Improve Your Reaction Time With Chiropractic
By Chris Brown
Whether precariously balancing bags of groceries from your car or performing an athletic action, our reaction time determines our success with any physical feat. In certain arenas, such as sports, people constantly seek ways to gain an edge in reaction speed. And, according to a new study, chiropractic manipulation may be able to do just that.
How Is Your Reaction Time Determined?
Simply put, one's reaction time is the speed at which their body reacts to external forces. This includes any quick reaction or athletic movement, from catching a ball to walking up steps. Every reaction goes through the same three-step process: the body senses external stimuli and sends a message to the brain, the brain quickly processes the message and to determine the optimal movement, and then the brain sends those instructions back to the body to react. The speed at which this nervous system process takes place determines one's reaction time.
This is different from reflexes (such as a knee jerk reaction when the patellar tendon is hit), which do not require the brain's input and are ultimately involuntary movements. As chiropractic is known to optimize brain-body communication, it is no surprise that chiropractic manipulation could have beneficial effects upon one's reaction time.
Chiropractic's Effects Upon Reaction Time
A 2019 study of chiropractic's effects upon military personnel found that a single spinal manipulation created immediate improvements for a whole-body motor response task. In the study, active duty military were put through a series of reaction time tests pre and post treatment for two-weeks. Researchers found a statistically significant improvement for post-treatment tests in each session. However, testers didn't have any statistically measurable reaction speed improvements from session to session. It should be noted that the testing took place over only two weeks, so it's possible that long-term reaction time gains require a greater sample size of treatments. Even short-term reaction time boosts have a potential usage in athletic competition or situations requiring increased mind-body control. And, with chiropractic's long-term effects on reaction relatively unstudied, spinal manipulation may just improve your reaction speed as a whole.
If you want to bio-hack your body for improved reaction speed, stopping by The Joint Chiropractic may just be your answer. The Joint offers insurance-free rates that are designed to get you affordably adjusted and back to your busy day. Walk-ins are welcomed anytime during office hours, so drop on by today for a better, quicker you.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Knoxville, Tenn.