You just got adjusted by the chiropractic, now what exercises should, and shouldn't you do? The answer to this depends on factors such as severity of the injury, acute vs, chronic and what the condition itself is. For example a herniated disc can have what is called a directional preference which is the movement that improves patients symptoms. For all intensive purposes, we will go over some ideal exercises to perform after a routine chiropractic visit to relieve stiffness in the neck, middle back and lower back. 

1 . Walking

Such a simple, yet effective exercise that even in almost all cases can be performed to some extent. Walking has a number of benefits that make it such a highly prescribed exercise. 

• Walking promotes full body movement
• Decreases inflammation via muscle activation and joint movement 
• Decreases pain  
• it can even improve your mood!

2. Cat Cows

Promotes full spine mobility by moving through controlled flexion and extension. If doing so causes an increase in symptoms, focus on the region you can perform the exercise without pain and slowly work in the area of pain. Example, having neck pain with exercise, start with just middle back and lower back and eventually work into adding in the neck as well. 

3. Press ups or Supine knees to chest

Which one you perform will depend on what movement improves or worsens symptoms. Or, if neither one worsens symptoms, doing both can be very beneficial as well to further promote spinal mobility. Good spinal mobility is a good sign of good spinal health.

Why we should focus on exercises following chiropractic care. 

The worst thing to do following your trip to the chiropractor is go home and be sedentary the rest of the day. Chiropractic adjustments are an amazing way to instill healthy movement into the body, where movement is lacking. Therefor, the mindset following chiropractic treatment should be to keep, or maintain the improved movement in the body. It is important to note that movement should only be performed in a range that is comfortable and not aggravating. Another good way to phrase this is to not move into pain with your exercises.