It’s that time of year – the birds are singing, the trees are starting to bud. For many of us, it’s time to get winter’s grime shampooed out of the car, spring clean the house and the garage, and rake up the yard.
We understand that the things we own need regular maintenance if we want them to last and look good.
But what about yourself?
Sure, new years has come and gone with the usual resolutions made and broken to hit the gym and eat better. But that is only part of the equation to a healthy you.
Recently we met two new patients, a man and a woman both in their early 40s, who couldn’t get dressed without help.
The man was quite athletic. He regularly played sports and his job involved a lot of physical activity. He had recently done a lot of heavy lifting, but nothing that would be considered extreme.
The woman was also active, with a history of playing contact sports. But recent issues with her mobility had forced her to give that up. Lifting, sitting, or standing for long periods, had all become difficult due to sciatica and other back pain. This patient wanted to regain her mobility and return to an active lifestyle, but pain was getting in the way.
Your body needs regular maintenance, too
These two patient cases emphasize that even people who lead active lives are just as prone to issues with their spinal health as those who do not. Just like your teeth with regular visits to the dentist’s office, your spine needs regular maintenance. As with most things involving your health, it’s better to be pro-active than reactive.
We all must take responsibility for the good stewardship of our bodies.
The chronic pain and loss of mobility that some people suffer with are often symptoms of problems that have gradually grown more acute over weeks, months or even years. It has nothing to do with “getting older.” Just like a cavity that can be quite advanced before you feel pain or sensitivity in a tooth, or high blood pressure that can be raising your risk of premature death for years before it is noticed, issues with your spine from the wear and tear of normal life keep a low profile.
Not a natural part of aging
It’s all too easy to accept the gradual loss of mobility, the rise of chronic pain, the inability to enjoy the activities that we once did, as the normal consequences of aging. In a majority of cases, they are not. Instead, they just speak to the need for regular maintenance.
We have hundreds of success stories that attest to the fact that the right intervention may reduce or eliminate that back pain, restore lost mobility, and allow you or your loved one to again enjoy life to the fullest.
The wear and tear of life does take its toll, even at a young age. We have talked before about the neck problems that now afflict children as much as adults from too much time hunched over a mobile device. On the other hand, we have many documented cases from our own Kanata Chiropractic office that demonstrate how quickly they can bounce back from “text neck” with proper care. The same goes for our adult patients who suffer from the pain of other misalignments of the spine that compress, inflame, and otherwise irritate nerves.
Act now, or pay more later
Ignoring these issues, trying to mask the symptoms with pills, may lead to arthritic degeneration of the spine that is not reversible.
So as you get busy around the house and feel your back complain after a day of yard work, or find it more difficult than it was in the fall to squat down and change those winter tires, listen to what your body is telling you about its need for maintenance. The things you own can be replaced when they break or wear out. Your body can’t be.