San Diego Chiropractor Advises: Don’t Let a Few Added Pounds Put Your Joints on Overload
February 28th, 2010 | by admin |As a San Diego Chiropractor, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you let the seams out in those slacks or skirt, there’s something important that you may want to know about those few extra pounds you may have gained. Over the years, those pounds can add up to a substantial number of health issues from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back problems and joint degeneration. Even a few additional pounds put harmful stress on organs, like the heart, and on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Over half (62%) of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant percentage and a sizable national health issue (no pun intended).
It is likely no surprise to you to learn that the human body was not intended to carry around excess weight in the form of body fat. Just an additional 20 or 30 pounds can veritably overload and encumber the joints and muscles of the body. Excess weight in the abdominal region, for instance, makes it necessary for the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. The tilt creates compression in the joints of the low back. Painful inflammation results as this joint compression restricts nerve activity. Nearly all people that are overweightfeel substantical pain in their low back as the result of an impingement of the sciatic nerve or misalignments of the spinal column that restrict nerves as a consequence of weight-bearing stresses. If ignored, misaligned vertebra not only persist in irritating the degenerative changes that have taken place already, but can develop into new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
How can chiropractic help? To begin with the obvious, a healthy body weight is essential in order for the musculoskeletal system to perform in the way it is meant to. Chiropractic treatment can not only relieve pain caused by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve impingements in the vertebral column and assist in getting motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, such as in the low back, hips, and knees. And, obviously exercise and physical activity are a lot easier, and more beneficial for the body, when the the joints have good mobility and the spine is aligned. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually delay degenerative changes as over the years.
It is always best to review your diet and exercise options with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor. In addition to helping individuals suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors can provide trained suggestions on the type of lifestyle corrections that can help an individual to stay healthier, more vital, and more active through the years. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that arthritis and immobility an inescapable part of the aging process. The human body was created for a lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been thinking that a few extra pounds won’t hurt, think again! As your chiropractor in San Diego, and someone who cares deeply about your overall health, I’d like to help you to make healthier choices. Make an appointment today!
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