Why Does Range of Motion Matter?
Range of motion is a key factor in maintaining “pain-free” mobility in your
life. As part of an experiment, motion between the vertebrae of the upper
back and neck in 139 women and 142 men was analyzed. The study found that,
“Reduced mobility explained 14% of neck/shoulder pain and 15% of weakness
in the hands” (Scandinavian J of Rehabilitative Med 1998; 30: 243-51).
Optimal range of motion (ROM) is critical for children as well as adults. In one study, investigators followed 131 pain-free adolescents for 3 years. Decreased ROM boosted the risk of low back pain, especially in girls. Specifically, girls who scored lowest on one low back ROM test were nearly 3 ½ times more likely to develop low back pain, compared to girls with the highest ROM scores (Am J Sports Med 1997; 25: 363-8).
Restricted joints are starved of the fluids and nutrients that keep joints healthy – putting them on a collision course with a plethora of agonizing conditions, such as chronic back or neck pain. What’s worse, long-term restricted ROM, due to injury or a sedentary lifestyle, magnifies the risk of osteoarthritis (J of Orthopedic & sports Physical Therapy 1998; 28: 203-15).
Teaching patients to preserve optimal ROM is a primary focus at a chiropractic office. Part of a comprehensive chiropractic exam includes a ROM analysis.
Constraints of ROM are associated with regions in the spine where motion between bones (vertebrae) is limited. These dysfunctional areas are known as vertebral subluxations. A doctor of chiropractic gently removes vertebral subluxations with safe and effective maneuvers called chiropractic adjustments. During your chiropractic exam, your doctor will compare ROM between the left and right side of your body . These tests ascertain the level of symmetry between the left and right ROM of specific joints. Severe asymmetries may trigger vertebral subluxations and joint disease.
Chiropractors use adjustments, as well as custom-tailored exercise recommendations to renew balance in ROM. And scientific research supports this practice. In one study, investigators measured neck ROM prior to adjustment and then again 30 minutes to 45 minutes following chiropractic adjustment. Adjustments to the side of the neck where motion was restricted produced a “dramatic reduction in asymmetry magnitudes” (J of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics 1989; 126: 419-27).
Now that you now the importance of ROM, take charge of your health by striving to achieve top-notch ROM. Don’t delay-put your family on the road to optimal health-schedule yourself and your family members for a ROM evaluation today.