Is Pain Your Obstacle to Fitness? Chiropractic Can Help

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- People may have a lot of excuses for not achieving their weight loss goals, but aches and pains shouldn't be one of them. This fall, doctors of chiropractic will highlight how they can help patients focus on getting past the roadblocks to fitness and better health during National Chiropractic Health Month this October. The theme for the 2010 observance is "Why Weight? Get Healthy!"

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More than 60 percent of adults in the United States are either overweight or obese, according to CDC statistics, and obesity is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and some types of cancer. However, many people are unaware that even modest weight loss, such as 5 to 10 percent of a person's total body weight, could improve blood pressure as well as blood cholesterol and blood sugars levels. That's only 10 to 20 pounds for a person who weighs 200 pounds.

Yet losing weight can be a struggle, and many people wonder where to begin. The answer for some may be in the office of a doctor of chiropractic (DC). "Diet pills and extreme diets do not offer long-term solutions," says Dr. Rick McMichael, president of the American Chiropractic Association. "Doctors of chiropractic, on the other hand, offer natural approaches (e.g. exercise, diet and hands-on care to keep you pain-free and active) that can help you achieve your weight-loss goals in the short term and also maintain your fitness level, thereby avoiding some chronic conditions down the line."  

Consultation with a DC is particularly important when you consider that the effects of obesity on the musculoskeletal system—osteoarthritis, back pain, neck pain and joint pain—often cause overweight people to avoid physical activity and exercise when they need it most.

"If you're carrying more weight than the load-bearing structures of your body—spine, legs, etc.—can handle, there's going to be pain, loss of movement and degeneration in the joints," adds Dr. James Powell, a member of the ACA's Wellness Committee. "Particularly if you're carrying most of your weight in your abdomen, the low back and the spine will need to work harder to hold you upright. This adds extra stress and tension on your muscles, which in turn creates stiffness."

In addition to expert structural care, DCs often counsel their patients on good nutrition and offer diet, exercise and lifestyle advice to assist them in achieving their fitness goals.

Visit www.acatoday.org/nchm and click "Patients" to access tips on healthy weight management, fitness and nutrition. To find a doctor of chiropractic near you, go to www.acatoday.org/findadoc.

Sponsored by ACA, National Chiropractic Health Month is a nationwide observance held each October. The event helps raise public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its natural, whole-person, patient-centered approach to health and wellness.  

The American Chiropractic Association, based in Arlington, Va., is the largest professional association in the United States representing doctors of chiropractic. ACA promotes the highest standards of ethics and patient care, contributing to the health and well-being of millions of chiropractic patients.

SOURCE American Chiropractic Association