In my chiropractic practice, I am commonly asked by patients in pain if their condition is caused by “tight muscles.” My answer is: “yes and no.” You might say that “yes and no” isn’t a very good answer and I’d reply it’s the best I have for that question.
Pain can be caused by tight muscles, but we must ask: “Why are the muscles tight?” We can’t forget that the muscles are on the surface of our body. We also must remember that our spinal and pelvic bones and joints are deep and underneath the muscles. If the deep pelvic and spinal bones are in good alignment and moving properly then the surface muscles will be relaxed. However, if the spinal and pelvic bones are misaligned and irritating the joints and pinching nerves the muscles will get tight and go into spasm to protect us so that we don’t hurt the spine further. We dislike that spasm, but we must respect that our muscles are protecting us and keeping us from further injury. It is important to examine the deepest structures first. If we correct the spinal and pelvic misalignments with chiropractic care the muscles will then relax naturally.
This brings up another commonly asked question: “Should I get a massage?” My answer is that massages will help temporarily. I’m all for massages but they won’t fully correct the problem unless the spine is adjusted by a chiropractor.
Likewise, we want to utilize a physical therapist at the proper time. If there is a misalignment and physical therapy exercises are directed at a misaligned spine all we do is injure it further. So, we must do our chiropractic adjustments first, then exercise will be fantastic. Of course, the exercises you’ve learned here at our office are low risk and can and should be performed daily.
When we are having a musculo-skeletal problem of the spine, seeing the proper health care specialist in the correct time sequence will keep us from delaying healing and bring relief of pain sooner. I commonly like to refer patients to physical therapists and massage therapists after the patients have had the underlying spinal and pelvic joint conditions corrected with their chiropractic care.
Remember, chiropractic care helps restore balance and allows our bodies to heal and function well – naturally, without drugs or invasive surgery. It is important to check the deepest structures in our body first to address the underlying cause of the condition.
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Dr. James Schofield 