Prevention is better than cure!

The human body is an incredible machine that will never cease to amaze us. It works tirelessly to maintain homeostasis, the balance of all body systems. In addition, it is endowed with an innate function called self-regulation, which allows it to self-heal itself by various means in a completely unconscious manner. It can either increase tension in one muscle, inhibit another, increase or decrease the range of motion of a joint, send inflammatory pain signals to protect a structure, etc. All these Examples are compensations that the body installs in order to allow us to go about our business without too much discomfort. However, it is important to listen to these signals because if we ignore them, they can be precursors to a possible injury.

Have you ever injured yourself while doing a small, innocuous action such as tying your shoes, lifting your grocery bags or even putting a dish in the top cabinet? Why would such a small, frequent action cause an injury this time? This gesture was in fact “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. This is what happens when we ignore the signals that our body has previously sent us. It was therefore not able to protect you adequately due to lack of overaccumulation. You can remedy this with a preventative approach.

In the West, we have a healing mentality when it comes to our health. We often consult a health professional following the appearance of symptoms; when it hurts too much, when we have endured too much, when we are no longer capable. The solution? Consult when things are going well! There is no need to have a problem. Comprehensive treatment to make sure everything is okay, that’s prevention.

Consult for prevention on a regular basis:

Reduces the risk of injury
Reduces recovery time following an injury
Helps control chronic pain problems
Allows the body to have the optimal capacity of all its structures
Have better physical and mental well-being

Osteopathy is the alternative medicine of choice for prevention and maintaining good health. She works on all structures of the body at the musculoskeletal, cranial, visceral and osteoarticular levels. The osteopath identifies and releases blockages in the body in order to allow all structures to be in harmony and to perform their functions well. This has the effect of relaunching the self-regulation system. The more regular you consult, the less compensation you will have and the easier it is for the osteopath to address the cause of the problem quickly. The frequency of appointments is specific to each individual and varies depending on several factors including your state of health, your level of physical activity, your types of activities/hobbies, your level of daily stress, etc. A minimum of two preventive consultations per year are recommended.

Tips for integrating prevention:

Fix appointments in advance according to the frequency recommended by your therapist (bimonthly, monthly, quarterly, seasonal, special events, etc.) to avoid forgetting in the hustle and bustle of everyday life
Consult as soon as small unusual symptoms appear
Play sports, move
Listen to your body

You maintain your vehicle on a regular basis for oil changes and inspections. Make this habit with your body! After all, this is what you will spend your whole life with, take care of it and think about prevention!

By Mélanie Sasseville, Graduate in Osteopathy and Massage Therapist