Chiropractic Treatment and Weight Loss
It’s not unusual for people to associate total chiropractic care with treatment of back pain, but a chiropractor is more than just a back doctor. Chiropractic care is dedicated to helping patients achieve total wellness. At Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness, we certainly provide accident injury and pain management services, but we also give lifestyle advice. Another area we actively discuss with our patients is nutrition. While your first thought when you’re looking to lose weight might not be to contact a chiropractor, there’s a lot of good reasons why you should. So we’d like to share with you some information on how chiropractic care can help in weight loss efforts.
Chiropractic Care Promotes Wellness for Our Patients
Dr. Marcia Krueger, a Minnesota-based chiropractor, actually specializes in helping her patients lose weight. In an article that appears on the Obesity Action Coalition, she explains some of the ways chiropractic care can help those who are overweight.
“As chiropractors, we promote health, wellness, balance and active lifestyles,” she said. “We provide our patients with strategies to improve their postures and help make everyday life a little easier.”
One of the ways Dr. Krueger does this is by helping patients with weight issues ease the pain in their joints. “Weight-bearing joints in the body, including the hips, knees, ankles and the lower back, are sometimes stressed with weight gain,” she said. “Even a 10-pound weight loss or gain can have an impact on your balance and alignment. Chiropractic care can help you regain balance so that you can continue with your movement of choice, at whatever size, and have less pain throughout your weight-loss.”
Her care allowed a 50-year-old patient who weighs 380 pounds to lead a more active lifestyle. He was able to increase his time on a treadmill from 20 minutes to 45 minutes without the ankle pain that had previously plagued him.
Keeping Joints and Weight Bearing Part of Your Body Strong
The American Chiropractic Association(ACA) has also stressed the benefits of chiropractic care on weight loss. They point out that many people can see improvement with even a modest weight loss. For example, losing 5 to 10 percent of a person’s total body weight, which would only be 10 to 20 pounds for a patient who weighs 200 pounds, then the patient’s blood pressure will improve, as will their cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
“If you’re carrying more weight than the load-bearing structures of your body —spine, legs, etc. — can handle, there’s going to be pain, loss of movement and degeneration in the joints,” said Dr. James Powell, a member of ACA’s Wellness Committee. “Particularly if you’re carrying most of your weight in your abdomen, the low back and the spine will need to work harder to hold you upright. This adds extra stress and tension on your muscles, which in turn creates stiffness.”
Total Chiropractic Can Help You Lose Weight
At Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness, we’ll provide services that can help you lose weight. We’ll give you nutritional counseling and talk to you about vitamins and supplements. We’ll discuss exercise programs that are right for your weight and condition. We’ll also use chiropractic techniques that will help you keep your joints and load bearing parts of your body as pain-free as possible so you can get on the road to wellness. For more information, contact us today.
Please note that the author of this piece is not a doctor and the information in this material is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your doctor or medical professional for specific information regarding your individual situation.
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