Stretches & Exercises in Hillside

Healing Doesn’t Stop When You Leave Our Office

At Celar Chiropractic, Dr. Mike Kochanski and Dr. Dana Celar believe in empowering you to take an active role in your healing. That’s why stretching and exercises are built into every single visit—not as an expensive add-on, but as a core part of your care. Our hands-on approach includes therapeutic stretching performed by your doctor, followed by personalized exercise instruction to continue your progress at home.

With over 20 years of experience treating patients in Hillside and throughout the Chicago suburbs, we know that the patients who heal fastest are those who actively participate in their recovery.

We’ll teach you specific stretches and strengthening exercises tailored to your condition, whether you’re dealing with back pain, sciatica, neck issues, or headaches.

What’s Included in Your Visits

Hands-On Stretching by Your Doctor—Every Single Time

Unlike many practices where stretching is an optional extra, we include therapeutic stretching in every visit because we’ve seen how dramatically it accelerates healing. After your chiropractic adjustment, Dr. Mike or Dr. Dana will perform specific stretches targeting the areas that need it most. These aren’t quick, rushed stretches—we take the time to properly release tight muscles, improve flexibility, and help your body hold the adjustments better.

The stretching typically happens right after your adjustment, though sometimes we’ll stretch certain areas before you flip over to work on your other side. It all depends on what your body needs that day. Most patients spend about 10 minutes with the doctor during each visit, and stretching is a key part of that time. You’ll feel the difference immediately—many people tell us the combination of adjustment and stretching is what finally gave them the relief they’d been searching for.

Before you leave, we’ll demonstrate 2-3 exercises or stretches for you to continue at home. We keep it simple and practical because we know you’re busy. We’re not going to overwhelm you with 20 different exercises—just the most effective ones for your specific condition. We often provide handout sheets as reminders, and we’re working on adding video demonstrations to our website so you can reference the proper technique anytime on your phone or computer.
NEW PATIENTS

Man and woman stretching

Exercises for Common Conditions

Targeted Movements That Address Your Specific Pain

For Lower Back Pain: We focus on core strengthening exercises that support your spine without aggravating your pain. These include gentle bridges, modified planks, and pelvic tilts that build strength in the muscles that protect your back. You’ll also learn proper stretches for your hip flexors, hamstrings, and lower back muscles—areas that are often tight and contributing to your pain. We teach behavior modifications too, like how to bend properly, the best sleeping positions, and why ice is your friend during flare-ups.
For Sciatica: McKenzie exercises are particularly effective for sciatica because they help “centralize” the pain—moving it up and out of your leg and back toward your lower back, where it can be more effectively treated. We’ll teach you these specific movements along with stretches for your piriformis muscle and other areas that can compress the sciatic nerve. Many patients are amazed at how much relief they get from these simple exercises when done consistently.
For Neck Pain and Headaches: Posture exercises are crucial here. We’ll teach you stretches that counteract the forward head position so many people develop from desk work and device use. Chin tucks, shoulder blade squeezes, and gentle neck stretches become part of your daily routine. We’ll also show you how to set up your workspace ergonomically and recommend tools like contoured Tempurpedic pillows that support your neck properly while you sleep.
For Hip and Knee Pain: Stretching the hip flexors is essential for anyone with hip pain, especially if you sit most of the day. We’ll teach you effective hip stretches along with exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your hips and knees. For knee issues, we focus on maintaining flexibility in the surrounding muscles and often use kinesiotaping to provide support between visits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I do the exercises each day?

We typically recommend 5-10 minutes of stretching and exercises daily. Quality is more important than quantity. It’s better to do three stretches correctly once a day than to try a complicated 30-minute routine you’ll never stick with.

What if I forget how to do an exercise?

Just ask us at your next visit! We’re happy to demonstrate again. We also provide handout sheets as reminders, and we’re working on adding video demonstrations to our website for easy reference.

Should I exercise if I’m in pain?

It depends on the type and severity of pain. Generally, gentle stretching is helpful, but you should never push through sharp or severe pain. We’ll give you clear guidance on what’s safe and what to avoid based on your specific condition.

Do I need any special equipment?

Most exercises we teach require no equipment at all—just your body and a little floor space. Occasionally we might recommend simple items like a resistance band or foam roller, but these are optional and inexpensive.

What if the exercises aren’t helping?

Let us know right away! We can modify your program, try different approaches, or investigate whether something else is going on. The exercises should feel helpful, not aggravating.

Schedule Your Appointment

Let us show you how the right stretches and exercises can transform your recovery. Walk-ins welcome at Celar Chiropractic, or call to schedule your visit today.

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