Exercise is usually a great compliment to chiropractic treatment. In fact, many chiropractors recommend regular exercise to their patients. It helps with pain management and speeds healing as well as give your mood a healthy, natural boost. Where does fitness trackers come in?

Fitness trackers are a popular workout tool that helps people set fitness goals, track their progress, and get healthier. How can they help chiropractic patients though? What can they offer that patients will get more out of their treatments? Find out what you need to know about chiropractic and fitness trackers.

It takes more than the tech to get you fit.

All the flashy, high tech bells and whistles in the world won’t roll you out of bed in the morning and place you on the treadmill. No fancy wristband will get you up and moving, getting exercise and getting fit. The tech is cool. It is fun and exciting, but it won’t get you fit. Only you can do that.

So if you are getting a fitness tracker with the belief that it is going to be some kind of fitness magic bullet, that just won’t happen. It is great as a fitness buddy, a tool, a nifty gadget that may help motivate you and help you achieve your fitness goals. In the end, though, you are the one driving that car. You are in control.

Is a fitness tracker for you?

There are so many fitness trackers on the market with an almost endless list of features. Finding the one that is right for you, or if you could even benefit from a fitness tracker takes a bit of research. Look for features that work for you and the activities you will be pursing.

For instance, if you enjoy water-based fitness activities you might want a waterproof model. There are also data limits, screen sizes (or no screen at all), heart rate tracking options, and whether you want a clip on tracker or one that straps on your wrist.

Before making your purchase, take some time to research all of the features that are available to you then decide what you like and what features would best help you meet your fitness goals.

How to get the most out of your fitness tracker.

Once you have your fitness tracker you will want to make a plan to ensure that you get the most out of it. Try these tips to make your fitness tracker work its best for you.

Identify clear cut goals. When you begin your fitness quest, the first thing you need to do is know where you want to go with it. It is a good idea to record your stats at the beginning and then update them every month or so. This will let you see how many more steps you are taking, how much weight you’ve lost, or whatever else you wish to accomplish.

Set attainable benchmarks. Benchmarks help you along as you work toward your goal. The key is setting them so that they are attainable but still present a bit of a challenge. If weight loss is your key, you might set benchmarks for every two months. For fitness goals, you may set benchmarks for a certain number of steps in a given time or a certain number of workouts each week. When you reach a benchmark, celebrate a little.

Wear it on your non-dominant wrist. The Journal, Medical and Science in Sports and Exercise published a study that revealed participants who wore fitness trackers on their wrists throughout the day found that they were more accurate when worn on the non-dominant wrist. The theory is that the non-dominant wrist moves less, giving a more accurate reading.

Calibrate your tracker to match your stride. Not everyone has the same stride. You may be very tall or very short; you might take longer strides or time steps. Whatever the case, you’ll get the most out of your fitness tracker by calibrating your stride. Most trackers will provide instructions for doing the calibration. It is well worth taking the time to complete it.

Incorporate other apps to boost your fitness efforts. Many fitness trackers will recommend other apps that can help you meet your goals and you can sync them to your tracker. However, you can also look for apps on your own that can help. There are so many different fitness apps out there from food tracking to apps that use your phone’s GPS to provide more accurate measurements on your runs, walks, or bike rides.

The more fit you are the better your chiropractic treatments will typically work. Fitness trackers can help you reach your goals and get the most out of your chiropractic care.

Visit www.ocwc.ca for more health information and fitness tips in our various blogs!