Over my 35 years in chiropractic practice I have noted that people work hard! Whether it be a physical construction or factory job, working in healthcare as a nurse, hygienist, technician or health aide or sitting long hours at a desk, these activities can have a harmful effect on the body. Many people who work long hours who have musculoskeletal pain can be helped with chiropractic care. With a little foresight and prudence many painful musculoskeletal conditions can be avoided. Prevention is the key!

Just today, I happen to be speaking to a 74-year-old retired plumber who was not my patient. He told me he had already had back surgery, open-heart surgery, diabetes causing neuropathy of his feet and had a severely arthritic knee. He said he had worked from age 16 until the age of 60 when he retired. I asked him if he had ever gone to a chiropractor and he said he had not. It made me speculate how much better his health would’ve been had he been under chiropractic care from the time he started his vocation.

I have many patients who have worked for decades at extremely physical jobs and patients who also work for decades at sedentary jobs who have very few health problems. There are several key factors that they note have helped them maintain good health when others in their professions have declining health. These factors include getting adequate sleep, eating food to fuel their body, not feed their emotions, and getting regular chiropractic care. Many of these patients have come to me at least monthly for decades. They are not coming to me for pain or symptoms, they are coming to keep their spine in good alignment and moving properly. This helps keep their backs strong and be less susceptible to stress and injury.

Chiropractic care is certainly great at relieving neck, mid back and back pain. However, many people choose to utilize chiropractic care beyond the initial pain relief phase and go on to periodic maintenance care and perform simple stretching and strengthening exercises at home to sustain their good health. This is a lot like going to a dentist regularly to keep one’s teeth healthy or going for a yearly blood test to catch possible health problems in the early stages. It is wise for those who work long hours to have chiropractic care to minimize musculoskeletal pain that occurs over a lifetime of work.