Just like stretching after a workout or flossing after you brush your teeth there are certain things you should do after your chiropractic adjustment to maximize the benefits of that adjustment and help your body integrate it. Just like there are things to do after an adjustment there are also certain things you should try and avoid.
In this article we will give you our advice on things to do and things to avoid after your chiropractic treatment in Bayswater.
What Is An Adjustment?
First it is important to understand what an adjustment is and what it aims to do. This will make it easier to understand why we recommended doing and avoiding certain things after an adjustment.
An adjustment is a technique used by Chiropractors to help improve motion of a joint and therefore overall function of that joint complex. It is a specific force placed through a joint in a specific direction that restores proper motion of that joint which has been found to not be moving well. Not only does it provide a physical input into that joint complex but it also has the added benefit of providing a neurological input that provides positive stimulus to the brain.
After an adjustment it is common to feel relaxed and like you have more movement. It is also normal to feel a bit tender or sore (we find this truer for your first 1 or 2 adjustments) – this is your body getting used to the new alignment.
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Best Things To Do After A Chiropractic Adjustment
Here are our 3 things we recommend everyone do after their adjustment
- Drink water
The number one thing I encourage people to do after an adjustment is to drink plenty of water. In my opinion not many people drink enough water daily and therefore many people are in some state of dehydration. Considering our body is made up of over 50% water this is going to have some effect on us.
Drinking plenty of water within the 24 hours of an adjustment is going to help hydrate the body but more importantly is going to help flush out any waste or toxins that were mobilized during an adjustment (this is a good thing!).
2. Move
We always recommend going for a short walk after an adjustment – around the car park or blocks is fine! Movement is the key to healthy joints and so moving our body straight after an adjustment is going to help the brain map those newly unrestricted joints and help lubricate them as well. Movement is also going to move the muscles and they too will get a feel of their new length post adjustment.
- Relax
A word we don’t hear too often in our busy modern day life. In all serious though taking some time to just relax and chill is really important post adjustment. That’s another reason why going for a short walk is beneficial .Walk around the block with no music or phone and get both some relaxation and movement into your body. This will help your brain focus on integrating the new movement as well as allowing it some time to just be.
3 Things To Avoid After A Chiropractic Adjustment
- Prolonged sitting
The worse thing you can do after a chiropractic adjustment is to go and sit in your car or chair for a long period of time. The adjustment has just put proper motion in your spinal joints and sitting is going to put them in a stationary position which isn’t the best thing for them. Plus, how many of you sit in a proper posture for a long period of time?
Prolonged sitting puts excessive pressure on your joints and soft tissue which can cause muscle tightness, joint stiffness and pain – the thing we have just tried to fix with your Chiropractic adjustment.
If you need to go back to work or sit in the car after your adjustment then frequent moving around is recommended. Get up out of your chair every 20-30 minutes or so go for a short walk and stretch and then get back into work.
- Strenuous movement/exercise
We get this question a lot – Can I workout after my adjustment? While the answer is yes you can it is best to avoid the more heavy and strenuous exercises until the next day. This is because it gives your body ample time to integrate the adjustment and allows the brain to really get an idea of the new movement. For my weekend athletes I really think getting adjusted on a Thursday or Friday is best for their performance.
Doing low impact exercises such as pilates, yoga and walking is perfect for after an adjustment.
- Intense stimulus
During an adjustment your brain receives positive neurological input that it has to sort and integrate – this is a good thing! It means though that the brain has done some hard work and the best thing, as we mentioned earlier, is to give it a little bit of time to relax and unwind. Therefore, it makes sense that going straight into some intense stimulus such as playing video games, watching TV or heading into a physics lecture may not be the best thing for your brain.
Try to give your brain and body a little bit of time before you make it do some hard work!
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So there you go! That is our 3 things to do and to avoid after your Chiropractic adjustment!
Please note that this is general advice and it is always recommended to go off your health practitioners specific advice!
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