Subluxation is a relatively unknown term and condition. Yet, 84.6 percent of sport-related shoulder injuries within the American military academy are shoulder subluxations. This is, in contrast, to shoulder dislocations at 15.4%.
Subluxations can lead to dislocations but typically refer to partial damage and not a full dislocation of joints. Today we’ll explore exactly what subluxation is and what to do with it. You’ll be able to take away key points in how to identify subluxation in injuries for you and your loved ones.
What is Subluxation?
Subluxation defines abnormal positions of joints or the spine. These abnormalities are most often related to injuries. It can refer to partial dislocation of joints such as the shoulder, or simpler shifts in the spine.
No matter the cause of subluxation, the symptoms can have a profound effect on your life. Symptoms can include a reduction in movement range, inflammation, and pain.
Since subluxation also affects the overall structure of parts of your body, blood flow can be afflicted. This can cause headaches and a lack of ability to concentrate during the day.
When to Seek Professional Help
But do you actually need to seek expert help for this? Depending on the severity of the subluxation, it can be tempting to ignore your symptoms. No one wants to go to a doctor for a minor bruise or scrape.
However, left untreated, your subluxation can become worse. Are you an impact sports fan or player? When left untreated, your subluxation can grow more drastic or even into a dislocation. This is particularly true if you are likely to play impact sports.
Even without cause for impact concern, it is important to consult a professional about your pain. What happens if you do not receive treatment? Without treatment or exercises performed properly, your muscles affected by the subluxation could heal abnormally.
This can result in long-term weakness or a smaller range of motion within your muscles. While subluxation can be painful, it’s important to heal correctly which will often require treatment and exercise.
What Causes Subluxation?
Subluxation can occur as a direct result of impact during sports or physical activity. Subluxation can also occur after a stroke, which can cause muscle weakness and a reduction in joint movement.
In fact, up to 80 percent of stroke patients surveyed in 2017 suffered from shoulder subluxation after the stroke. Our bodies and nerves are highly interconnected. Weakness in one area can cause weakness elsewhere.
Surprisingly, subluxation can also be caused by stress and trauma. These have a direct effect on our bodies. If muscles become weak or contract to a large degree, subluxation can occur even without impact.
Thankfully, with careful exercise and potentially chiropractic help, your muscles can grow stronger and heal. These healing processes are easier to jumpstart when compared to full dislocations.
While dislocations may even require surgery or semi-invasive procedures, subluxation can be treated externally.
Treating Subluxation with Exercise
Subluxation typically relates to weak muscles and nerve systems. One way to treat subluxation is to conduct muscle-strengthening exercises. Shoulder flexors can help strengthen and ultimately fix weak subluxation points.
In fact, muscular endurance and strength training is also essential to prevent muscle deterioration.
One Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy program found that muscle deterioration was inevitable in subluxation of the distal radioulnar joint. This joint is located in the forearm.
While muscle deterioration was bound to occur as the joint was immobilized within casts, participating in muscular and strength training greatly reduced this deterioration. This allowed for more muscle functions to be retained during the healing process.
Posture exercises can offer adjacent benefits to muscle exercises. While posture exercises may also strengthen muscles, they also serve to aid your spine in remaining in a correct position.
This can prevent subluxation and even protect against injuries in the future. If you work in a labor-intensive environment, these can be particularly helpful in ensuring you are using your body’s power correctly and not exposing yourself to more danger than is needed.
Physical therapy can also be an option to relieve pain and bring back full ranges of motion throughout your body. Often, exercises go hand-in-hand with physical therapy. Your doctor and physical therapist can often work together on a plan for these areas.
Chiropractor Services as a Direct Treatment for Subluxation
Finally, finding a professional chiropractor can be an even more direct way of treating subluxation. Chiropractors are licensed professionals that focus on the musculoskeletal system.
Chiropractors most often specialize in reducing neck and back pain by implementing small adjustments to your spine or other body areas. Doing so can be an even more direct and efficient way of reducing pain long-term.
Benefits of chiropractic services include an increased range of motion. Services can also decrease pain and inflammation. Chiropractor services are also beneficial in daily life, even when you are not injured.
This is because chiropractors focus on the ultimate flow within the body’s nervous system. Assuring your body is in peak condition and correctly optimized for posture will better your energy flow. This can also help your immune system.
Ultimately, seeing a chiropractor is a service you should consider for full-body health. Are you are particularly prone to neck and back pain? Your general doctor may refer a chiropractor to help you set up your body for health and success.
Finding Professional Chiropractor Help
Chiropractors are licensed to help you live your best life with correct bodily alignment. If you haven’t considered seeing a chiropractor in the past, this is your sign to do so and sign up for a healthier you.
What if you are injured? Are you struggling with subluxation? Or do you have specific neck or spinal pain now? We’ve collected 7 top factors to consider when a chiropractor may be able to address your pain.
Your first step will be to speak to your general doctor about any specific pain or problem areas. Let us guide you on the rest of your chiropractic journey on our blog today.
