AMI Chiropractic Clinic Blog

Stretch Your Way to Better Health Bottom Line: Stretching each day is an integral part of improving your overall health. Even if you’re not an athlete, stretching provides important benefits for both your mind and body. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to stretch. Knowing the differences, and understanding the proper technique will help you stay more energized throughout the day and can also improve the flexibility of your joints. Why it Matters: The days of “static” stretching are long gone. Static stretching, or bouncing as you stretch, can cause injuries and pain. Health experts now recommend dynamic stretching, which can release muscle tension, increase energy levels, and improve the delivery of nutrients to your muscles. Dynamic stretching should be performed at least 2-3 days a week for a minimum of 10 minutes per session. Benefits of Stretching include: Improved Flexibility - stretching can enhance your flexibility by keeping...

YO UR BODY IS DESIGNED TO MOVE Bottom Line: Your body is built to move. Every spinal disc and joint is designed to help you sit, stand, run and well…move! Your discs are soft enough to flex as you bend forward and back. The spinal facet joints slide as your turn and twist, the ligament-connected spinal bones keep you supported as your muscles push and pull.Your body is an incredibly strong and resilient system! Why It Matters: New research has started to give us a glimpse at just how important movement is in our life. For example, movement of the spine has been shown to stimulate and accelerate the healing process. In fact, movement is so crucial in the healing process that even people who have spine surgery are encouraged to get up and to move as quickly as possible after surgery.         All the bones, muscles, ligaments and joints of your spine are specially designed to support movement.       Movement of the individual ...

Taking Control of Your Health: Slowing Down the Degenerative Process Bottom Line: We are all subjective to the law of breakdown - whichever way you look at it! Degenerative changesare inevitable but occur at different rates amongst us all; otherwise, we all would have the same problems at the same age! Unfortunately, it is a process we cannot revert but we can take control and slow it down. Why it Matters:   Just because all of us will experience degenerative disc disease as we age doesn’t mean that process is the same for everyone. Research has shown that by taking a pro-active approach with your spinal health, you may be able to slow down the degenerative process. Degenerative changes are part of the normal aging process due to the weight of gravity, injuries, and repetitive stress on your spine. Researchers have found a correlation between the amount of arthritis in the spine and the severity of degenerative changes. Stretching, exe...

Dynamic Stretching: A New Way to Feel Better Bottom Line: You’ve probably been told many times that you should stretch before and after a workout. Most people never do because static stretching is boring and takes so much extra time at the gym. However, there is a way to combine stretching with your workout. It’s called dynamic stretching, and not only is it more fun, but researchers have discovered it’s more effective at reducing injuries and increasing range of motion than static stretching alone. Why it Matters: Dynamic stretching doesn’t involve holding a specific position unlike static stretching. It’s about moving your body through ranges of motion that help you prepare for your workout. Dynamic stretching works by increasing your body temperature, blood flow, and circulation. This provides your muscles with more available oxygen and can help enhance your performance. A good warm-up that includes dynamic stretching has been shown to improve both power and a...