Whether you are an athlete or not, professional or otherwise, you must know of the many different injuries that one is prone to when playing sports. Depending on the amount of physical activity involved, and the type and intensity of the same, there is a tremendous amount of strain and wear and tear placed on muscles and joints in the body. If these issues are not addressed early on, it can lead to serious long term problems.
The purpose of sports chiropractic is to treat injuries, improve performance, and maintain optimal muscular skeletal health. These treatments and therapies can also be used on non-athletes, and have been proven to be very beneficial for all that use them. Sports chiropractors specialise in the assessment and treatment of common injuries and problems that affect the spine, muscles, tendons, and joints. These highly trained and skilled medical professionals create customised programs that encompass treatment, nutritional guidance, and physiotherapy or rehabilitation, as well as other related therapies that promote better spinal health and overall health.
Pain Management & Treatments
With injury or overuse of muscles and joints comes pain, soreness, discomfort, and the likes. In order to alleviate the symptoms of sports injuries and treat the patient properly, a thorough evaluation must be carried out to reach a final diagnosis. This is concluded upon results from a chiropractic examination which includes a physical assessment and, if needed, imaging scans that pinpoint any abnormalities that may be causing pain or discomfort.
When a diagnosis is made, the sports chiropractor will provide suitable treatment and therapies that may include one or more of the following:
- Chiropractic or spinal adjustments
- Physical therapy
- Light exercise or stretching techniques
- Dietary changes to promote faster recovery and stronger bones
- Massage and/or needle therapy
For an athlete that has sustained an injury, or is simply experiencing muscle soreness and restricted joint mobility, managing the pain in order to keep up their performance can be challenging. For this, sports chiropractors use treatments that target these issues and allow the muscles and tendon to loosen and heal on their own. Additionally, chiropractic adjustments combined with physiotherapy aid in alleviating stiffness and tension in various parts of the body, thus improving joint function.
In general, pain resulting from playing sports including muscle spasms, joint pain, and stiffness in the body, can be addressed by a sports chiropractor to successfully get rid of painful symptoms of a sports injury.
Common Injuries & Conditions Treated by Sports Chiropractors
Regardless of your level of strength, structure, or muscle tone, as an athlete, overusing muscles and joints will eventually take its toll if you aren’t doing anything to help the cause. For muscles, ensuring that they are able to recover and repair themselves between training and playing or competing in sports is important; similarly, joint mobility and flexibility must also be focused on in order to increase or maintain full range of motion.
An athlete’s performance will suffer tremendously if they do not take measures to manage pain and other symptoms that result from wear and tear of tissue, spinal discs, muscles, and joints. With sports chiropractic care, injuries and conditions acquired from the physical activity are not only successfully treated, but the recovery period can be accelerated to allow the individual to return to the sport sooner rather than later.
Here are some of the most common sports injuries/conditions that a chiropractor can treat:
- Rotator cuff tears
- Low back pain
- Torn ACLs
- Whiplash
- Hamstring strain
- Spondylolisthesis
- Neck pain
- Sports hernia
- Achilles tendonitis
- Quadriceps strain
- Shin splints
- Ankle strain
- MCL strain
While many doctors may recommend prescription drugs to manage pain and other symptoms, sports chiropractors only suggest modern medicine if truly required. The first and preferred course of treatment is chiropractic care and other non-invasive therapies that naturally alleviate pain and promote faster healing.
What are the Benefits of Sports Chiropractic Care
There are several ways in which an athlete can benefit from sports chiropractic. It helps improve performance by increasing strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, posture, and more. Of course, one of the biggest benefits of sports chiropractic care is restoring joints to their full range of motion through manipulation or mobilisation. Additionally, regular chiropractic adjustments can help prevent potential injuries or common conditions that come with playing sports or performing intense physical activities on a regular basis.
Other benefits of sport chiropractic care include:
- Safer alternative to invasive treatments such as surgery, injections, drugs, etc
- Promotes quicker recovery as the treatment helps your body to heal itself
- Corrects muscle imbalances and helps the muscles in the body to function better
- Reduces nerve strain which, in turn, alleviates pain and allows your body to relax more
- Improves the quality of your sleep
- Reduces pain in various parts of the body including the back, neck, shoulders, knees, legs, head, and feet
- Helps to reduce stress associated with pain or other symptoms of sports injuries
So, whether you have a sports injury or you would like to prevent the onset of potential injuries, sports chiropractic care is highly recommended for all athletes. Furthermore, it can help improve your performance and significantly increase your body’s ability to play for years to come. If you are looking for a reputed, licensed, and experienced sports chiropractor, consult with one of our medical professionals at MSK Therapy today!