Momentum is the term that deals with the physical property of matter in motion, or the impetus of a course of events. You will often hear the term used when you are watching team sports. It is truly one of the inexplicable aspects of sport, and one reason team sports enjoy so much popularity throughout the world: a team that has been losing for most of the game can suddenly become unstoppable in their pursuit of victory because they have gained momentum.

There is also a certain momentum to health. Most people build up a momentum as young people. If they are active, eat nutritious foods and are taken good care of by their parents during their formative years, they build a certain health momentum that can keep them going for years, even if they begin to neglect aspects of their health as they get older. But if they continue down this pathway, often, quite suddenly, it will become apparent that the momentum has swung in the opposite direction. Once the momentum of ill-health takes over, it can be difficult to reverse it, especially as we age.

In chiropractic, we define this downward momentum as ‘limitations of matter’. The body simply does not have enough resources to turn things around. There is too much permanent damage to the tissues of the body. This limitation emphasises the need for chiropractic care (among other health behaviours) on a regular basis in order to maintain your health momentum.

Chiropractic care, when received regularly throughout life, adds to the upward momentum when the momentum is heading in that direction. In a team sport, it is very much like bringing on your best player after 20 minutes when you’re already ahead. By bringing on your best player, you are much more likely to be able to sustain momentum and secure a win. Unfortunately, most people use chiropractic as a means of trying to change the downward momentum. This is like bringing on your best player with 20 minutes of the game to go, when you’re well behind. It may succeed. However, momentum is against it. Often it is simply a matter of too little, too late.

So if you’re already seeing a chiropractor, please continue to do so on a regular basis in order to build your health momentum. And if it’s been some time since you last saw a chiropractor, or if you have never been to a chiropractor, I would encourage you to do so sooner rather than later, in an attempt to reverse any downward health momentum.