Inflammation and the response that follows is a naturally occurring process within the body. In fact, it is essential for our bodies to heal injuries. The inflammatory response increases blood flow and cells to the site of the injury – transporting new cells, bringing collagen to the area and removing damaged cells. For the athlete, it can cause the site of injury to feel painful, swollen and warm. It can also reduce the movement of the injured region.
However, inflammation in the body is not always seen as a positive, particularly when it becomes chronic. Chronic inflammation can start innocently, with the body trying to rid itself of something like infection (eg. the flu or covid), a persistent acute inflammation or other foreign threats. It becomes chronic when the problem can’t be cleared and the body keeps producing the inflammatory white blood cells. With some autoimmune disorders like ulcerative colitis or psoriasis, the body is confused and continually produces inflammation against its own healthy cells.
What we know is that obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, inactivity, poor diet, stress and reduced sleep promote chronic inflammation. In particular, the higher percentage of body fat a person has is strongly correlated with higher inflammatory markers that demonstrate chronic low-grade inflammation.
This means that you are in control of inflammation and can even reverse it through committing to healthy lifestyle choices! Regular exercise can be a simple step towards losing weight, building muscle, reducing stress and subsequently reducing inflammation in the body, and we have so many beautiful walks on the Central Coast to get you started.
It also means that, for example, your low back pain or arthritis can be positively affected by exercise. As well as providing the education on how to improve your lifestyle choices, your Physio Connex practitioner will guide you in safe strength training, flexibility gains and joint position sense to help treat your chronic pain.
Contact us today to talk about how we can assist!
