Many people come into our clinic seeking help for various conditions. As chiropractors, we are here to restore proper nervous system communication, promoting your body movement and allowing your body to function without interference so its own self-healing mechanisms can work at their best. However, I want everyone to understand one vital thing: the healing journey is a two-way street. It requires a shared effort from both the chiropractor and the client to see the best results.
Other than “Can you help me?”, the most common question that I get is: “What should I do after my chiropractic session?” This is a great question, and let’s dive a little deeper into how you can support your body’s recovery once you leave the clinic.
Stay Active and Keep Moving
After a chiropractic session, my first piece of advice is always to be as active as possible. We want your body to adapt to the changes from the session and loosen up the restricted joints. I usually recommend low-impact movement, such as walking or moving around the house.
If you are looking for the best post-session activities, aqua exercises and swimming are the best. The water buoyancy can support the body weight, which takes the pressure off your spine while still allowing for a full range of movement.
A lot of our clients are high-intensity training enthusiasts, like weightlifting, Hyrox, or CrossFit. They often ask if they can jump straight back into their heavy routines. The answer is: it depends. It depends entirely on the severity of your condition. If you come in with an “agony state” with severe acute pain, rest is actually very important for the first two weeks. While I fully agree that “Movement is Key,” we must also allow the initial healing process to begin. Healing takes time, and sometimes it means giving your body a moment to breathe before we load it with heavy weights and high-impact exercises again.
The Power of Icing
My second piece of advice, especially for nerve-related conditions, is icing. When the nerve branches connected to the brainstem and spinal cord are interfering by the bulging disc, it can cause symptoms like radiating pain, numbness, or muscle weakness. Most commonly, it results in localized pain and significant tightness.
When a nerve is irritated, the surrounding tissues (muscles and ligaments) become tight and inflamed as a protective mechanism. This is why we highly recommend applying ice to the area. Ice helps to reduce that inflammation and calm the nervous system down. I highly recommend icing twice a day for 15 minutes at a time to help the area recover.
Carry On Your Daily Life with Simple Exercises
There is a common myth that after a chiropractic session, you should go straight home, lie in bed, and do nothing until you feel 100% better. This is actually not the case. Unless your job is extremely physically demanding or we have given you specific advice to rest, you should carry on with your daily life as usual.
In addition to your daily routine, I strongly recommend several simple exercises to correct the “bad lifestyle habits” we all pick up from sitting or slouching all day. Involve movements like the Cat-Camel, Pelvic Tilt, and Chin Tucks can make a difference in maintaining your alignment.
As mentioned before, movement is key, and movement helps in healing. There are, of course, exceptional cases where we will recommend a few days of light duty or staying home due to the nature of your work, but most of the time, the goal is to get you back to your routine.
Remember: The process of healing doesn’t only happen in the clinic; it happens in your daily life.
Do you have more questions about what you should or shouldn’t do? Or do you think we can help you get back on what you like to do? Feel free to book an initial consultation with us.
Hans Chew (MChiro)