Rehabilitation through movement

Your chiropractic treatment is a package of care that is designed to treat:-

• The immediate pain and dysfunction that you present with
• The root cause of your problem to make sure that it does not reoccur

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may be offered movements or exercises that are appropriate to you, designed to improve your symptoms and prevent them reoccurring.

This may include movements designed to increase your flexibility, strength and balance and coordination. However any movement is fundamentally designed to increase your CONTROL over your patterns of movement and therefore prevent further episodes of pain and discomfort.

In the initial stages of your treatment you may be given therapeutic movements that are extremely gentle and designed to be 'non threatening'. You may be shown ways of moving that avoids or decreases your pain.

As your symptoms improve you may be given exercises that are specifically designed to address issues of strength, flexibility and coordination. Your chiropractor will certainly discuss lifestyle and how you can ensure that this is promoting your health and not negatively impacting on it.

Regular physical activity of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking, can bring about major health benefits. Physical activity:

• Can help all of us to lead healthier and even happier lives, irrespective of age
• Is important for helping people to maintain weight loss
• Can help protect against osteoporosis, and have beneficial effects in those with osteoarthritis and low back pain
• Is associated with a reduced risk of depression and dementia later in life
• In childhood, has a range of benefits including healthy growth and development, maintenance of energy balance, psychological wellbeing and social interaction

Be Active, Be Healthy. Dept of Health 2009