Manly Men Get Chiropractic Care & Do Yoga Too

When a 6’4” Montana cowboy type, manly man with a grey beard and work stained Carhartt’s says he picked me to be his chiropractor because I do yoga, a wide smile came across my face. Not to stereotype, but this isn’t the type of guy I expect to walk in and have an interest in yoga. Yet,  he has exactly the attitude I love to see in patients. More and more, new clients are coming in and they are saying the same thing. They have moved beyond thinking an adjustment will get them out of pain (which it can) to the place of understanding that a healthy practice of movement, body mechanics and preventive care is really the key to having wellness, less pain, less stiffness, no drugs and no surgery. Then he said, “I figured if you know yoga, you know the body and you are the kind of doc I want to help me get and stay aligned.” I didn’t, but I wanted to hug him.

I wanted to hug him because I believe in the power of chiropractic and I believe in the practice of yoga. Together, they provide a powerful combination of natural health care. Removing interference of the spinal nerves and correcting alignment combined with flexibility, strength, stability, healthy thinking, stress relief, and a mind/body/spirit connection is powerful medicine. It exists in the non-pill format and has very few side effects.

The combination of wellness care with yoga lets prevention, active living, fun be the goal rather than pain relief, rehab and the time and expense of healing or correction. Prevention can be at the core of treatment. 

Pain is something most of us have at some time, and for some, all of the time. It requires a different approach. It requires time, attention, care, and possibly a new way of treating our bodies. Pain happens for lots of reasons including injuries, after surgeries, repetitive overuse or lack of taking care. Therefore, healing requires the reverse which includes things like improving posture, building strength, improving ergonomics, slowing down, losing weight, getting a new bed, strengthening your core, reducing stress or taking care of other health conditions. If pain is the problem, a few quick adjustments may relieve the pain, but will it really correct the problem? I argue, “not likely.”

Not all of my clients get prescribed yoga but they all get stretches, exercises, posture advice, nutrition recommendations and yoga if they want it. I believe in stability, I believe in prevention and I believe in living as pain free as possible. I believe in feeling good, or at least better or better yet, well. 

I figure if an inflexible guy in Carhartt’s thinks I am the right doc for the job, then I am sending the right message to the community about what’s happening at The Bend. Chiropractic is certainly for everybody and yoga is too. Prevention and wellness are for all types, all bodies, all people. Thanks Mr. Manly Man for the BIG smile!