By Brandi Schlossberg
From the hands and wrists to the feet and ankles, there are many regions of the body that a chiropractor can adjust to promote optimal function. For most folks, being on the chiropractor’s table may conjure images of having one’s neck and back adjusted, but it is important to remember to ask your chiropractic care provider about tending to your extremities if you feel your overall health may benefit from this approach.
Among the clients who may wish to book an appointment to have these smaller joints adjusted are those who are involved in a consistent fitness regimen, including those who play sports on a regular basis, either professionally or as more of a hobby. For example: If you are a very dedicated tennis player, you may find yourself dealing with pain or other problems in areas of your body such as the elbow, shoulder, wrist, hand, and fingers.
This is because intense and repetitive physical movements and challenges can place great strain on all the joints of the body, including those in the hands, wrists, ankles, and feet. In the language of chiropractors, the extremities also include other regions of the body besides the ones mentioned above.
When you are on the table and your chiropractor is seeking to restore function to parts of your body other than your spine, he or she is focusing on your extremities. These can include the jaw, shoulder, ribs, elbow, and even your fingers and toes. If you have symptoms or issues such as pain, fatigue, or weakness in any of these areas, be sure to inform your chiropractor.
Of course, these are only general symptoms that may come about as a result of fixations, misalignments, and other issues in the joints of your extremities. More specifically, symptoms may include stiffness or lack of movement in the extremity. Issues in these smaller bones of the body can even result in chronic back and neck problems.
When you find yourself on the chiropractor’s table for an issue associated with your extremities, your care provider will most likely be aiming to improve the function of the joints in your feet, ankles, hands, and wrists. This way, you should have increased range of motion in the extremities. Such chiropractic adjustments also aim to boost the all-around health of each joint, by helping to reduce wear and tear on the joint and also increase the amount of nourishment that can reach the joint through increased movement.
