At Our Chiro Brisbane we spend a lot of time talking to our patients about strength training, so we thought we’d share an overview with all of you…
Why do you need strength?
Strength is the amount of force that a muscle can exert against resistance. The stronger your muscles are, the less likely they are to give way under stress, to be torn, pulled or otherwise sustain injury.
Building up your strength also helps to increase flexibility and improve your ability to do day-to-day activities, as well as boost your metabolism and help you to burn calories.
How do chiropractors help with strength?
For many of our patients at Our Chiro Brisbane, building up the strength in their muscles helps them to recover from injury, improve function and/or increase mobility. So, our treatment often involves strength training exercises to help them do just that.
As well as treating existing injuries and issues, we also help our patients avoid injury, and strength training is a big part of that.
Studies have shown that, whilst strength training alone increases strength, combining strength training with chiropractic treatment increases strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and endurance.
What does strength training involve?
Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves repetitive exercises designed to apply resistance to your muscles. They commonly use weights, but not always.
What are the benefits of strength training?
Think that strength training is just for athletes and bodybuilders? Think again. There are a wide range of benefits for everyone, and strength training might even become more important as you get older and/or less active.
- Bone strength
You naturally start to lose bone density from the age of 35, putting you at risk of osteoporosis. Strength training helps to reduce that loss and could even increase bone density.
- Stability
Muscle strength keeps our bodies stable, which is important for activities like sport, but also vital for preventing falls as we get older.
- Reducing risk of diabetes
Your muscles take glucose out of the blood to store for energy, so increased muscle mass means improved blood sugar control, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Improved cognition
Strength training has even been found to help improve memory, reasoning and the ability to learn new things. There is also evidence that it can help prevent dementia.
If you are thinking of starting strength training, or are training at the moment (whether a beginner or at an elite level), at Our Chiro Brisbane we are here to help with the many facets of care needed for treatment of injuries, rehabilitation or advice on strength training. Give one of our friendly staff a call on 07 32570399 or book online at www.ourchiro.com.au.
References:
- The Joint. 2021. Weight Training and Chiropractic: More Gains, Less Pain [Online] Available from: https://www.thejoint.com/arizona/tucson/rillito-crossing-marketplace-48034/189994-weight-training-chiropractic-more-gains-less-pain
- ProChiro. 2019. Six Benefits of Strength Training for the Over 50s [Online] Available from: https://pro-chiro.co.uk/six-benefits-of-strength-training-chiropractor-in-epsom/
- Mayo Clinic. 2020. Weight training: Dos and don’ts of proper technique [Online] Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/weight-training/art-20045842
