Correcting Muscle Imbalance

Muscle Imbalance - Poor Posture
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Correcting Muscle Imbalance

One of the most common problems we see in our chiropractic and physical therapy clients is how to correct muscle imbalance. Muscle imbalance can cause a whole host of problems with your body, and can cause you to feel poorly and stressed with increased tension in your body. When we meet a client with these issues, we recommend a strategic routine of physical therapy and chiropractic care.

What is Muscle Imbalance?

Muscle imbalance is a relatively common issue that we see with our clients. It is especially prevalent in our patients that are physically active in sports or other athletic pursuits, or our clients that are recovering from an injury. Imbalance is caused when one set of muscles is over worked or strengthened without focus on the opposing muscle group. The most common places that we see this are in the mobile joints of the body; the hips, the shoulders and the thoracic spine, but imbalance can occur anywhere in the body.

Why is Muscle Imbalance a Problem?

It may seem like this issue isn’t a big deal, but when it’s not cared for in a timely manner, it can cause other problems for your body. The biggest problem we see with muscle imbalance is poor posture. Clients spend so much time hunched in front of a computer that their shoulders become hunched and they notice tightness in their shoulders, upper back and chest. The other problem is that it can lead to serious injury. This is especially a concern for our clients that participate in strenuous athletic activities.

How to Correct Muscle Imbalance?

When we see a client that is suffering from problems caused by muscle imbalance, whether they are caused by a previous injury or over-use, we suggest a program of correction that incorporates a variety of techniques to improve muscle strength, to balance opposing muscles, release tension and improve posture.

Physical therapy is probably the most helpful place to start. Physical therapy will pin-point the problem areas and begin a routine of in-office and in-home treatments that are helpful to opening up muscles, and balancing strength. Both passive and active care techniques are helpful for improving muscle imbalance. We may recommend heat/cold therapy, myofascial release and trigger point therapy combined with strength training, flexibility training and ergonomic corrections.

Chiropractic is important to supporting the physical therapy necessary to correct imbalance. Chiropractic care will help move joints and soft tissue into correct alignment. This is especially important if you are suffering from poor posture from spending too much time in front of a computer. Your spine and neck can easily be pulled out of alignment, causing discomfort, headaches, and pain in the upper back and shoulders. Putting your spine and associated muscles in the right place, will help your physical therapy be more successful and help your body feel better, quicker.

For More Information on Chiropractic Care and Physical Therapy in Macomb County

You don’t have to be highly active to suffer from muscle imbalance. If your daily computer routine has you feeling a little slouched over, it may be time to consider a new routine to straighten things back up. Total Health Systems believes in a holistic approach to caring for these kinds of problems. If you need help feeling better and are looking for a whole body remedy, Total Health Systems can help. We have five convenient locations in Macomb County. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

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