Exercising on a Bad Foundation Increases Injury | Chiropractor Thousand Oaks

A house built on a poor foundation crumbles.  As a chiropractor Thousand Oaks, I see that this concept has implications for the health and performance of us all, whether a professional athlete or the average person walking to keep in shape.

Our foundation begins with our spine, a balanced structure providing a platform for our body to move.  This foundation is compromised when the spine’s natural shape is altered, whether from injury, trauma, or lifestyle.  When this occurs, the body will choose to adapt and compensate, choosing to function poorly, rather than to not function at all.  When compensating, the body may increase bone growth in areas that have to bare extra weight, tighten ligaments to decrease particular movements, and recruit substandard muscles designed for other purposes to pick up the extra burden.

Much of exercise injury is caused by performing on a bad foundation.  Pain may show up when starting a new routine, or late into training; a poor structural foundation will affect both the beginner and the experienced athlete.  It can show up in a variety of problems, including pain in the upper or lower back, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.  Repeated ankle sprains?  It’s unlikely chance accidents; try looking for postural faults and poor bio mechanics.

Strengthening your muscles, including your core muscles, is not necessarily the solution.  You may even be making the problem worse.  If you are not aware of your postural faults, it is likely that you are reinforcing the imbalances.  Corrective care chiropractors can provide a full structural evaluation, will find postural faults and their causes, and can make recommendations to correct them.