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The Runner’s Guide to Managing IT Band Syndrome

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Admin

As a dedicated runner, you experience both the joys and the challenges of conquering mile after mile of trail or track. What you may not realize, however, is how much successful, pain-free running depends upon the proper alignment of your hip, knees, feet and ankles. Without this alignment, you may experience conditions like IT band syndrome. Extremely common among runners, it is also very treatable, as long as you have a sports medicine professional who can help you get your body working harmoniously again.

Understanding IT Band Syndrome

IT Band Syndrome, short for iliotibial band syndrome, is the inflammation of the band of connective tissue that runs from your hip to the outside of your knee. It is the cause of about 12 percent of running injuries. Manifesting as pain on the outside of the knee, this condition is usually caused by overuse of the knee during running or cycling.

If you suffer from this syndrome, you may experience sharp, stabbing pain on the outside of your knee. This pain may get worse when you run or cycle, particularly if you pursue these activities on uneven surfaces or on hills. Other symptoms could include the following:

Hip pain
Snaps, pops, or clicks on the outside of your knee
Warmth and/or redness on the outside of your knee

A qualified professional is the best way to confirm whether you have this condition, and any persistent pain outside your knee should never be ignored.

Causes of IT Band Syndrome

IT Band Syndrome is most often caused when the iliotibial band becomes too tight and rubs against the bones in the knee, causing inflammation. Considered an overuse injury, the tightness and inflammation of the band are often the result of improper running technique, improper footwear and other factors. Here are a few of the circumstances that can increase your risk of developing this condition:

Improper alignment of the hip, knee and foot while running
Excessive pronation of the foot
Difficulty rotating your hip
Training on tilted or downhill surfaces
Training in worn out shoes or improper footwear
Rapidly increasing training amount or intensity
Muscle strength imbalances
Lack of stretching before exercise
Warming up or cooling down too quickly
Lack of flexibility
Lack of muscle control
Genetic factors

While the causes are many, the good news is that IT Band Syndrome is very treatable with a sports medicine professional who can not only treat your pain but help you develop routines that prevent this condition from occurring again.

Strategies For Managing IT Band Syndrome

The first step in managing this condition is to rest from the activity that is causing it. For example, you may need to take a break from running in order to avoid aggravating the injury.

In addition to rest, you will probably require the assistance of a professional sports medicine provider who can not only offer treatment for your pain but also support to help you prevent the injury from reoccurring once you start your running up again. Here are some of the steps this professional can take to help you manage your condition:

Manual Therapy

Applied most often with foam rollers, manual therapy helps to stretch the IT band in order to relieve tension and painful rubbing against the bones of your knee.

Strengthening Exercises

If you suffer from muscle imbalances, hip weakness or other problems, your physical therapist or chiropractor may have you complete exercises intended to strengthen the muscles surrounding the IT band.

Stretching

In order to further reduce tension in the IT band, your provider may have you complete stretching exercises. These exercises help to lengthen and relax your IT band in order to prevent the rubbing that causes inflammation and pain.

Preventive Support

Once your IT Band Syndrome is improving, your sports medicine provider can work with you to prevent the syndrome from occurring again. There are many steps you can take to keep your IT band healthy and strong. Here are a few of them:

Wearing proper footwear
Changing your posture and gait
Pelvis, hip, knee and foot control
Proper warm up and cool down
Posture training
And more

You will also likely return to running gradually, in order to help your body gain the strength it requires to run without injury.

Managing IT Band Syndrome will require time and patience – And a healthcare partner dedicated to your recovery. At Dynamic Sports Medicine, we make the gold standard in sports medicine available to you. That’s the same kind of treatment that we have used on Olympic athletes! Let us help you address your pain and help you prevent it in the future. Contact us today to learn more!

7 Essential Stretches for Golfer’s Elbow Relief

Posted on August 18, 2023 by Admin

As its name suggests, golfer’s elbow is a common affliction among golf players. But you don’t have to hit the links to suffer from this inflammation of the tendons that connect your forearm to your elbow. Any repetitive clenching or throwing activity can leave you with pain radiating through your forearm, elbow, and even wrist. If you suffer from golfer’s elbow, the good news is that you don’t have to stop your favorite sport (At least for the long term). There are some stretches that you can do to relieve the pain. Here are 7 of them.

Wrist Flexor Stretch

The wrist flexor stretch is intended to ease tension in your wrist and arm. A simple exercise, it can be completed in just a few minutes a day. Here is how you can complete this exercise:

Stretch the sore arm in front of you.
Hold your hand out, palm facing away from you.
Take your other hand and grasp the affected hand firmly.
Gently pull the affected hand toward you until the wrist bends and you feel the stretch.
Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds
Repeat 2 to 4 times

You can complete this exercise by yourself, or you can enlist the help of a physical therapist or sports medicine practitioner, who will do the stretching of your wrist for you.

Wrist Flexor Stretch Reversed

Want to stretch and relax your wrist in both directions? You can reverse the wrist flexor stretch by doing the wrist extensor stretch. Here is how it works:

Stretch the sore arm in front of you.
Hold your hand out, fingers facing up.
Take your other hand and gently pull the fingers back.
Pull until the wrist bends backward and you feel a stretch.
Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds
Repeat 2-4 times.

These exercises will help the muscles that connect from the elbow to the wrist, and that become inflamed during golfer’s elbow, to become more flexible so you can move with less pain.

Wrist Extensor Stretch

The wrist extensor stretch may seem similar to the wrist flexor stretches discussed above. However, the mechanics involved actually help to work your wrist in different ways to ensure greater flexibility throughout the wrist – And relief of your golfer’s elbow symptoms. Here is how to complete it:

Stretch your affected arm in front of you.
Make a fist with your palm facing down.
Bend your wrist so your fist points at the floor.
Take your other hand and grasp your fist.
Gently bend your first further toward the floor.
Stop when you feel a stretch.
Hold for 15-30 seconds.
Repeat up to 4 times.

These three initial exercises may be completed together. They only take a few moments and help to deliver healing range of motion to your wrist through to your elbow so you can begin to experience a relief of symptoms.

Forearm Extensor Stretch

The forearm extensor stretch has a similar goal to the wrist flexor and extensor stretches: To deliver flexibility to the parts of the forearm affected by the inflamed tendons in the elbow. Here is how to complete this stretch at home in just a few minutes a day:

Bend your affected elbow at a 90-degree angle at your side.
Make a fist palm-down.
Bend your wrist down.
Keep your wrist bent while you straighten your elbow. Stop when your arm is hanging at your side.
Turn your palm to the side until you feel a stretch.
Hold for 15-30 seconds
Repeat 2-4 times.

Wrist Curls

Wrist curls work well as a preventive treatment for golfer’s elbow. Once you feel less pain, or if you want to avoid developing golfer’s elbow in the first place, you could try this exercise. It works by strengthening the forearm muscles, thereby preventing overuse injuries that lead to golfer’s elbow. Here is how you complete the wrist curl:

Place your forearm on a flat, firm surface, palm up.
Let your palm relax over the edge of the surface.
Place a 1-2 pound weight in your hand.
Raise and lower the weight without taking your forearm off the table.
Complete 8-12 repetitions.
You may repeat with your other arm.

Want to simplify this exercise? You do not have to use dumbbells. A can of food or a filled water bottle can also serve as a weight.

Soft Tissue Rolling

This exercise minimizes the amount of actual stretching you do to treat your golfer’s elbow, making it a good place to start if you are experiencing severe irritation and pain from this condition. Instead, it opts for very gentle stretching and stimulation of circulation around the inflamed tissues in order to encourage healing. Here is how it works:

Place a tennis ball on a flat surface.
Place your forearm, palm up or down, on top of the ball.
Roll your forearm along the ball.
Repeat 10-15 times.
You can focus on particularly sore areas.
Flex your wrists as you roll your forearm.

Resisted Supination

Probably the most complex of the 7 exercises listed here, this exercise still only requires an exercise band and a few minutes of your day. Here is how to complete this exercise:

Sit with your legs slightly spread apart.
Place your affected forearm on your leg.
Make sure your wrist and hand are in front of your knee.
Grab one end of the exercise band with your affected hand.
Step on the other end of the band.
Roll your palm outward, but keep your wrist straight.
Count 2.
Roll your palm back and count 5.
Repeat 8-12 times.

If golfer’s elbow stretches do not deliver the relief you require, you may need to consult with an experienced sports medicine practitioner. At Dynamic Sports Medicine, we make athlete-trusted care available to everyone, so you can overcome golfer’s elbow, and anything else that afflicts you. Let our Austin sports chiropractor help you get the healing you deserve!

The Ultimate Guide on How to Treat Tennis Elbow

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Admin

Not everyone plays tennis. But anyone can develop tennis elbow. It’s a condition with moderate to intense pain in and around the forearm that disables you from lifting objects. So, if you’re in a job that requires you to handle items or be a homemaker, tennis elbow would mean disability.

But thankfully, tennis elbow is easy to treat. You can relieve the pain and get back to work with a few simple at-home exercises. This is the ultimate guide to treating tennis elbow, where you will learn what causes it, how to identify it, how it’s diagnosed, and the treatment options available.

What is Tennis Elbow, and What Causes It?

Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis in medical terms, is a condition where you injure your tendons, thereby inducing pain. Tendons are tissues that connect muscles with bones. When the tendons are damaged, you’re likely to feel pain in the outer elbow when moving that section.

The primary cause of tennis below is repetitive movement, which strains the tendons. In a sport like tennis, the players will hit the ball with a racket again and again. At some point, the muscles get overworked, and there’s inflammation. This condition is called tendinitis. Besides that, the muscles are overloading, which creates a degenerative process called tendinosis. When there’s simultaneous tendinitis and tendinosis, tendons begin to tear, thus causing tennis elbow.

A sudden blow to the region can also cause tennis elbow. Here, the blow injures the tendons and creates inflammation.

Lastly, some people can develop tennis elbow out of nowhere. This is called idiopathic tennis elbow. The reasons behind what causes it remains unknown.

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow

So how do you know you have developed tennis elbow? The condition remains rare, with only 1-3% of the population suffering. Thus, there’s little to no knowledge among the general public, and they often wrongly confuse it with a golfer’s elbow, which is a related but different injury condition.

So how do you identify tennis elbow?

A sure-shot sign is if you’re performing repetitive action that stresses forearm joints and experience pain in the outer elbow. The pain can occur when you move the elbow on the affected forearm or touch that region. Most patients eventually feel pain in the upper arm and other parts of the hand. If you experience a gradual increase in pain, you should know it’s tennis elbow.

Patients with this condition also fail to get a strong grip and have less mobility and flexibility. Others report of experiencing intense pain during night hours.

All in all, here are the signs to look out for:

Pain in the elbow region due to repetitive motion
Painful to touch
Stiffness and swelling
Burning sensation
Weakened grip

In the idiopathic tennis elbow, the pain will start in the same region and eventually spread to the rest of the hand. As already said, it doesn’t require repetitive motion and can occur out of nowhere. Diagnosing idiopathic tennis elbow can be tricky, and it’s best to consult a physician.

How is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed?

If you spot the symptoms of tennis elbow, it’s better to get diagnosed by a physician. They will confirm the condition and suggest appropriate treatment. Once you walk into a physician’s office, they will probe your lifestyle and daily routine.

Here, they check if you have a history of repetitive motion of the region. Then, they will ask you to get X-ray scans to ensure it’s not arthritis or bone damage. Once these are ruled out, you’ll be asked to get an ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan done. These scans check for damage to the tendons and surrounding muscles. Lastly, the physician may ask for EMG or Electromyography test to check for compressed nerves.

Once all the checks are confirmed, he or she may diagnose you with tennis elbow.

Treatment of Tennis Elbow

Pain induced by tennis elbow will affect your everyday life. Therefore, it’s necessary to get treated as soon as possible.

If it’s in the early stages, the elbow pain will usually subside in a day or two. You don’t need to stress too much about it. However, in severe cases, full recovery may take up to 18 months. Also, you may be required to go for a nonsurgical treatment for quick recovery.

Here are the best treatment strategies available for tennis elbow. They are recommended from some of the top chiropractors specializing in tennis elbow in Austin, TX:

Proper Rest – Rest is the go-to treatment for most sufferers. In most cases, you must avoid repetitive motion and let the tendon tear heal. Depending on the injury, it may take a couple of days to a month to recover.
Braces – Wearing braces for a set period can help you heal faster. The aim is to prevent repetitive movement altogether. Braces will prevent that from happening, thereby aiding the healing process.
Massage therapy – Gentle massage can also cure tennis elbow. The area becomes sensitive to touch. Therefore, you need to massage in a certain way. You may or may not use oil for massage. What matters is the technique and location.
NSAIDs – NSAIDs stand for Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Certain drugs can help with tennis elbow. This includes ibuprofen and naproxen. Athletes usually take NSAIDs since they don’t contain steroids.
Steroids – Certain steroids are also available for tennis elbow. Injectable corticosteroids are commonly used to suppress joint pain temporarily. But it’s not a permanent solution and must be injected into the elbow area with acute precision.
PRP therapy – Plasmas are small cell fragments that speed up muscular damage healing. You can opt for platelet-rich plasmas to treat tennis elbow. A skilled practitioner will remove the blood and inject PRP into the injured area.
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy – The aim of shock therapy is to break up the scar tissue. This improves blood flow into the region, speeding up healing.
Tenotomy – Removal of degenerative tendon tissue from the tendon can cure underlying reasons for tennis elbow. This is a minimally invasive procedure and serves as an alternative to surgery.

Exercises to Treat Tennis Elbow at Home

Most tennis elbow patients treat themselves at home. Besides rest and braces, there are some exercises that help you heal faster.

These are:

Fist clench

Fist clench involves holding and pressing a towel in your fist, palms facing upwards, and the forearm resting on a table. This improves grip strength and builds stronger forearm muscles.

Dumbbell supination

The supination exercise works out the supinator muscle, the forearm muscle, which attaches to the elbow. This muscle is often involved in the repetitive motion that causes the tennis elbow. For this exercise, take a dumbbell in the affected hand, fixate the elbow on a table or your knees, and rotate the wrist. Keep the elbow and upper arm still while working out the lower arm.

Wrist extension

When you bend your wrists, you use a group of muscles called wrist extensors. In repetitive motions that lead to tennis elbow, the wrist extensors are often overused, so pain spreads to the rest of the hand. If that’s the case, perform a wrist extension exercise. Take a dumbbell in your hand, palm facing downwards and elbow resting on knees, and curl the wrist up and down.

If the pain continues, it’s crucial to seek expert advice immediately. Visit our home page to set up an appointment with a sports medicine chiropractor.

How to Manage and Prevent Achilles Tendinitis in Runners

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Admin

Achilles tendinitis is a common condition that can afflict anyone who engages in strenuous or repetitive activity. Runners in particular are prone to this type of ankle inflammation, thanks to the strain that the running motion puts on this ankle tendon over time. In order to prevent Achilles tendinitis, or to manage it when it occurs, every runner needs to follow certain best practices. Here is a look at how to maintain your health and your performance no matter how much you love to run.

Understanding Achilles Tendinitis

Achilles tendinitis is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon. This is a long and powerful tendon that connects the heel bone to the calf muscle. While one of the strongest and largest tendons in the human body, it is vulnerable to inflammation and injury when exposed to repetitive strain, such as that imposed by runners.

Athletes who suddenly increase the intensity or frequency of their workouts are most at risk of developing this form of tendinitis. Achilles tendinitis often begins with a stiffness in the ankle. Other symptoms that may appear include the following:

Heel and ankle pain
Leg weakness
Swelling
Pain that is often worse after vigorous activity or at the beginning of the day

Preventing Achilles Tendinitis

Developing Achilles tendinitis is not inevitable. Here is a look at some of the steps you can take to lower your chances of developing this condition.

Increase physical activity gradually

Often, the sudden increase in activity can trigger ankle inflammation by putting stress on the ankle before it has been prepared to handle that stress. In order to prevent inflammation and pain, consider increasing your running workouts gradually. Start small and increase the duration and intensity of the workout regiment over time. Doing so will slowly condition your ankle and tendons to handle the stress of more demanding exercise.

Wear adequate footwear

Not just any shoe has the ability to support your feet and ankles while you run. If you want to avoid Achilles tendinitis, invest in powerful, well-fitted athletic shoes designed for your feet. The right shoes will have the following qualities:

Solid arch support
Heel cushioning
Stability

You may even want to get custom orthotics from a qualified podiatrist. In addition, make sure to replace your worn-out shoes promptly. If you run on a regular basis, you will probably need to replace your shoes every 4 to 6 months.

Stretch to warm up

Stretching every day before you run is an important way to maintain the health and resilience of your Achilles tendon. The most effective stretches are those that exercise your calf muscles and Achilles tendon, allowing them to become longer and more flexible before you begin your run. Here are some ideas for warm up stretches that can help.

Toe stretches
Calf-plantar fascia stretch
Floor stretch
Stair stretch

By making stretching a regular part of your daily routine, you can stop problems before they slow you down. Prevention is the best way to reach your performance goals.

Pay attention to your body

Your body, if you let it, will alert you to the onset of Achilles tendinitis. If you begin to experience any signs of this condition, you should immediately take steps to manage it. For example, if you begin to experience pain or swelling or stiffness in the area of the tendon, you should stop your training routine and take steps to address the problem.

Managing Achilles Tendinitis

If you do develop Achilles tendinitis, you are not doomed to suffer, forced to permanently give up your favorite sport or forced to limit your physical performance. Here are some steps you can take to manage your condition and continue to stay running.

Engage in RICE

If you notice early signs of Achilles tendinitis, you can begin to treat it by following the RICE method. The acronym stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Temporarily step back from your regular running routine to use these methods to address your discomfort. If you catch it early, you may only need this approach to return to your sport.

Consult with a sports medicine specialist

If RICE does not help, or if you suffer from recurring tendinitis, you may want to consult with an expert in sports medicine, like the team here at Dynamic Sports Medicine. These experienced, athlete-trusted professionals can provide you with a thorough evaluation, customized care plan and preventive routines to help you both recover from and prevent a recurrence of, this condition.

Engage in chiropractic care

Chiropractic care is a proven and effective approach to managing Achilles tendinitis. Your care team can provide you with a variety of exercises and treatments designed to alleviate pain, strengthen and stretch your muscles and improve your ankles resiliency. Here are some techniques a chiropractor or sports medicine professional may use:

Stretching
Strengthening exercises
Active Release Technique to remove adhesions on the ankle tissues
Chiropractic adjustments to alleviate pain and stop nerve dysfunction
And more

If you want to keep running, preventing and managing Achilles tendinitis is a necessity. At Dynamic Sports Medicine, the same professionals who treat professional athletes are available to deliver state-of-the art treatment as well as advice and support about how to prevent this condition in the first place. Contact us today to schedule your appointment with the top sports medicine providers in Austin.

Top 5 Tips For Preventing Ankle Sprains in Youth Athletes

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Admin

The most common ankle injury is the ankle sprain, which affects up to 40 percent of all athletes. Caused when the ankle is forced into an unnatural position, thereby tearing or straining the ligaments of the joint, this injury can take youth out of the game for weeks while they heal. Preventing these injuries is a key step in helping youth athletes (and athletes of all ages) to stay in the game and perform at their best. Here are 5 ways to stop ankle injuries in athletes before they occur.

Warm up before every game

Whether your youth athlete is getting ready for a game or starting a practice, a robust warm up regimen is essential in preventing injury. The best exercises for warm ups are called dynamic exercises. These are warm ups that incorporate movement, ideally movement that the athlete will use during their practice or game.

Dynamic warm ups are good for the body in a number of ways. By safely integrating movement into an exercise routine before physical activity, the youth athlete can enjoy the following advantages:

Increased blood flow throughout the body
Improved flexibility
Improved nerve-impulse transmissions

When dynamic exercises are focused on the ankle, they can help to prevent ankle sprains by preparing the joint for the rapid movements necessary in the athlete’s chosen sport. With faster reflexes, more blood flow and better flexibility, their ankles are also better equipped to withstand falls, impacts, sharp movements and other risky occurrences on the field or the court.

Complete strengthening exercises regularly

The stronger an athlete is, the more resistant they are to injury, particularly injuries caused by sudden movements, falls, or forces (e.g. A tackle in football). As a result, exercises designed to strengthen the ankle joint and its surrounding muscles can protect young athletes from sprained ankles and other issues.

Ideally, athletes should complete this type of exercise 3-4 times a week. Here is a list of some of the most effective exercises to implement into a youth athlete’s regimen:

Single leg balance to train ankle nerves to work together
Standing heel raise to exercise the calf and ankle muscles
Heel-toe walks to strengthen the muscles surrounding the ankle joint
Ankle circles to improve mobility and range of motion in the joint

Wear proper footwear

Footwear is essential in maintaining good ankle and foot health throughout even the most rigorous practices and the most intense games. No matter what sport your youth athlete plays, their footwear should offer ankle support and non-slip soles. Since youth are not necessarily done growing, shoes should fit snugly while also providing some room for growth.

Ready to pick out shoes that fit properly and offer the type of support necessary to avoid ankle sprains? Try following these tips for a more successful process:

Purchase shoes from a store that specializes in athletic footwear.
Try on shoes when the feet are largest – After a workout or at the end of the day.
Have your athlete wear their athletic socks to try on shoes.
Walk and run in the shoes to determine how they will move during the sport.
Choose shoes that have heels with a strong grip.
Buy new shoes after about 300 hours of exercise.
Purchase shoes designed for your athlete’s sport.

Use proper technique while playing

The wrong technique can be as damaging to the ankle as not exercising. Adopting the right movements throughout practices and games can reduce the amount of stress placed on the ankle and therefore prevent injuries like ankle sprains.

Coaches and trainers have a responsibility to clearly communicate proper technique to youth athletes, particularly in areas such as running, jumping, balancing, pivoting and making sharp movements. Athletes also need to be trained to be aware of their bodies – Where they are positioned and how they are moving throughout the game.

Incorporate rest and robust conditioning

Tired muscles and joints can more easily become injured. In addition, tired athletes are less likely to pay attention to the position or movements of their body, making it more likely that they could injure themselves while playing their sport.

Ensuring that the youth athlete undergoes a robust conditioning program and takes appropriate rest for their body can help them to maintain the stamina necessary to thrive in their sport. Conditioning programs can help athletes improve their overall physical fitness through comprehensive workouts, healthy diets and plenty of rest.

Preventing ankle sprains in youth athletes is possible, with a little bit of work. By engaging in appropriate warm ups, completing strengthening exercises, wearing the right shoes, learning body mechanics and incorporating rest and conditioning, these athletes can maximize their performance and minimize setbacks. At Dynamic Sports Medicine, our athlete-trusted team is here to help you not only recover from injuries but help prevent them in the first place with comprehensive tools intended to address every area of concern you may have. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

4 Ways to Prevent Muscle Imbalance Injuries In Tennis

Posted on June 16, 2023 by Admin

Tennis is a repetitive sport. From serving the ball to running throughout the court, the hours you spend playing the game can serve both to strengthen your body and to put it at risk. In particular, the repetitive movements that are essential to the game can create imbalances throughout your body, imbalances that can make you more prone to certain injuries. Here is a look at what these imbalances are and 4 ways to prevent them from happening.

What are muscle imbalances?

A muscle imbalance occurs when the muscles on one side of a joint or one side of your body become larger and stronger than the muscles on the other side. Often, the counterpart muscles then become looser, longer and weaker.

This usually occurs when you use one side more than the other. In tennis, for example, you may use the internal muscles of your shoulder more often than the external ones.

This inequity can have a significant impact on your overall health and performance. For example, overused muscles may become tight and lose flexibility – Making them more prone to sprains, strains and tears. On the other hand, the weaker muscles may also lose functionality – leaving you prone to pain and injury because of their inability to handle necessary bodily functions.

How can you prevent muscle imbalances?

The repetitive movements of tennis are unavoidable. However, muscle imbalances are not. Understanding the areas where these imbalances tend to occur most in tennis players, and engaging in exercises that help to correct them, can give you greater flexibility, range of motion and resistance to injury, even when you spend many hours engaged in your sport. Here are four areas of the body most affected by muscle imbalance in tennis players, and how to prevent or correct these imbalances.

Strengthen the external rotators of the shoulder

Tennis requires the constant use of the internal rotators of your shoulder – The subscapularis in the rotator cuff, the latissimus dorsi in your back, and the chest’s pectoralis major.

When used without a compensating strengthening of the external shoulder muscles, these muscles become tight and powerful, but inflexible, while the external muscles become weak and loose. That leaves you more prone to painful and even debilitating shoulder problems over time.

How can you address this imbalance? Through exercises that empower the external muscles and help them become equal to your internal shoulder muscles in strength and range of motion. Here are a few exercises you can try:

Low cable crossover raise
Seated row
Side lying DB external rotation
Seated external rotation
Isometric exercises at varying degrees

Build internal rotator flexibility

As the internal rotators become stronger through endless serves and returns on the tennis court, they also become tighter. As a result, they become less capable of withstanding impacts and become more prone to injury.

In order to keep your shoulder healthy, you must build external rotator strength along with internal rotator flexibility. The longer and looser these internal muscles become, the more resistant they will be to overuse and traumatic injuries. Stretches are particularly helpful for improving your shoulder’s range of motion. Here are some of the best:

Overhead stretches
Behind-the-back stretches
Isometric shoulder stretches

Develop your gluteal and quadriceps muscles

You may not give much thought to your gluteal muscles or the muscles at the front of your thigh, called the quadriceps. However, these muscles are important in supporting the running movements you make during tennis. If you fail to strengthen them, those running motions, the stopping and starting on the tennis court, could lead to injury. Exercises that put these muscles to forceful use are most helpful in developing both the strength and the flexibility you need. Here are some of the best:

Squats
Lunges
Deadlifts
Leg extensions
Bridges

Develop leg and hip flexibility

A final area often affected by muscle imbalances during tennis is the leg and hip area. These muscles can become overworked, tight, and prone to injury. Stretches that loosen these muscles can improve your flexibility and range of motion, enabling better performance with less pain and injury. Here are some of the best approaches:

Piriformis stretch
Standing quadriceps stretch
Lunges with spinal twist
Knee-to-Chest stretches
Lunging hip flexor stretch
Standing hamstring stretch

If you frequently play tennis, you may need to engage in some of these exercises to prevent, and address, muscle imbalances throughout your body. Doing so can prevent painful injuries and help you stay playing on the court for longer. A skilled and experienced chiropractor can help. At Dynamic Sports Medicine, our athlete-trusted team delivers the gold standard in Austin sports medicine. Let us help you address pain, dysfunction and preventive care in a way that keeps you active, keeps you on the court and keeps you pain free.

How Chiropractic Care Benefits Your Sports Performance

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Admin

Talent and discipline are all you need to excel as an athlete, right? Wrong.

While talent can certainly get you noticed and discipline is essential for honing your performance, there’s a third component that far too many athletes overlook – chiropractic care. It’s not only useful when you incur an injury but at every stage of your athletic development. In a world where every athlete is looking for a competitive advantage, it’s important to know that there’s a science-backed edge that you can get to up your game.

By the time you’re done reading this blog, you’ll understand all of the benefits of chiropractic care for athletic performance and how to tell if it’s working for you.

Top Athletes Swear By Chiropractic Care

Before we delve into the benefits of chiropractic care, let’s dispel the myth that if you’re at the top of your game, you don’t need it. In fact, some of your favorite sportspeople wouldn’t be where they are without the benefit of an outstanding chiropractor. Here’s what they have to say about their experiences:

“I didn’t know how much I could improve until I started seeing a chiropractor. Since I’ve been in chiropractic, I’ve improved by leaps and bounds both mentally and physically.” – Michael Jordan, Basketball Player

“Chiropractic just makes you feel so much better. When I walk out of the clinic, I feel like I’m about three inches taller and everything is in place. And as long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.” – Tom Brady, American Football Player

“My chiropractor really helped me. Not only did he adjust my spine, he also gave me strengthening exercises to do. If you are tall and gangly, like I am, or play sports, I would recommend chiropractic. It’s as important to my game as practicing my swing!” – Tiger Woods, Golfer

“I don’t always win gold medals but when I do I get adjusted first. Stay healthy my friends!” – Usain Bolt, Sprinter

“I see the chiropractor on a regular basis. I find that after my treatments I have better flexibility and improved range of motion. I recover quicker from injuries. I have more “jump” in my game and it improves my performance.” – Joe Sakic, Hockey Player

The Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Athletic Performance

Without chiropractic, you limit your flexibility and strength and place yourself at a greater risk of injury. However, with chiropractic care, you have all these advantages.

Enhanced Flexibility

Chiropractic joints focus on your joints, helping you maximize your range of motion and maintain long-term flexibility. This is advantageous for almost any sport since many of them involve swinging your arms, bending your limbs at the elbows and knees, extending your spine, and pivoting your hips.

Better Posture

Using spinal adjustments, chiropractic care can optimize your posture. This gives you better coordination, proper balance, and the right biomechanics to enhance your performance. Better posture also means that you’re less likely to strain your muscles and joints during repetitive motions.

Increased Strength

Your strength doesn’t just come from your muscles, but your spine and joints too. Chiropractic care can help you activate your muscles and drive more power in your punches, swings, and kicks by working on misalignments.

Reduced Pain

Chiropractic care works on the areas that get the most amount of stress during physical activity. Treatments are able to reduce inflammation, increase blood circulation, and promote the body’s natural healing capacities, which ultimately reduces musculoskeletal pain.

Preventing Injury

Not only does chiropractic help speed up injury recovery, but it can also help prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. The potent combination of optimizing your posture, loosening your joints, aiding balance, and supporting muscles is the conditioning your body needs to withstand more physical activity for longer without injurious effects.

What Separates Average and Exceptional Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors are easy to find, but you shouldn’t expect excellent chiropractic care from all of them. Exceptional chiropractic delivers observable results while average chiropractic care will just waste your time. Here’s what you should look for when choosing a chiropractor:

Experience – Chiropractic care takes training and practice so make sure your provider has the credentials.
Personalized treatment plans – Your case is not the same as the next athlete’s so your treatment plan should be tailored to your unique needs.
A holistic approach – Your wellness doesn’t start and stop in the treatment room; your program should involve changes to your diet and lifestyle.
A focus on long-term results – The goal of exceptional chiropractic care is to empower you with lasting advantages and not to turn you into a lifelong customer.

Chiropractic care benefits all facets of your performance as an athlete. It’s not a nice perk but a necessity that could revolutionize your game. Book your first consultation with DSM and we’ll help unlock a level of performance you never thought possible.

The Ultimate Guide to Chiropractic Care for Tennis Players

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Admin

Tennis physiotherapy is an essential component in addressing and preventing tennis-related injuries. This specialized field combines the expertise of physiotherapists and chiropractors to provide comprehensive care for tennis players. By integrating chiropractic manual manipulation techniques with targeted tennis physiotherapy exercises, optimal results can be achieved for those suffering from tennis injuries.

As a tennis player, physical fitness is a necessity if you want to perform your best in every game. However, the demands of the game, including swinging the racquet, running back and forth, and jumping, can leave you prone to certain injuries that can hinder your ability to play the game well. The solution? Often, it is chiropractic care tailored to tennis players. In this comprehensive guide, discover everything you need to know about tennis injuries, chiropractic care for tennis, preventive measures you can take, and how the right chiropractic approach can help you enjoy a healthier game.

Common Tennis Injuries And Why They Occur

While tennis is less likely than other sports to lead to major injuries, fractures, or brain trauma, tennis players do tend to suffer from certain injuries due to the nature of their sport. Here is a look at three of the most common, what their symptoms are, and why they may occur.

Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is usually caused by overuse of the tendons that extend from the forearm to the outside of the elbow (Golfer’s elbow, which can also afflict tennis players, is a similar injury affecting the tendons on the inside of the elbow). Repetitive actions such as holding the tennis racket, completing backhand shots and other tennis movements leads to inflammation of these tendons. Symptoms may include the following:

Pain that radiates from the outside of the elbow up or down your arm
Weakness that makes it difficult to grasp objects
A burning sensation on your elbow
A swollen or tender outer elbow

Rotator Cuff Injury

The act of playing tennis can also put a significant amount of stress on your rotator cuff and shoulder joint. The rotator cuff attaches your upper arm bone (the humerus) to your shoulder joint and plays a key role in helping you to lift and move your shoulder. Injury often occurs here among tennis players thanks to repetitive movements (Such as lifting the racket overhead) and due to sudden, forceful motions that can lead to tears in the rotator cuff. Symptoms of this injury may include the following:

Shoulder pain, even when resting
Pain when moving your arm
Weakness in lifting or moving your arm
Crackling in the shoulder

Knee Injuries

While the arm is most frequently involved in tennis injuries, the pivoting, jumping and running required in tennis can also lead to knee injuries. These can include everything from spraining your knee to tearing a ligament or creating inflammation in the tendon of your knee. Symptoms of a knee problem may include the following:

Swelling or stiffness in the knee
Tenderness
Crunching or popping noises
Knee weakness
Inability to bear weight on the knee
Limited range of motion

Additional Injuries

Tennis elbow is arguably the most well-known tennis injury, but others, including tennis leg and jumper’s knee, are actually more common reasons tennis players seek chiropractic care. In fact, most sports chiropractors who treat tennis players see more injuries to the lower extremities — foot, ankle, and knees — from hard planting on court surfaces and the continuous twisting and torquing necessitated by the sport. Some additional injuries that tennis players may experience include the following:

Wrist injuries
Tennis-related back pain
Tennis player muscle imbalance
Plantar fasciitis
Leg strains and sprains

Chiropractic Care: A Noninvasive Approach to Tennis Injuries

Sometimes, tennis injuries are addressed with invasive procedures, such as surgery. At other times, the use of pain pills can address the discomfort associated with tennis injuries. While not invasive, this approach fails to address the root cause of the problem, while often causing issues of their own.

Regular chiropractic care reduces pain, inflammation, and soreness associated with training and play, and helps to keep muscles supple and unrestricted, improve flexibility and range of motion.

An alternative to these less-than-desirable approaches is often chiropractic care. As a holistic approach to treatment, it can be used both to heal and to prevent certain injuries incurred by tennis players. Some studies have shown chiropractic care to be effective in the treatment of these types of injuries. Consider, for example, this study of an individual who suffered from tennis elbow for two years before receiving sports medicine care that restored his function and alleviated his pain.

If chiropractic care can effectively address certain injuries caused by tennis, it may help you to avoid surgery (or ongoing pain pill usage). In fact, though not specific to tennis, some research has shown that chiropractic care reduces the need for back surgery in individuals experiencing back pain. What if you could enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care, avoid the need for invasive procedures and get back to the sport you love more quickly? Here are the primary benefits of chiropractic care for tennis players:

Pain Relief

Chiropractic care for tennis players can play a role in alleviating the pain associated with injuries such as torn rotator cuffs or tennis elbow. The right adjustments do more than simply take away pain, however. They address the musculoskeletal imbalances and misalignment that can contribute to pain and can even reduce inflammation.

For example, myofascial release may be used to alleviate tension or adhesion in the elbow, while PEMF may be used to stimulate the body’s healing processes. Or, adjustments may be made to ease the inflammation and stiffness within the elbow joint. All of these techniques can alleviate pain while addressing its cause, so that healing comes faster and relief lasts longer.

Improved Range of Motion

Being able to move fully and fluidly is essential to the successful performance of tennis. If injuries or tension limit this movement, playing the sport can become more difficult. In addition, a limited range of motion may leave you more prone to injury, as your body cannot as easily move as required during the game.

Chiropractic care can help loosen up muscles and joints and give you full use of your body. A professional chiropractor or sports medicine specialist can use a variety of techniques to help mobilize your joints and improve your flexibility. From utilizing massages to calm inflammation to incorporating adjustments to align your body, these techniques can help you in preventing or overcoming injury.

Improved Performance

As an athlete, you naturally want to perform at your peak. Instead of waiting until you are injured to seek out the restorative assistance of a sports medicine professional, you can boost your performance now by seeking their help.

For example, a chiropractor may be able to identify tennis muscle imbalances, suboptimal ways of moving, or issues with your nervous system function that make it difficult for you to excel in tennis. They can also help you develop exercise regimens that give you greater strength, improve your coordination, and expand your range of motion so you can push yourself (safely) to the peak of your game.

Preventive Care

Finally, sports medicine and chiropractic care can go beyond injury rehabilitation and stop injuries from occurring in the first place. Tennis players, for example, who want to stay healthy longer may see a chiropractor to optimize their movement, implement an exercise regimen to improve range of motion, or receive PEMF treatment to overcome soreness before it becomes a sports-inhibiting issue.

Common Chiropractic Treatments

In the context of tennis physiotherapy, chiropractic care focuses on detecting and eliminating scar tissue originating from repetitive motions and past injuries, which can restrict the movement of ligaments, tendons, and muscles. These hands-on techniques, when combined with personalized tennis physiotherapy programs, ensure a well-rounded approach towards treatment and recovery.

Chiropractors, and sports medicine professionals in particular, have many tools and techniques available to address your tennis injuries. These can be broken down into hands-on techniques and treatments and specialized approaches.

Hands-On Approaches

Chiropractic manual manipulation can be employed to detect and eliminate scar tissue originating from repetitive motions and past injuries, which restrict the movement of ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Hands-on techniques encompass various manual methods that a chiropractor utilizes to address tennis injuries. These may consist of any of the following:

Spine and limb adjustments
Soft tissue mobilization
Myofascial release
Manual therapy

Active Rehabilitation Therapies

Specialized treatments encompass chiropractic and state-of-the-art active rehabilitation therapies, which prove to be much more effective than passive rest-and-ice protocols. These treatments aim to naturally reduce pain, mitigate the dependence on NSAIDs, and minimize the necessity for steroid injections, all while being tailored to the specific needs of the patient. They include any of the following:

Myofascial release
Instrument-assisted soft tissue technique
Acupuncture
Dry needling
Therapeutic exercises
Ultrasound therapy
Electrical stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Rehab programs
PEMF
And more

Limitations of Chiropractic Care For Tennis Players

Chiropractic care does have its limitations when it comes to treating tennis injuries. The biggest limitation is the fact that sports medicine specialists focus primarily on the musculoskeletal system. As a result, problems that extend beyond the muscles, joints, spine, etc. may be outside the scope of chiropractic care. At these times, your chiropractor may be able to work within a multidisciplinary team or provide referrals to specialists who can provide the appropriate treatment for your tennis injury.

In addition, while chiropractic care is noninvasive and therefore safer than more extreme approaches, such as surgery, it can have some minor side effects that you should be aware of. These may include the following:

Temporary soreness
Temporary fatigue
Headaches
Dizziness
Numbness

The key to managing these side effects is to communicate clearly and promptly with your provider. They can usually adjust and tailor your treatment to minimize side effects and ensure that you do not suffer actual pain during your visits or while implementing your at-home exercise regimens.

How can you ensure that your chiropractic care is delivered effectively and safely? Look for a qualified, licensed and reputable chiropractor or sports medicine professional. For example, here at Dynamic Sports Medicine, we have worked with professional athletes for years, and the same approach that they trust is available to you!

Practical Tips for Preventive Care

Preventive measures should be an integral part of any tennis players’ regimen in order to minimize the risk of injuries and optimize your performance. Here are some tips that can prevent injury, improve your performance, and reduce the amount of time you spend seeking sports medicine support.

Follow warm up and cool down best practices

Warming up and cooling down is essential to prepare your muscles, joints and ligaments for performance, and to prevent stiffness and injury after playing.

For warm-up routines, dynamic stretching is often an effective approach. This strategy involves using controlled movements to target your major muscle groups in order to loosen them up for the movements and stresses of the upcoming game. Here are two examples of dynamic stretches that work your lower body and your whole body, respectively.

Straight Leg Marches

Stand straight with arms at your sides
Raise your left arm until it is at hip level.
Lock your knees.
Raise your right leg until it is even with your left arm.
Repeat using the opposite arm and leg.
Perform for desired number of reps.

Hand Walks

Bend over until your hands are flat on the ground.
Walk forward until your back is straight.
Move your feet toward your hands – Keeping your legs straight.
Move your hands forward again and repeat.

When cooling down, static stretches often work best to reduce muscle tension and prevent next-day soreness. While there are dozens of static stretching exercises you can adopt, here are two that commonly work well for tennis players.

Wrist Extensor Flex

Place your left arm straight in front of you.
Place your hand palm down.
Use your right hand to hold your left hand.
Gently bend your left hand down until you feel the stretch.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.

Butterfly Stretch

Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together.
Move your feet closer to your hips.
Push down into your sitting position.
Straighten your spine.
Tuck your chin into your chest.
Inhale and exhale slowly, allowing yourself to straighten and relax with each breath.
Hold for up to 2 minutes.
Repeat desired number of times.

Use the proper equipment

The equipment you use has more of an impact on your physical health than you may realize. Here are some ways to ensure you have equipment that will support your health:

Use a tennis racket that is the appropriate size and weight for your hand to avoid stress from a racket that is too large or heavy.
Invest in tennis shoes that offer appropriate foot and arch support.
Replace your equipment regularly when they become worn out.

Optimize your technique

Sometimes, tennis injuries occur because of improper movements or or poor footwork that put unnecessary strain on important joints and muscles. Working with a trained tennis coach can help you to master important techniques that can minimize injury. Use your training to focus on elements of game play such as the following:

Body positioning
Posture
Footwork
Stroke mechanics

Embrace regular chiropractic care

Because chiropractic care can help you to prevent injuries before they occur, regular check ins with a sports medicine professional are essential. Do not wait until you are in pain to seek out their assistance. Instead, make them part of your wellness routine.

As an athlete looking to maintain health and performance on the court, you should plan to see a sports medicine professional once a week (or more, if recommended). During these check ins, your chiropractor to provide you with the following:

Musculoskeletal assessments
Imbalances identification
Preventive exercises
Body alignment
Flexibility support
Addressing of minor issues

The key to enjoying all of the benefits of chiropractic care is to identify problems early on and make chiropractic care part of your regular routine. With a professional assisting you on a weekly or even monthly basis, you can identify problems before they take you off the court – Or prevent them from happening in the first place.

By incorporating tennis physiotherapy into the rehabilitation process, players can improve overall muscular balance, flexibility, and strength. This not only addresses the existing tennis injuries but also helps in preventing future injuries, leading to improved performance and a reduced risk of further complications. Moreover, the combination of chiropractic care and tennis physiotherapy offers a holistic approach to recovery for athletes, enabling them to swiftly return to their optimal playing condition.

Chiropractic care is an excellent option for any tennis player looking to maximize performance, minimize injuries and stay on the court. At Dynamic Sports Medicine, we offer you the same care trusted by top athletes. That means that you receive expert care, from preventive appointments to injury rehabilitation. And, with a wide range of services that includes adjustments, PEMF and more, we have the tools to customize your treatment to your needs. Contact us today to learn more!

5 Exercises for Strengthening Your Rotator Cuff

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Admin

Any athlete will tell you the importance of solid shoulders. Strong and flexible shoulder muscles are essential for upping your game, whether you’re perfecting your butterfly stroke, shooting free throws in basketball, or pinning your opponent in wrestling. Your rotator cuff is essential for giving you the balance and mobility to excel at almost any sporting code. So, how can you strengthen yours to prevent rotator cuff injuries and get that performance advantage? We’ve collected all our best tips just for you.

Understanding the Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles responsible for keeping your arm in your shoulder socket and allowing you to move it around. Get to know each of the muscles that make up the rotator cuff:

Supraspinatus – This muscle is responsible for lifting the shoulder to the side.
Infraspinatus and teres minor – These muscles externally rotate the shoulder joint.
Subscapularis – This muscle depresses the head of the humerus, allowing it to move freely when the arm is lifted.

The rotator cuff is sometimes called the SITS group based on the first letter of each muscle it comprises. In addition to tendons, the rotator cuff has tendons that start at the scapula, connect the humerus and form a cuff over the shoulder’s ball-and-socket joint.

All of the components of your rotator cuff work together for flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation, and to give you the power, range of motion and balance you need to perform everyday tasks and perform in sports like golf and tennis.

Exercises Proven To Strengthen Your Rotator Cuff

Now that you’re familiar with the rotator cuff’s anatomy and function, it’s plain to see how keeping it strong can benefit everyone whether they’re athletes or not. A wide range of exercises target muscles and tendons in your shoulder to help you prevent rotator cuff injuries, and increase strength and flexibility. Here are five that you can try on your own.

1. Standing Row

For this exercise, you need a 2.5 to 3-foot looped resistance band and a place to anchor it (such as a doorknob).

Attach one end of the band to your anchor, ensuring that it is stable and hold the end in your hand with your arm at your side at a 90-degree angle. Stand facing your anchor.

Pull your elbow straight back and slowly release as you return to the original position.

Repeat this for at least three sets of 15 for each arm.

2. Internal Rotation

You will also need a looped resistance band anchor for this exercise.

Stand with your side toward your anchor and hold one end in your hand with your arm at your side at a 90-degree angle and the other end attached to the anchor.

Pull your arm across your body and slowly release as you return to rest.

Repeat this for at least three sets of 15 for each arm.

3. External Rotation

Keep the same rest position as the internal rotation but this time pull your away from your body and slowly release as you return to the starting position.

Repeat this for at least three sets of 15 for each arm.

4. Elbow Extension

This exercise requires a small weight such as a dumbbell.

While standing, raise your arm and bend your arm so that the hand holding the weight is behind your head. Now slowly raise the weight above your head until your arm is straight and hold for a count of three. Then slowly return to your starting position.

Repeat for at least two sets of ten for each arm and increase the weight a pound at a time as you get stronger.

5. Scapular Retraction

This exercise also requires you to use a weight.

Lie face down on a table, bed, or any other flat surface that is high enough for your arm to hand easily over the side.

Start with your arm holding the weight straight down over the edge of the platform you’re on, and slowly raise your arm until it is parallel to the floor or as far as you can comfortably. Then slowly return to your starting position.

Repeat for at least two sets of ten for each arm and increase the weight a pound at a time as you get stronger.

How to Avoid Rotator Cuff Injuries

Most rotator cuff injuries are caused by overuse, physical trauma, and degeneration due to age. While you can’t always avoid them, there are some habits and precautions you can adopt to reduce the likelihood of injury. Here are some tips:

Always use proper form.
Rest regularly to avoid overuse.
Stretch before and after physical activity or playing sports.
Improve your posture.
Always sleep in a comfortable position.
Maintain a healthy diet and stay hydrated at all times.
Cut out bad habits such as drinking and smoking.
Visit a chiropractor regularly.

Are you experiencing pain, limited mobility, muscle weakness, or functional impairments in your shoulder? It may be the result of a rotator cuff injury such as a tear, impingement, or tendinopathy. Book an appointment with Dynamic Sports Medicine and we’ll help you eliminate the pain, get back your strength and return to top form.

How Chiropractic Care Can Improve Athletic Performance in Golf and Tennis Players

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Admin

Sports like golf and tennis are considered low-impact games. Golf and tennis players are therefore termed low-impact athletes.

Do you know that chiropractic care is considered the 12th man on the football field? Even famous golf and tennis players like Serena Williams and Tiger Woods rely greatly on the importance of chiropractic care.

Here is what Tiger Woods, a famous golfer of all time, says on chiropractic care, “Being a chiropractic patient has really helped me a lot. When I was in a growth spurt, my back became very sore, and I was weak. My chiropractor really helped me. Not only did he adjust my spine, he also gave me strengthening exercises to do. If you are tall and gangly like I am, or play sports, I would recommend chiropractic.”.

Serena Williams, five-time grand slam champion, is also all praises about chiropractic care. She says, “chiropractic gives me the flexibility I need to keep in the game.”

Talking less about the testimonials, here is how chiropractic care can help golf and tennis players improve their athletic performance.

How is chiropractic care given?

Chiropractic care is given by a chiropractor. Such a medical professional is an expert in giving manual care through their hands. Once the patient communicates his problems, a chiropractor works on them after a detailed diagnosis. Chiropractors usually treat musculoskeletal issues. They use their hands to apply forces on the affected muscles or the nearby area, thus providing relief from chronic pain.

How does chiropractic care impact athletic performance?

Eradicate the pain and facilitate better training

Golf and tennis players are more prone to elbow, and shoulder pain caused due to repeated hand movements.

Also known as golf elbow and tennis elbow, these conditions arise due to the overuse of elbow/shoulder muscles even after the injury. Chiropractic sports medicine has been the most convenient way of treating them.

Chiropractors have a way with their hands that eases the tension in the tear ligaments. Chiropractic care is one of the most effective ways of getting back to recovery without the use of pain medications. Eradicating chronic pain in golf and tennis players automatically enhances their athletic performance.

Facilitates better coordination and balance

Both golf and tennis require full body balance and coordination. The impact position while golfing is all about keeping the correct coordination of your whole body. When a golfer swings, he needs to keep the legs stable and the knee intact for a while. Similarly, tennis requires players to play all sorts of shots, utilizing full-body movement.

All this is impossible without proper body coordination. Have you ever heard of dyskinesis? It is a condition when voluntary movements are impaired and don’t work as they should. Chiropractic care for athletic performance reverses this condition through body alignment.

Corrects overuse injuries

Golf and tennis players are more likely to suffer from overuse injuries. Any misalignment of the shoulder, low pain, spinal cord, or ligament tear can cost them dearly.

A long time being out of practice is out of the question for these players.

The injuries can be a result of stress, fatigue, and overuse. Chiropractic care as part of the usual routine can help sports players eliminate the possibility of worsening the injury. The soft tissue techniques and adjustments provided under chiropractic care ease the muscle, stimulate proper blood flow in the body, and thereby reduce the chances of soreness.

Chiropractic care keeps the muscles tight and healthy. The massages provided by a chiropractor also eliminate tiredness after training or a match, thus improving overall athletic performance.

Reduction in recovery time

Chiropractic care prevents injuries before they happen. Regular chiropractic sessions do not let injuries arise in the first place.

For existing injuries, it’s the only non-invasive treatment that works with minimal to no use of medications. Once the inflamed area is detected through x-rays, cold lasers, and ultrasounds, chiropractors work on the affected area to relax the muscles.

This somehow speeds the recovery without the need for any invasive treatment. A chiropractor also provides dietary advice for a quick recovery. This, in turn, optimizes the body’s performance.

Improves overall wellbeing

Playing under extreme pain compromises optimal performance. The same goes for training or playing a match under the influence of prescription drugs.

The athletic performance that comes with a naturally healthy body is incomparable. Sports chiropractors are good at naturally adjusting sore and painful muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A few hours of the daily session makes players feel relaxed and energetic.

One of the whitepapers on chiropractic care in global health and wellbeing mentions, “successful engagement will support the role of chiropractors as valued partners within the broader healthcare system and contribute to the health and well being of the communities they serve. ”

The study also emphasizes the importance of chiropractic care for the healthy aging of women, children, and elderly.

That said, if you are a golf or tennis player and want to enhance your athletic performance, look for the best sports chiropractor in Austin.