Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Give Your Spine a Sporting Chance

To celebrate Chiropractic Awareness Week, the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) is offering spinal checks for all, plus free day pass to LA Fitness.

Over 6 million of us currently hold gym membership, and with the London Marathon just around the corner, an estimated 30,000 will be limbering up for the run of a lifetime. We, as a nation, recognise the importance of exercising to keep fit and healthy and whilst we might mean well, the British Chiropractic Association warns we can take exercise too far.

Whatever your preferred exercise regime - whether you like to work out in a gym; in front of the latest exercise video at home or prefer a sport to keep fit, you have to be careful to avoid actually harming your body and injuring yourself. Research commissioned by the British Chiropractic Association has revealed that 28% of men and 23% women who suffer from back pain, say it is triggered by exercise, sport or physical activities. And with a third of the population currently suffering from back pain, the problem is rife.

But don’t hang up your football boots or pack away your tracksuit just yet. To celebrate Chiropractic Awareness Week, the BCA has linked up with fitness experts LA Fitness. For one week, from the 18th April, BCA chiropractors across the land will be offering free spinal checks to members of the public, giving you a sporting chance to get your back checked. Plus everyone who has a spinal check during the awareness week will receive a free day pass to an LA Fitness gym.

Many of us experience pain through exercise, but carry on regardless - whilst the pain might fade the cause of the problem won’t. Tim Hutchful, BCA chiropractor, has pinpointed where we go wrong: “So many sport/exercise related injuries that we see are as a result of not warming up or warming down properly, both are of equal importance and your body needs a slow transition to and from exercise – don’t just jump straight into it.

“Sport is seen as a key way to get fit, but you need to be fit to play. If you use sport as your only exercise it can push your body too far. Sport needs to be interjected with cardiovascular and weight sessions for you to be able to see the maximum benefit.”

Ros Saunderson, Group Trainer at LA Fitness commented, “Physical activity has major health benefits and it’s important that exercise should form part of your daily lifestyle but only when it can be conducted in safe and controlled manner. At LA Fitness, we make sure everyone knows exactly how much exercise they need to do, what type of activities will help them reach their targets and how to do it safely.”

Chiropractic Awareness Week takes place w/c 18th April 2005, to find details of your nearest BCA chiropractor call 0118 950 5950 or visit www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk.

Tim Hutchful continues: “Our research has highlighted how many of us suffer pain as a direct result of exercise, and we as chiropractors want to help. Health and exercise go hand in hand, so we would encourage people to come along and see us for their own peace of mind.”

The BCA offers some advice on keeping fit but avoiding injury:
·Never take exercise without a warm up and cool down
·Take it easy - make sure you are fit enough to carry out the activity
·Drink plenty of water and isotonic drinks to avoid dehydration
·Match your footwear to the exercise – tennis shoes for tennis, running shoes for a run
·With an acute injury, use ice rather than heat
·Pain is a warning sign – do not ignore it

LA Fitness has trained staff available to create a work out programme specific to your needs and to ensure you don’t over do it. To find out where your local LA Fitness club is, call 0870 990 6998, or visit www.lafitness.co.uk.
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