Prompt Treatment is Key
Young athletes today, particularly those in high school, are pushed harder than ever to compete at elite levels, leading many of them to condition, train and play club sports all summer long. With school back in session, it should be a whole new ball game, but year ‘round play means many young athletes are heading onto high school fields and courts with bodies that never got the chance to rest and recover from previous seasons.
As a result, some are beginning their Fall seasons with youth sports injuries.
Rather than risk being sidelined, many young athletes choose to play through that pain, but this is a big mistake. The body uses pain signals as a message that something is wrong, and not addressing the pain can affect an athlete’s ability to perform at his or her best, or worse, leading to further damage.
Seeking sports chiropractic intervention as soon as possible after pain begins can not only keep minor injuries from advancing, but restore functional integrity and stability to the affected area making it even stronger than before.
The five most common youth sports injuries are sprains, strains, contusions, fractures and concussions. Sports chiropractors routinely treat cranial, spinal, and extremity contusions, subluxations, dislocations, and soft tissue trauma, providing prompt referrals when needed.
Concussions and fractures almost always require emergency care, while sprains, strains and contusions generally respond well to rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE.) Following up both treatment scenarios with chiropractic sports rehab can reduce pain and speed healing, and can often coincide with sports play.
Our specialized knowledge of injury management allows us to use sports-specific biomechanics analyses to reveal deficits in an athlete’s range of motion, muscle strength and flexibility that may have contributed to the injury in the first place. Addressing these weaknesses, along with any possible misalignment issues helps get an athlete back in the game faster and reduces the likelihood of re-injury, especially with overuse/repetitive motion injuries.
Even when a treatment plan points to time off the field, everyone is better served when injuries are treated promptly and properly, allowing the athlete to recover before irreparable damage is done. Contact Dynamic Sports Medicine to discuss youth performance care for your young athlete. We are Austin’s best first choice to evaluate and treat youth sport injuries.
