Yoga and chiropractic care are an excellent combination. Both seek to help your body from the inside out. This holistic approach encourages your body to function properly. Let’s take a look at why chiropractors recommend yoga.
What is yoga?
Yoga is a popular exercise that involves stretching, breathing, and focus. Practicing yoga is seen to help encourage blood flow, build strength, and warm up the muscles.
The word yoga comes from an ancient language of India, Sanskrit, and means “union” or “yoke.” The idea is that this exercise helps unify the mind, body, and soul.
Yoga practices include the following:
- Breathing techniques
- Posture
- Relaxation
- Meditation
- Stretching
This is the perfect combination of techniques to help relieve your mind and body of stress and help keep your core in alignment.
What are the benefits of yoga?
There are many benefits of including yoga exercises in your routine. Let’s look at some of the ways yoga can help your body.
Increases Flexibility
The slow movements and stretching involved in yoga help your body to become more flexible. This is important because it helps prevent injuries, improves your ability to perform daily activities, and helps your joints reach their full range of motion.
A great yoga pose for this is the Eye of the Needle pose.
Strengthens Muscles
Along with increasing your flexibility is the strengthening of your muscles through yoga. While you don’t use weights during a yoga session, you do use the weight of your body in certain poses. This helps to gently build more muscles and strengthen your body.
The Warrior pose is a great way to build strength even if you don’t consider yourself a particularly strong person.
However, if you are looking for more of a challenge, you can try the Plank pose. There are several different variations of this pose to help you reach your fitness goals.
Helps Prevent Injury
A strong body helps to prevent injuries from occurring. This means that when you participate in activities such as yoga or pilates, it helps your body become more agile and flexible. In the long run, this will help you have a lower chance of getting injuries during your daily activities.
If you are looking for a great yoga exercise to help improve your agility, try the Pigeon pose.
Relieves Stress
Are you looking to reduce stress in your life? Starting a yoga routine alongside regular chiropractic care will put your body on the path to lower stress. Long-term care of your body through these methods will help reduce the fight or flight response in your nervous system.
To help your body relax and relieve stress, try the Child’s pose.
Helps Back and Neck Pain
Finally, yoga can help relieve your back and neck pain. These are common reasons that people seek out the help of a chiropractor. When used alongside your chiropractic treatment, it will help reduce the pain you are experiencing. This happens when the body is strengthened and becomes more agile.
A great yoga pose for back pain is the Cat-Cow and for neck pain, try the Cow Face pose.
Can I replace my chiropractic care with yoga?
While yoga and chiropractic care make a dynamic duo, it is not recommended that you simply replace your chiropractic care with yoga. Your chiropractor makes a personalized plan to help support your nervous system and care for the joints and muscles of your body. While yoga is a great way to support your chiropractic care, it will be more beneficial when used alongside your regular chiropractic appointments.
If you seek a chiropractor to help you increase your flexibility, reduce your pain, and support your nervous system, reach out to Better Day Chiropractic today!
Contact Us
At Better Day Chiropractic, we’re dedicated to serving you throughout your pregnancy and postpartum recovery. We also offer sports, family, and pediatric chiropractic care. If you are located in Charlotte or the surrounding areas, reach out to us today.