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Choosing To Live A Healthier Life


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Choosing To Live A Healthier Life

A few years ago, I realized that I needed to get healthy for my kids. I weighed around three hundred pounds, and it was really difficult for me to get around comfortably. I was even having problems with things like sleeping and driving, which is why I shifted my focus to a healthier lifestyle. I started eating right and exercising daily, and I quickly realized that my life was improving day after day. One day, after losing about a hundred pounds, I realized that I could run faster than I had ever been able to before. This blog is all about choosing to live a healthier life and doing it with style.

Getting a Feel for Your Body: 3 Types of Tests Commonly Performed by Chiropractors

Have you been feeling tense and stressed all over? A chiropractic adjustment or a spinal manipulation may be all that you need to regain balance in your body. Depending on where the pain is, different joints, muscles and tendons may actually be responsible for your grief. Your chiropractor will want to put you through a number of different tests in order to better diagnose the source of your problem. This article will look at three common tests that are usually conducted by chiropractors.

The Piriformis Test to Determine Whether Muscles in the Buttocks Are Strained

If you feel muscle pain near your buttocks, many chiropractors will want to perform a piriformis test first before performing a chiropractic adjustment. The piriformis test is designed to determine whether the piriformis muscle on the sciatic nerve is strained or stressed. It may also indicate that there are issues with hip rotation, and that you suffer from the piriformis syndrome. This may mean that you'll require additional chiropractic adjustments to relieve the pain experienced. It may also indicate that the problem is much more complicated and complex than waking up on the wrong side of the bed.

The piriformis test basically requires you lie down and flex while bending your knees and your hips. Based on the tension in the muscles and the discomfort experienced, your chiropractor can determine your hip joint mobility and the flexibility of your muscles in that region.

The Psoas Muscle Test to Check for Joint Imbalance Between the Vertebrae

If you feel that the joints in your vertebrae are too tight, a psoas muscle test will usually be performed. This test is basically used to assess the strength, flexibility and balance of the joints between your vertebrae. Pain or discomfort means that the muscles and joints in those regions are too tight. On top of a spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustment that is focused on those regions, your chiropractor will normally recommend that you practice several different stretching exercises regularly at home until you can complete the test with no pain or discomfort at all.

This test involves lying with your back on a surface and gently pushing or raising your legs to the core of your body. If your psoas muscles are too weak, it might simply mean that you spend too much time in your day sitting down. Your chiropractor might encourage you to be more active or to try certain exercises to strengthen specific muscles.  

The Yeoman's Test to Figure Out Whether Sacroiliac Joints Are Strained

Another common reason why many people visit a chiropractor is because they experience lower back pain. Did you know that 10% to 25% of patients who grumble about lower back pain have weak sacroiliac joints? This means that the chiropractic adjustments and services used to relieve lower back pain should be focused on strengthening and relaxing the sacroiliac joints. To determine whether your sacroiliac joints are actually the cause of your problem, your chiropractor will want to perform a yeoman's test.

Basically, you'll have to lie on your back while the chiropractor attempts to flex your legs and extend your thighs. The chiropractor will want to pay attention to determine whether you experience any pain in your buttocks or lower back.

Conclusion

Before being able to recommend a treatment for you, your chiropractor will likely need to conduct several tests to determine what the root of your problem may be. Strain and pressure on different joints and muscles may cause the symptoms that you are experiencing, and if the root of the problem cannot be found, you simply won't find the permanent relief that you've been looking for.

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