Eventually, any athlete that trains long enough or hard enough is bound to experience pain or injury. Those who prefer a drug-free and non-surgical approach to sports medicine are increasingly adding regular sports chiropractic care to their training programs to manage pain from a variety of common athletic injuries.
Sports-related injuries generally happen in one of two ways: Overuse or sudden trauma. Golf and tennis elbow, many back and shoulder injuries, and painful joint issues are overuse injuries — the result of repetitive motion over time. Acute injuries, on the other hand, happen all of a sudden through a fall, tackle, or especially quick movement at an odd angle or through constricted muscles or tissues, resulting in misalignment, strain, or other stress on the spine, joints, muscles, ligaments and/or nerves.
Certified sports chiropractors work to keep you balanced and aligned throughout your training so you can train more effectively and be ready to go on game or race day. They specialize in identifying postural imbalances and skeletal misalignments, as well as strength, balance and flexibility deficiencies, and then address them early utilizing a variety of non-invasive clinical interventions designed for injury prevention and faster recovery times than conventional methods. These can include:
- Hands-on adjustments to the spine and extremities to correct the damage done during workouts and to relieve associated pain.
- Myofascial massage to free up constricted fascia and allow for a greater range of motion.
- Dry needling, cupping, and acupuncture to relax affected muscles and release deep muscle tension allowing for more effective hands-on manipulation.
- Electrical stimulation to release surface tension of the muscle and aid in muscle recovery.
- A host of handheld devices designed to assist in targeted adjustments to the back and lower extremities, soft tissue manipulation, and other patient rehabs.
- Specific stretching exercises designed to increase strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the area surrounding the pain or injury.
- Chiropractic care for athletes is about more than diagnosing an injury and referring you to a physical therapist for cookie cutter rehab. It is a hands-on approach to total body alignment with any needed corrective therapy done in the office.
Studies show that using a sports chiropractor is not only better at reducing healing time for existing pain in athletes than other more traditional approaches, it is also a valuable tool for preventing injuries and boosting athletic performance. Yes, it can actually make you a better athlete! That’s because sports chiropractic care isn’t just for treating injured athletes, it is for achieving optimal total body functionality.
Like athletic training methods, sports medicine is constantly evolving. See why more professional and amateur athletes alike are relying on regular sports chiropractic care. Call Dynamic Sports Medicine for a consultation.