When you experience spinal discomfort either caused by an acute sprain or chronic condition relief is what everyone is seeking. What is often overlooked in that process is how to support proper healing and how to prevent it from occurring again. When incorporating chiropractic adjustments into your care plan your chiropractic adjustments support the spinal structure which gives the body the optimal alignment for it to heal. But, beyond your adjustments what else can be done to support the healing and prevent a relapse? I have listed 4 things to implement below but before we get there, I want to possibly help further your understanding of what happens with a spinal sprain.

A great way to explain it is to compare it to a common sprain that either you have experienced personally or most know someone that has….an ankle sprain.  Not only can you physically see the damage in the ankle, but you experience the loss of function as well as the pain. In the spine, you generally do not visually see the damage from the sprain, but you do feel the pain and experience the loss of function or decreased mobility. Now the spine is made up of 26 bones and most of those are connected by joints. Like your ankle, these joints are surrounded by ligaments and soft tissue. And just like an ankle sprain when you sprain an area of your spine the integrity of the joint is also compromised. 

Now, a sprain located anywhere in the body takes time to heal. On average the healing time for sprains is 3 months. Remember when I am referring to healing, I am talking about those internal structures to regain integrity and strength and the repairing of the soft tissue not just the cessation of pain. When you have an ankle sprain you may recall that the pain decreases, and the visual signs of the inflammation seem to clear around 14 days post-injury but internally the soft tissue and the ligaments are still weak. That is why re-injury of an ankle sprain occurs frequently. 

To prevent relapse and to allow the full healing cycle to occur with sprains in any area of the body you will want to give it a full 3 months of care, focus, and attention.  When receiving your chiropractic adjustments these adjustments are helping to restore alignment which is going to allow the body to heal.

Now let us explore some additional things you can do to prevent relapse from your spinal sprains.
  • Shift how you lift – For the first two months, it’s best to avoid any heavy lifting. Also, best when exercising to do bodyweight-based workouts and cardio. When you do need to lift something especially something you think is not heavy ensuring you do it with proper form by not bending over but bending the knees and lifting from the legs with a straight back. And no bending, lifting, and twisting. That combination puts your low back in a vulnerable position and therefore often causes re-injury.
  • Rest – Gallup News reported back in 2013 that the average amount of sleep an adult gets is 6.8 hours a night. But on average adults need 7-9 hours. When sleeping your body is working hard to recover, repair, and protect. Did you know that an adequate amount of sleep is necessary for healthy bone marrow as well? Sleep is essential for your body to function optimally and most of us are not getting nearly enough of it.
  • Hydrate –Staying hydrated helps to flush toxins, transport nutrients, and helps prevent muscle soreness and tension. A goal is 1 liter of water per 25kg of weight every day.
  • Adequate nutrition – Nutrients like protein, calcium, vitamin c, magnesium, and phosphorus are essential for your body to heal. Just as important is the lack of processed foods. Eating more whole foods will support your body to heal and prevent relapse. I know how hard it can be to have a balanced nutrient-dense meal, so I am a big fan of using whole food supplements in addition to healthy eating.

3 months to fully focus on healing.

Even when feeling better, know the body is still working internally to heal and repair the injury. Help your body out by focusing on your chiropractic care plan and incorporating your body mechanics (how you move and lift), hydration, nutrition, and rest. Taking care of your sprain from the start, adjusting your lifestyle as needed, and allowing your body to heal is the best thing you can do.

Written by Missy Garcia RN, BSN, CFMP