Why go three times a week?

Many times, patients come to the office thinking that just one crack and they'll be good, and they don't need to return. While that's an interesting thought, that is just not how the body usually works. Even if you chose to take some level of medication, the prescription usually requires you to take it every 4 to 6 hours or so until the symptoms subside. Advertising bombards us with a belief that if we take a pill that holds the answer to long-term back pain relief, when in reality, you're going to need to take it more than just one time.

We know that we have to go to the gym more than three times a week to make progress and show a difference. That's a very important concept to understand when you're trying to deal with changes in muscles of the spine. You may see a small change by going to the gym only once a week, but won't you see faster results if you go more frequently? It is very unlikely if you go to the gym once a week to work out with weights or cardio that you're going to get significant results.  Your muscles have to be forced and pushed to see a dramatic change.

So how does three times a week work in a chiropractic office? This is the same concept to going to the gym- In order to make those spinal muscles change. When the vertebra moves out of its normal position, especially when it's been in an abnormal position for extended period time, the muscles adapted and changed to this misaligned position. Usually, the muscles on one side become shorter and tighter. The muscles on the other side become longer and weaker. When we first start to move the vertebrae in its original position, the short side keeps pulling it back to the same side because it's used to being that way. After a series of chiropractic adjustments, the muscles start to adapt to the correct position, and it doesn't pull it back out of alignment so easily. That's why you start out three times a week and why it's so important in the beginning of your chiropractic plan. As you stabilize, you don't need to come as frequently as you started out in the beginning of your treatment plan.

Your body will adapt to your new position. Whether you've decided to add posture exercises, daily stretching, or resistance weight training, the more accessory work that you do with your chiropractic plan the better you'll do and faster you will stabilize. Once your body has stabilized, monthly maintenance care is recommended to undo the daily wear and tear that you put on your body from long hours of sitting at the computer, high levels of stress, and bad posture. The reality is that many of our poor ergonomic activities are not going to change so it is important to do maintenance chiropractic care to keep your spine where it needs to be.

So why three times a week our office? We want you to get better and want your body to change and adapt in the proper position and last as long as possible. That's it. The key is just to follow the recommendations at the beginning of your care to create a solid foundation. Where your body is stable and be able handle the stress and strains of daily life.  Many feel that that's too much in the beginning and only come in when they're pain. These folks will not see the same kind of lasting results of a solid foundation of three times a week program. The biggest question is what kind of results do you want to get?  Thanks for reading, Dr. Joe