Dive in!

Exercise is key to keeping up the good things put in place by your doctor of chiropractic. But what if sore joints and chronic pain shut you down? Head for the swimming pool!

Swimming strengthens all the body’s major muscle groups, making it an ideal one-stop routine. But there is more at work here, particularly for those with limited mobility.

For them, it opens opportunities that they can’t use on dry land. And chiropractic care, with its quick recovery, further enhances the effectiveness of your workout. Your cardio gets a healthy boost, your immune system recharges and you’re burning calories at record speed.

And here are a few more things to consider:

• As with any exercise, begin with a few stretches. This can easily be done in the water by simply walking around the pool’s perimeter, stretching your arms and legs as you try different gaits. And if you feel like throwing in a few routines you’ve learned on land, such as lunges and shoulder rolls, go for it! Water makes it all very forgiving.

• By now, you’ve seen how water’s natural buoyancy takes pressure off your joints, allowing you to walk, run and dance when the mood strikes you. Make the most of it! If you swim laps, work hard at keeping your body aligned in the process. And if you feel more secure walking, jogging or doing jumping jacks – that’s right! – make sure you stand tall and again stay aligned.

• Bonus! Because water offers more resistance than air, your exercise delivers more with each step. That is why, when you are exercising in a pool, you need to drink water, listen to your body when enough is enough and cool down with another round of stretches. You may not feel as if you’ve worked up a sweat but your body recognizes the burn.

• Finally, all those muscles you are strengthening in your laps and water aerobics are complementing your chiropractic care. It is easier to keep an adjustment in place when your muscles are standing guard, around the clock.

And we haven’t even touched on the euphoria that follows a good workout! You are back in the swim of things, pun intended. Enjoy!