Yoga: we love it for the calmness it brings us, the excellent stretch it provides, and the comfortable clothing we get to wear while we practice it. But one aspect of yoga that is often overlooked is the wonderful complement it provides to chiropractic care.While all forms of exercise can improve the health of the spine, below are five reasons why your chiropractic care can greatly benefit from the practice of yoga.
Five Reasons Why Yoga Can Benefit Your Chiropractic Care
Yoga poses move the spine in ways that offer relief from the rigid, slumped position the spine can spend hours in during the day while at a desk. By the end of a long day at work, there’s a reason why your back and neck are sore: spending time in the same seated, screen-facing position forces the spine into an unnatural position and stresses the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support the spine. In contrast, yoga poses offer inverse movements that stretch out those tight spots in the body.* Additionally, the poses increase blood flow, flushing out toxins that build up in the nervous system – which is, as we know, largely controlled by elements in the spine – over the course of the day.The flexibility that comes from practicing yoga allows for a fuller range of motion, which allows for a deeper – and more beneficial – adjustment. When the muscles around the spine are tight, the body is more resistant to receiving a chiropractic adjustment. Conversely, flexible, healthy muscles around the spine allow your chiropractor to provide a deeper adjustment, meaning that you reap even more benefits from being adjusted.The practice of yoga strengthens the whole body, providing resistance to spine-related injuries. Consistently practicing yoga not only strengthens your mind, it also strengthens your entire body, including the muscles in your back, neck, and core – all of which support and protect the spine. By strengthening these muscles, you are effectively creating insurance against injury to your spine. Plus, by building up muscles in the rest of your body by practicing yoga, you are less likely to experience a muscle weakness related injury, such as falling or lifting a heavy item.Breathwork increases oxygen in the body, in turn increasing the benefits of chiropractic care. No matter how many chiropractic adjustments you receive, if your body doesn’t have enough oxygen, it won’t be able to properly heal itself. The practice of yoga promotes deep, focused belly breathing, which can significantly increase the amount of oxygen in your body. Increased oxygen promotes faster healing, higher levels of energy, and stronger immunity – all of which make chiropractic adjustments that much more beneficial.Warming up your muscles with yoga before receiving chiropractic care will make it easier for your spine to receive a healing adjustment. When the body is warmed up from exercise, it’s easier to work with the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that surround the spine, meaning that you’re more likely to experience more beneficial movement around and in your spine during your adjustment.
Yoga Can Help Your Spine
On their own, both chiropractic care and the practice of yoga offer countless benefits for the whole body, but when used in conjunction with one another, there’s no limit to the increased health the spine can experience.*Disclaimer: not all yoga poses are right for everyone. Depending on the particular alignment of your spine, certain poses may not be safe for you. Learn more about which yoga poses are optimal for your body by visiting us for an initial exam. Call us at 303-440-0500 or visit us online to schedule an appointment.
