Your Active Lifestyle

Bottom Line:

Maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle can provide you with a life rich in experiences and fulfillment. Whether you enjoy team sports, individual pursuits, or just like getting your 10,000 steps in every day, we’re here to support you. While not everyone is destined to be a pro athlete, staying active and living a high quality of life are goals we can all strive for. Even just a few small changes to your habits around your exercise routine, thought processes, and nutrition can pay big dividends on your overall health and wellness.

Why it Matters:

Medical researchers around the world agree on the health benefits of an active lifestyle, such as reducing your risk of heart disease, anxiety and diabetes - but it doesn’t stop there. Each year, new research is published that shows even more benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle by staying active, eating right, and keeping a positive mental attitude. We call this a balance of physical, chemical and emotional stress. As nice as it may seem, no one can reduce all the stress in their life, but by understanding this delicate balance, you can start taking practical steps towards having a great life experience.

-       A steady balance (or homeostasis), is when your body can function at its optimal level.

-       Excessive or chronic physical, chemical, or emotional stress can throw off this delicate balance.

-       Chiropractic care has been shown to reduce stress in the neuromusculoskeletal system by way of a muscle spindle stretch response.

Next Steps:

Information and education about how to live a healthy lifestyle are essential, but what counts is taking action. Just like learning how to do a push up won’t make you more fit, understanding how to be more healthy won’t make you more healthy until you start to create better health habits and work towards making healthier decisions each day. Need a little inspiration? Connect with our Facebook Page where we post health tips and motivating messages to keep you on track! 

Science Source:

The effects of a single session of spinal manipulation on strength and cortical drive in athletes. European journal of Applied Physiology. 2018

Changes in biochemical markers following spinal manipulation-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2017

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Performing Your Best

Bottom Line:

You don’t need to be a pro athlete to have a desire to perform your best, but the link between Chiropractic and performance was discovered by some of the most popular athletes in the world. The difference between winning and losing is often razor thin, and athletes are always on the lookout for anything that can help them perform their best. What used to be a “secret” of athletes like Babe Ruth over 60 years ago has now become the standard for nearly every professional sports team. Chiropractic care is a crucial part of the team, helping athletes stay in the game and perform their best.

Why it Matters:

Performing your best starts with feeling good. Simply put, you can’t perform your best in pain, and Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to help reduce discomfort. Over the past ten years, researchers have seen some exciting benefits of Chiropractic care, including the potential for improved strength and balance. Recent studies have started to examine how Chiropractic adjustments can positively impact the central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord). Researchers refer to these as changes in cortical drive and biochemical markers - we call it awesome!

-       Nearly every major professional sports team has a Chiropractor on staff to help the athletes achieve their best performance.

-       Strength (or cortical drive) has been shown to increase for a short time following a Chiropractic adjustment.

-       The chemistry of the brain, or biochemical markers (such as oxytocin and neurotensin) can change as a result of an adjustment.

Next Steps:

Part of performing at your best is having an excellent healthcare team behind you. With Chiropractic as part of your life, you’ve taken a significant first step, but sometimes finding great medical doctors can be tough. As you put together your all-star team, don’t hesitate to ask us if you’re looking for a referral. We’re proud to work with the best healthcare providers in the area and would love to direct you to someone who can help keep you performing your best.

Science Source:  The effects of a single session of spinal manipulation on strength and cortical drive in athletes. European journal of Applied Physiology. 2018

Changes in biochemical markers following spinal manipulation-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2017

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings and Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 10 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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Injury Prevention

Bottom Line:

Have you ever been excited to start a new exercise program, shed a few pounds, and get in shape? It’s incredible, until about 2-3 weeks in when you suffer an injury, take a few days off and then never quite get back on track. Does this story sound familiar? You’re not alone. It happens all the time. So let’s take a look at how you can get active, reach your goals, and avoid those pesky injuries during those first few weeks.

Why it Matters:

While it’s impossible to avoid every potential injury, a balance of spinal strength and flexibility can help dramatically reduce your likelihood of getting injured.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your body. Long term strength is built through repetition. While there is a time and place for loading with max weight, if you are just getting started in a workout routine, it’s usually best to start slow by using lighter weights and working towards increasing your repetitions. Flexibility is the second key to staying injury free. Whether you are stretching during long work hours at the computer, practicing yoga on the weekends, or using Chiropractic care to improve your spinal (and extremity) range of motion, it’s essential to view flexibility as a journey rather than a destination. Every day that you take a proactive step with your strength and flexibility, you are reducing the chance of an injury, making progress towards your goals, and living a healthier life.

-       Stretching can improve your flexibility and decrease your risk of injury.

-       Dynamic (or movement-based) warm-ups have been shown to potentially enhance performance.

-       Strength training can increase your resilience and prepare your body for activity.

Next Steps:

We understand that everyone has unique health goals. If you have a specific question about injury prevention based on the activities you love, ask! We believe that by taking a proactive approach with your health and wellness, you can have a more inspired and fulfilling life, and we’ll be here for you every step of the way.  

Science Source: Mayo Clinic: Stretching: Focus on Flexibility. 2017

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings and Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 10 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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The Intersection of Crossfit and Chiropractic

Bottom Line:

If you’re into Crossfit, then you know how addicting it can become. The mix of high-intensity interval training with a little competition can help you stay motivated and make amazing changes to your body. The key to success is staying consistent with your workouts, but it can be challenging if you start to suffer injuries.

Why it Matters:

Injuries can often occur when your body doesn’t have the correct balance of strength and flexibility. Muscles tears, sprain and strains, and even painful arthritic changes can flare up by either lifting too much weight or by not having enough flexibility to support that weight through a full range of motion. So, here a few tips to reduce the likelihood of injuries:

-       Take a few minutes to stretch before and after your workout.

-       Increase the weight you lift slowly and focus on reps vs. max weight.

-       Use good posture and ergonomics during your workouts. Don’t “cheat” and increase your risk of an injury

Next Steps:

Researchers have discovered that a combination of proper warm up/cool down, a full range of motion and progressive intensity training can help reduce injuries when strength training. One of the most effective ways to improve your spinal mobility and flexibility is through Chiropractic care. Adjustments to your spine and extremities have been shown to increase their range of motion and may help you find that perfect balance of strength and flexibility. 

Science Source: Short-term effect of spinal manipulation on pain perception, spinal mobility, and full height recovery in male subjects with degenerative disk disease: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2014

Progressive resistance strength training and the related injuries in older adults: the susceptibility of the shoulder. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 2014

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Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings and Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 10 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).

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