Many of you may have heard me say, “Go for a walk after an adjustment,” but it seems some of you have forgotten why this is so important. I often see patients leaving the office and jumping straight into their cars. So today, I’d like to remind you of the five main reasons why walking is crucial after your adjustments.
1. Integration of Adjustment
Why It Matters: Walking helps integrate the effects of the adjustment into your body. It allows your muscles and joints to adapt to the new alignment and movement patterns established during the chiropractic treatment.
What Happens if You Don’t Walk: If you just sit back in your car, it could immediately deactivate the postural muscles we just activated and pull your body back into bad posture. It’s similar to having McDonald’s right after going to the gym – it undermines the benefits of your effort.
2. Promotion of Healing
Why It Matters: Movement, such as walking, stimulates circulation and promotes healing. If your body is in pain and has inflammation, walking can help move that into circulation, providing pain relief. It also helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to the tissues, aiding in the repair process.
3. Prevention of Stiffness
Why It Matters: After an adjustment, some individuals may experience temporary stiffness or soreness. When your body is put into a new position, it’s not used to it and can tighten up and resist the change. Walking helps prevent this stiffness by keeping the joints and muscles active and mobile.
4. Enhanced Function
Why It Matters: Walking encourages proper biomechanics and functional movement patterns. It reinforces the positive changes made during the adjustment and supports overall spinal health. Standing up straight and tall after an adjustment helps the balance center of the brain (your cerebellum) learn these new movement patterns. The longer you maintain this position, the more lasting the adjustment will be.
5. Maintaining Alignment
Why It Matters: Regular movement, including walking, helps maintain the alignment achieved through chiropractic adjustments. It prevents the muscles from tightening up or weakening, which in turn helps keep the spine aligned. Walking activates core muscles, aids nutrition, and boosts mental health – all combining for a healthier you.
What Happens if You Don’t Walk: If you skip walking and go straight back into sedentary behavior, the responsibility of your spine not holding your adjustments falls back on you. Regular movement is key to maintaining the benefits of chiropractic care.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, the reason we ask you to go for a walk after an adjustment is to help you get better results. So, please take a stroll around the park behind our office for at least five minutes – ten minutes would be even better. Skipping this step can undermine your treatment and make it less effective.
It’s just one of the many things that I see people doing incorrectly, and all I want is for you to get the best out of your chiropractic care. In the long term, this will save you money because you’ll get better treatments and need fewer check-ups.
A Few More Tips
To further enhance your chiropractic care, consider laying down or stretching before your adjustments while you’re waiting for us. This will help us give you the best care possible by making your spine more mobile before treatment and ensuring better holding power after the treatment.