Position your body for success

Position Your Body for Success
One important aspect to living a life of wellness is exactly that – living! We live and enjoy this life by being active, allowing our spine, nervous system, and joints to move for optimal functioning.

We can be active by playing a sport, working in the garden, working on a project, or even going on a hike.

Before you dive into your favorite activity, position your body for success and good health. Here’s how:

Remember to warm up.Whatever the sport or activity you love, sometimes it’s easier to just dive in without a proper warm-up. By not warming up the joints, the chances of straining a muscle or injuring a ligament increase, keeping you on the sidelines.

Warming up is simply starting out slowly. Get your body moving in whatever activity you enjoy, gradually building momentum. If your activity is walking, start slowly and gradually build up speed to your comfort level. Starting out slowly allows your muscles and joints to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to perform the activity.

By warming up, not only will your body be better prepared for physical activity, but you will also notice improved physical performance.

Utilize proper posture and movement. For example, if you’re planting flowers in the garden or working on a project in the garage, remember to lift objects with support from your legs rather than with your back alone. Keeping your back in an upright position while lifting with your legs will help the discs in your spine to stay active and healthy.

Rather than bending down and twisting your back while shoveling, keep your back straight, bend at the knees, lift the loaded shovel with your legs, and turn with your whole body. If you find yourself on your knees for an extended period of time, remember to take a break, get up and move to increase circulation to your leg muscles and knee joints. Studies have shown that active engagement in improving your posture and movement reduce lower back pain.

Together with chiropractic care, warming up with healthy joint movement and body posture will allow you to better enjoy your favorite activities while avoiding injury. You will be able to enjoy a healthier lifestyle, enabling you to further enrich the lives of those you love.