The British Medical Journal in November 2012 has published an article on how low muscular strength is associated with early death. Researchers in Sweden measured the muscular strength of over a million teenagers and then followed them for 24 years.
High muscle strength was associated with a 20-35% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease or any cause, including suicide. Stronger adolescents had a 20-30% lower risk of death from suicide and were 15-65% less likely to have any psychiatric diagnoses such as schizophrenia and mood disorders.
Our Chiropractor at Freedom Clinics, Rachael Thomson, isn’t surprised by this publication. ‘Measuring the strength of every patient has become very important for me since the consequences of weakness can be devastating and yet patient weakness can usually be treated and cured using a range of chiropractic and other interventions’.
Rachael Thomson is one of a growing number of chiropractors, osteopaths and physiotherapists who test muscle strength as an integral part of their diagnosis. ‘Muscles support and stabilize every joint so if a patient is constantly injuring their back, neck or ankle, it make sense to test whether the muscles around the joint are operating correctly, only then can you go on to treat the weakness and prescribe exercises appropriately’ she said. ‘I already knew that by making patients stronger I was able to reduce the pain and help improve mobility of the joints, the fact that making them stronger will help them live longer is an added bonus’.
Rachael Thomson practises at the Leeds Freedom Clinics, situated in the City Centre. Please contact 0113 380 0999 for a Free Consultation.
