it. Nothing will hurt more than the adjustment that you skipped.
Maintaining your sessions will not only help you avoid re-injury but also helps ensure that your mobility and alignment remain in good working condition in the future. So, to reap the maximum benefits of chiropractic and keep your progress, please continue your visits and stick to your care plan.
Final Thoughts
Seeing us for a chiropractic session has a lot of advantages for your health. We will help you heal from injuries, regain mobility, and get rid of chronic pain. But the path to optimal health isn’t as simple as getting adjustments from us. You have a part to do as wellâ — to be proactive about your own health and be mindful of the things you do outside the chiropractic clinic. To get the most out of your care plan and to truly maximise the benefits, please use these guidelines in between appointments.
Give us a call at 09-4424310 today if you’re ready to book your appointment!