Why you should pay a chiropractor to help you exercise (even though exercise seems simple)

You may not want to pay someone to exercise if you have chronic pain. Simply because everyone can exercise. It doesn’t sound enticing at all to pay for something that you can already self-learn. Everyone can go to the gym and lift some weights. In Singapore, we are spoilt for choices with ActiveSG gyms and even public fitness corners for a good calisthenic workout.

Living with chronic pain is expensive. There are physio appointments and massage that you regularly visit when you want relief. You may be seeing one of those five-minute chiropractic adjustments that require you to come back for life for maintenance manipulation. The last thing you want to hear is that you need to spend even more money on something that seems so basic.

Exercising alone doesn’t guarantee outcomes

Not all exercises are created equal. Heck, even not all movements are created equal. You can do the exact same exercises as another person (i.e., copy their training programme) but end up with different outcomes.

Why?

All of us move differently. All of us also have different bodies. The way we move and the way our bodies response to different exercises can completely change the outcomes we get from exercising.

I do agree that exercise is not difficult. The challenge, however, lies in being able to get the results you want. Exercise participation alone doesn’t always give you all the benefits that can come with regular exercise.

Take for example, weight loss. We know that exercise can help you lose weight. But that doesn’t mean everyone who exercises can achieve their ideal weight. Some people have metabolic issues, hormonal imbalances, or simply don’t understand the nuances of energy balance. This is why some people might exercise religiously for months and see little to no change in their progress!

The same principle applies to pain management. Yes, exercise is one of the most evidence-based treatments for chronic pain. But there’s a massive difference between doing some exercises and doing the right exercise for your specific condition.

Professional help can you save time and avoid mistakes

There are so many pain management exercise programmes you can buy off the internet. In fact, we are about to introduce our own version for people who would like to follow our methodology but without paying for the fees we charge. I get that cost is a very real problem when it comes to choosing a chiropractor or personal trainer.

The truth of the matter is having supervision from qualified and competent trainer or clinician can make the world of a difference. I’ve seen countless people diligently following some YouTube exercise routine for their chronic pain with zero results. If you are lucky, it may just be frustration from not making improvements. Others may find their symptoms worsening!

There are tonnes of paid and free resources available to help you get started with exercising for your low back pain, and neck aches and stiffness. I get the allure in being able to own self help own self. But isn’t that easy for most people with chronic pain.

Don’t forget, not all the content you see on the internet may be legit. Some may just be very professionally packaged junk science!

I too can do with professional exercise help

The truth is that exercise is not just exercise. For my specific context, I can definitely do with more help in my personal body transformation or physique goals. Sure, I know how to exercise and I do know how to help people build muscle. But if you are talking competitive bodybuilding, I certainly do not have enough expertise to get anyone there.

Even though I do exercise regularly, I do not have a Straits Times Hot Bod.

Why?

My intention when it comes to exercising is about keeping fit. It’s about getting the health benefits from exercising. Looking jacked or ripped is just simply not something I emphasise.

Don’t get me wrong. I would love to have a more aesthetic physique. But it is not important enough for me to put in more hard work to get there. If I do want to sign myself up for a bodybuilding competition, I would 100% need a coach.

Some aspects of lifestyle change may be easier than others

If exercise is not something you particularly enjoy or have experience with, it’s safe to say you may need additional help. I personally don’t particularly enjoy exercising but I will do it for the health benefits that are associated with it.

As the health benefits are my primary motivator, I am less inclined to push myself harder for aesthetic goals. Training for a certain physique takes time and willpower. It’s not just showing up for your workout but showing up often enough, and pushing every exercise to failure.

Interestingly, the diet and eating aspects of body transformation is not something I struggle with. Want me to eat 150g of protein per day? Right, I can do that. Not a problem. But the exercising requirements for me to look jacked is just a little too much for me to handle right now.

This highlights an important point about human psychology and behaviour change. We all have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to lifestyle modifications. Some people find it easy to stick to a strict diet but struggle with exercise consistency. Others, like myself, can nail the nutrition side but find it challenging to maintain the intensity required for aesthetic goals.

Not all goals are equally challenging

An ex-client shared with me today that job security is better for me because I have a niche skill set that not many people have. It’s not something that can be easily replicated or replaced by general fitness knowledge. I think he has a good point.

What he shared got me thinking about how I deliver chronic pain solution for my clients. Yes, you can Google “exercises for lower back pain” any day and there will be hundreds or thousands of resources available for you. The reality, however, is that chronic pain is rarely that straightforward.

What works for one person’s sciatica might aggravate another’s disc herniation. The exercises that helped your colleague’s frozen shoulder could make your rotator cuff tear worse.

The value in the work I do is to be able to create personalised solutions for your pain. Not only am I helping you with techniques of exercises that are best for you, I am also helping you to filter out information that is simply not applicable to your case.

I can help you decide when to do what exercises, when is a good time to start making progress and when is a good time to hold back. I can help you modify exercises when things aren’t going your well. Part of my job as a rehab chiropractor is exercise invention.

Pain is not damage

I think it’s a good time to remind all my new readers that pain is not damage, and damage is not pain. It’s a weird concept to wrap our heads around but once you appreciate that you can have pain without damage, and vice versa, recovery would start to look a more promising.

This add another tier to exercise selection for chronic pain recovery. It’s no longer a case of just strengthening what is weak or increasing flexibility or range of motion for what is tight.

Modern pain science tells us that chronic pain involves changes in the nervous system. Psychological factors like anxiety, fear, catastrophising, and even social elements like work stress and family dynamics can affect your pain experience.

You are right. A YouTube video might show you how to do a perfect dead bug exercise for back pain. But the YouTube video cannot assess you and integrate all the information there is about you to come up with an evidence-based, coherent, and personalised exercise programme.

When to invest in professional help from Square One Active Recovery

The right time to start your journey with Square One Active Recovery is always now. Starting earlier means better results. This is virtually true for all conditions and diseases. Early intervention gives the best results.

If you still have some reservations, here are some indicators that would suggest you should seek help:

• Chronicity: Your pain has been more than three months. It does go away but it always seem to come back. If your pain is always present and not going away, you definitely want to book in for an appointment with us too.
• Burden of disease: If your pain is affecting work performance or your relationships, you should also seriously consider seeking professional help. It is not normal to have pain that is not allowing you to live your daily life to the fullest.
• Confusion: If you’re feeling overwhelmed by conflicting information online, or if you’re unsure whether your symptoms are normal or concerning, a professional assessment can provide clarity and peace of mind.

Booking in for an appointment with me should not be considered a luxury. I get that my fees are not the cheapest but you wouldn’t want a chiropractor that sells himself on being cheap, would you? By choosing to seek professional help, you are investing in your long term health and quality of life.