05 Apr Kinetic Chain Reactions and Chiropractic Care: Support for the Whole Body
The word kinetic is used to describe something that’s relating to or resulting from motion. Muscles and joints need to move; the heart needs aerobic exercise. Your spine, directed by your brain through the central nervous system, coordinates the complex movements of your muscles and joints with dazzling precision.
Chiropractors work with the science of the kinetic chain: the system of connected body parts that influence one another and enable healthy, pain-free movement. Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic provides holistic care that keeps all segments of your spine fine-tuned for good health throughout your whole body.
The Regions of the Spine Essential to Movement
The spine is composed of three major regions: the cervical (upper), thoracic (center), and lumbar (lower) spine. It’s made up of 24 small bones (vertebrae), along with cushioning discs, ligaments, tendons, and joints. The vertebrae have holes in the middle to form a tube that protects your spinal cord and nerve roots.
The network of nerves in each spinal region controls different parts of your body. At the top of your spine, cervical nerves direct movements in your arms and upper chest. Below, thoracic nerves handle the abdomen and chest. Lumbar spine nerves control the function of your legs, bladder, and bowel.
Since your body couldn’t move without the spinal cord’s communication system, it’s easy to see how vital it is to have a healthy, well-functioning spine.
Your Spine’s Kinetic Chain Reactions
Although the spine’s areas handle separate tasks, science has come to recognize that these parts of your spine are also closely interrelated.
Your spine is made up of non-moving parts that are given motion by joints. The parts comprise a whole spine that works together as a unit. When one part is moving, it starts a chain of events affecting other nearby segments of the spine and body. This effect is known as the kinetic chain.
An abnormality in one part of your spine may cause problematic symptoms in another area. In the same way, repairing a weakness in one area can improve function elsewhere.
Chiropractic Care: Holistic Treatment of System and Body
Chiropractors are spinal system specialists.
They diagnose and treat conditions arising in all parts of the spine. Your chiropractor may find that a problem in your lumbar region, for example, causes pain in your cervical spine.
Spinal adjustments properly align the spine. One benefit of these treatments is increased mobility so that all parts of your spine can move in the way they were intended, which promotes better health throughout the body.
Chiropractors and other musculoskeletal specialists may also provide kinetic chain exercises that help to heal and prevent injuries involved in these chain reactions. With their intimate knowledge of the spinal system, chiropractors are uniquely suited to provide this targeted care.
The expression that you’re only as strong as your weakest link is certainly true of your body’s kinetic chain!
Maintaining good spinal health with chiropractic care helps keep all your links strong.
Call Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic for Your Complimentary Consultation
Make your appointment at our Broken Arrow office by calling 918-940-4630 today.