Why Ft Lauderdale chiropractic care can keep you in shape
You may feel mentally that you’re still a teenager, but physically, your spine is showing signs of aging. You don’t move as quickly as you once did; bending down is tougher, as is getting up from a seated position. Do you want to reach for something on a high shelf or lift a box but can’t do it, because the spine pain or stiffness prevents you? Worse, if you give it a try, the move could leave you laid up on the couch with a heating pad.
How much does chiropractic care help the aging spine? According to a study, Chiropractic Care for Seniors, published on superhealthy.com, 87 percent of those who seek out chiropractic care rate their health as good or excellent. Sixty-six percent of people who do not see a chiropractor have problems with arthritis, versus 44 percent for those who do.
Interestingly, the study also shows that 48 percent of people who did not receive chiropractic care needed nursing home care after three years, versus fewer than 5 percent for those who sought out a chiropractor.
So there is proof that continuing chiropractic care can help people as they age.
Senior Couple Bouncing On Trampoline In Garden
Specifically, visits to a Ft Lauderdale chiropractor can help with stiffness and increase an individual’s range of motion, a very important component of chiropractic care, since limited motion is often the single element that confines us to chairs, couches and bed. It is proven that increases in range of motion often occur immediately after a chiropractic session. Not only is range of motion restored, but back and neck pain can be treated easily as well, as most of the pain in the back, neck and head can be directly correlated to the soft tissue within the spine.
Most importantly, however, is the effectiveness of chiropractic in treating issues of balance and coordination, a chief health concern as we age. According to the National Institute on Aging (www.nihseniorhealth.gov) many people experience problems with their sense of balance as they age, including feeling dizzy or unsteady. In fact, the NIH states, “balance disorders are one reason older people fall. Falls and fall-related injuries, such as hip fracture, can have a serious impact on an older person’s life. If you fall, it could limit your activities or make it impossible to live independently. Many people often become more isolated after a fall.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that roughly more than one-third of adults ages 65 years and older fall each year. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths. Balance disorders are one reason older people fall. Falls and fall-related injuries, such as hip fracture, can have a serious impact on an older person’s life.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that “falls are responsible for 90% of the 850,000 bone fractures which occur annually among Americans past the age of 65.”
Consistent treatment by chiropractors reduce the risk of falls through:
- chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine to normalize cervical joint receptors which provide the brain with important balance and coordination information,
- development of personalized stretching and exercise programs to increase strength, flexibility, and mobility
- advice on diet and nutrition, which helps to increase energy and overall health, which can directly relate to other health issues
The above benefits also minimize other types of injuries as well as improve the outcome for injuries already sustained.
Studies by doctors confirm that receptors located in the joints of the upper cervical spine are responsible for providing the brain with information vital to balance and coordination. Injury to these receptors has a direct link to balance and coordination. Chiropractic care, by far, helps restore balance and coordination by stimulating the joint receptors in the cervical spine, which helps to restore normal functioning.
Regular chiropractic care also increases joint health. Just like other joints, the joints in the spine receive nutrition and also eliminate waste through joint movement. Without sufficient movement, the joints develop adhesions and scar tissue. A Ft. Lauderdale chiropractor will administer treatments that restore spinal joint health and motion, bringing nutrients back to the joint, minimizing degenerative issues that can lead to arthritis.
There are many reasons why chiropractic care can help an aging population regain a bit of their youth, by providing therapies and programs that restore vital function to joints and muscles. Why stay in pain? Wouldn’t you like to move freely, without soreness? It is increasingly important, as we age, to find ways to stay healthy and one of these should be a regimen that includes chiropractic visits. Your quality of life is at stake – and you deserve to be able to live a full life. Seek out a chiropractor for relief and let the healing hands do their magic.