6 Benefits of Walking That Every Chiropractic Patient Should Know

Walking in order to achieve better health is not new and the case keeps getting stronger. Doctors and fitness experts have been touting its benefits for decades. Walking engages more than 200 muscles including your pelvis and spine. This makes it an exceptional complement to chiropractic treatment. Do you need more convincing that walking is great for you, these six compelling reasons that chiropractic patients should walk are sure to win you over.

Help with Weight Management and Weight Loss

Carrying around excess weight can lead to back pain and impaired mobility. Fat around your middle, especially in the stomach area, throws your body off balance. This is due to the extra weight in front pulling your stomach forward, causing a change in your center of gravity and a swayback effect.

The pain in the lower back that is caused by this pressure can be excruciating. Over the long term, this can cause damage to your spine and cause the spine to function incorrectly. While girdles or slings may help, the permanent remedy is to lose the weight. Walking is an excellent, low impact exercise that helps you lose weight, stay active, and stay healthy.

Better Mobility and Flexibility

As we age we become less flexible and we don’t have the mobility of our youth. As you walk, your circulation increases which helps improve flexibility and mobility.

Add a little light stretching to the mix, along with regular chiropractic treatments and you will have a much better range of motion. Your posture will improve and you will reduce your chance of injury during physical activity. All this greatly enhances your spinal health making walking a great complement to chiropractic care.

Relief of Back Pain

Back pain is one of the top reasons that Americans miss work and the number one cause of disability worldwide. It is also expensive. Each year, Americans spend upwards of $50 billion trying to escape back pain.

Walking is recommended by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) to help ease back pain along with chiropractic. It is a very good, low impact exercise that helps you manage your weight and stay active. Walking helps relieve back pain, but it can also help prevent it. Even walking for just 30 minutes a day, 3 to 5 times a week is beneficial.

Spinal Disk Rehydration

There are small, fluid filled disks that between each vertebrae, that act as a shock absorber. As you move during the day, gravity and certain movements cause your spinal disks to compress, squeezing the water out of them. This can lead to back pain and mobility issues.

The increased circulation from walking and a process called diffusion helps to force water into this area and the disks absorb that water and are rehydrated. This allows them to continue doing what they are supposed to – act as shock absorbers for your spine. It also helps if you drink plenty of water and stay hydrated throughout the day.

Improved Circulation

Good circulation is essential to spinal health. When you walk it increases your circulation allowing your blood to carry vital nutrients to your spine, organs, and the rest of your body. The soft tissues are enriched and nourished as toxins are flushed out.

Another benefit of this increased circulation is a decrease in blood pressure. It brings your body into balance so your muscles, ligaments, and joints are nourished. This, in turn, helps to make your chiropractic treatments more productive and beneficial.

Improve Mental Performance

Walking, most physical activity actually, with the increased circulation, can improve your brain power. Studies have shown that exercise, walking in particular, can increase the speed and accuracy of your brain. This helps you improve your awareness as well as reduce brain fog.

Walking is beneficial for whole body wellness. It can help you reduce your risk of many serious health conditions including diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure. It is also great for giving you a mental health boost and make you less prone to osteoporosis. So commit to walking just 30 minutes a day, 3 to 5 days a week. You will be astounded at the difference it will make.