Old Spine Injuries Left You Feeling Stiff?
Old Spine Injuries Left You Feeling Stiff?
Have you ever hurt your back, only to brush it off and carry on with daily life? Perhaps the pain faded, but now you’re left feeling stiff, less flexible, and not quite as mobile as before. Ignoring spinal injuries can lead to long-term adaptations in the body—restricted joint movement, tight muscles, and even compensatory postural changes. The good news? Chiropractic care may help restore your movement and ease stiffness.
How Injuries Lead to Stiffness
When the spine is injured—whether from a fall, a sports mishap, or even poor posture—your body instinctively reacts to protect itself. Muscles tighten around the injured area, limiting movement to prevent further damage. Over time, this restricted movement can cause stiffness and reduced joint mobility.
A key factor in post-injury stiffness is the loss of elasticity in both muscles and connective tissues, particularly fascia and tendons. Elasticity refers to the ability of soft tissues to return to their original length after being stretched. When muscles and fascia become fibrotic due to prolonged immobility or compensatory tension, they lose this ability, leading to restricted movement and discomfort. Reduced elasticity in ligaments can also contribute to joint stiffness, as these structures play a crucial role in maintaining normal joint mechanics.
If left unaddressed, these compensatory changes become the new normal. You may find yourself struggling with everyday movements, such as turning your head fully while driving, bending to pick something up, or even maintaining good posture.
How Chiropractic Care May Help
Chiropractors assess not only the site of your original injury but also the adaptations your body has made in response. Through a combination of techniques, they aim to restore mobility, reduce stiffness, and improve overall function.
1. Spinal Mobilisation and Adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments involve precise, controlled movements that help to restore joint mobility. These adjustments may help ease restrictions in the spine, improving range of motion and reducing tension in surrounding muscles. Mobilisation techniques, which involve slower and more gradual movements, can also be used to encourage flexibility in stiff joints. By improving joint mechanics, these techniques may help reduce compensatory tension in surrounding muscles and ligaments, indirectly aiding in the restoration of tissue elasticity over time.
2. Soft Tissue Release
When the muscles around your spine become tight and inflexible, they can contribute to ongoing discomfort. Soft tissue techniques, such as myofascial release or trigger point therapy, aim to ease muscle tension, increase blood flow, and enhance tissue elasticity. These methods work by breaking down adhesions and promoting collagen remodelling, helping to restore the natural stretch and recoil properties of muscles and fascia. Enhanced blood flow also delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues, supporting their recovery and improving overall elasticity.
3. Exercise Prescription
Regaining lost mobility isn’t just about hands-on treatment—active rehabilitation plays a crucial role. Chiropractors can prescribe targeted exercises to improve flexibility, strengthen supporting muscles, and prevent future stiffness. Dynamic stretching and eccentric loading exercises, in particular, help to retrain muscles and tendons to regain their elasticity, improving functional movement and reducing stiffness over time. These exercises stimulate neuromuscular function, reinforcing the body’s ability to maintain proper movement patterns and reducing the risk of further compensatory stiffness.
Why Act Now?
If you’ve been living with stiffness after a spinal injury, don’t assume it’s just part of ageing or something you have to accept. Addressing these issues sooner rather than later may prevent further compensatory patterns and improve your overall well-being.
A tailored chiropractic treatment plan could help restore your range of motion, ease discomfort, and get you back to moving freely. Call (02) 9523 9940 to book an appointment with one of our chiropractors at Bayside Chiropractic today. We look forward to seeing you in the clinic soon.
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Information provided here (including text, graphics, images, outbound links, and other material) is for informational purposes only. It is general in nature and is not to be used or considered as a substitute for personalised professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified allied health provider regarding any symptoms, medical conditions, or treatments and before undertaking any new health care regimen.
