A sports chiropractor is your partner for a pain-free life as an athlete.
The days of training and preparation before and after competitions take a significant toll on an athlete’s body. If you’ve experienced your fair share of physical training, you know the impact it has on your joints and muscles.
Chiropractors specializing in sports chiropractic care can help. They focus on the prevention, rehabilitation, and treatment of injuries in the musculoskeletal system. Discover the wonders of chiropractic medicine and how it can help you achieve wellness.
What Is Chiropractic Care for Athletes?
As the popularity of chiropractic care grows, so do the sub-specialties that professionals provide.
Chiropractor sports medicine is a branch of chiropractic healthcare focusing on diagnosing, treating, and preventing sports injuries. It is a natural and non-invasive approach.
Compared to a traditional chiropractor, a chiropractor for athletes helps people get back on their feet faster following an injury. He/She also creates a personalized treatment plan to address each athlete’s unique needs.
As such, you can schedule an appointment with specialists to either improve your performance or treat sports-related injuries. They cater to individuals who engage in a variety of physical activities, such as:
- Basketball
- Golf
- Hockey
- Yoga
- Running
- Tennis
- Track
- Baseball
A sports chiropractor treats imbalances and posture through chiropractic adjustments, exercises, massage therapy, athletic taping, nutritional advice, and other therapy options. His/Her ultimate goal is to help athletes improve their performance while maintaining optimal wellness.
Why Are Chiropractic Treatments Important for Athletes?
Chiropractic for athletes is essential in achieving maximum performance and preventing serious sports injuries.
Here are some of the few benefits of chiropractic care for athletes:
1. Improves Range of Motion
When there are subluxations in the spine, a person’s range of motion suffers. Spinal adjustments and other forms of therapy help athletes get back in shape. They also help improve blood flow.
Through chiropractic adjustments, you become more flexible. Such flexibility allows you to move more and perform better.
2. Reduces Pain
Body pain shouldn’t be a part of anyone’s life. However, with an athlete’s lifestyle, body pain is inevitable. A chiropractor specializing in sports medicine restores the alignment of the spine.
Your chiropractor may integrate spinal manipulative therapy. According to Harvard Health Publishing, chiropractic adjustments can be used to align the spine and reduce pain.
3. Minimizes the Need for Prescription Drugs
The need to take pain medication is also reduced by sports chiropractic care. This helps athletes avoid becoming dependent or addicted to prescription drugs.
Compared to the relief offered by medications, chiropractic consultations are long-term. They also address the root cause of a problem. You won’t have to experience side effects from medications.
4. Provides Non-Invasive Treatment
Athletes are subjected to strenuous activities in preparation for competitions. That said, they usually experience pain in different parts of their body. However, other health care providers usually recommend medications and surgical options.
With chiropractic care, those two are the last options. Your chiropractor will develop a specific treatment plan to address your specific needs. The duration of your treatment plan will depend on the intensity of your injury.
5. Assists in Injury Repair
Athletes’ ability to compete and train can be affected by injuries. No matter how careful you are, injuries are inevitable in the life of an athlete. It’s common for athletes to want to return to their sports the soonest possible time after experiencing an injury.
Sports medicine chiropractic care is most beneficial to help athletes recover from an injury in a short time. A chiropractor tailor makes a treatment plan to help any athlete recover from an injury faster. The goal is to improve motion and blood flow and enhance muscle tone.
6. Decreases Recovery Time
Even though an athlete maintains a healthy lifestyle, repetitive actions on certain body parts can lead to injuries. Examples of these are:
- Volleyball players constantly using their legs and arms for jumping, blocking, and hitting
- Baseball pitchers using their arms and shoulders for throwing
- Football players constantly acquiring blows to their bodies for coming in contact with other players
Chiropractic care for athletes helps address soreness and fatigue before or after a game. Professionals utilize massage therapy, instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy, and other techniques to help muscles relax and function optimally.
7. Supports Athletes as a Whole
Athletes who train throughout the year can benefit from chiropractic care. A professional specializing in sports chiropractic care supports athletes’ overall wellness. Professional sports teams usually have their chiropractors.
Through physical examinations, a chiropractor determines the specific needs of each athlete, allowing him/her to get the proper treatment any athlete needs before or after a competition.
8. Leads to Optimal Wellness
Given the lifestyle of athletes, they require chiropractic care all year-round, not just on the first day of training. They always need to focus on their optimal function, health, and body awareness.
Apart from various therapy options, a chiropractor for athletes also covers sleep guidelines, proper diet and nutrition, and proper strategies to minimize injuries during training and the actual competition. A chiropractor also keeps an athlete’s body mechanics, alignment, and gait in check.
What Sports Injuries Do Chiropractors Treat?
As a professional focusing on sports medicine, a chiropractor treats many sports-related injuries. The injury might result from overusing the muscle or direct physical trauma.
Here are some of the injuries where sports medicine chiropractic care can help:
1. Tennis Elbow
An athlete suffering from a tennis elbow may experience pain radiating through his arm, forearm, and wrist. This condition is also associated with weakness and wrist pain, making mundane tasks challenging to do.
A chiropractor performs a physical examination to determine the extent of the injury. A person may be asked to twist and turn his/her arms to find out what is causing pain or discomfort. Aside from physical examination, an athlete needs to undergo imaging tests to confirm an injury.
2. Golfer’s Elbow
Despite the name, the golfer’s elbow affects even those who don’t play golf. It also affects construction workers, violinists, and bikers. Joint and muscle pain in the arm and elbow area are the usual symptoms of this injury.
This condition can be treated by a chiropractor who specializes in sports medicine without the use of pain medication. A chiropractor will correct the misalignment that causes the discomfort by joint adjustments and manipulations.
3. Runner’s Knee
Another injury where a chiropractor for sports can help is the runner’s knee. Someone who has this injury may experience pain, stiffness, weakness, and knee popping.
Chiropractic adjustments may be used to reduce scar tissue, increase flexibility, and loosen the joints. Chiropractic care helps improve the quality of life minus prescription medications.
4. Pulled Hamstring
A hamstring injury may cause extreme pain and discomfort. In some cases, it affects a person’s ability to walk. Sports chiropractic care also helps individuals suffering from a pulled hamstring.
The course of treatment may include chiropractic adjustments to break up scar tissue, improve flexibility, and eliminate tightness in the joints. A chiropractor will also check the body’s alignment to prevent recurring injury.
Advanced Chiropractors Group Is Here for You
Can chiropractors help with muscle strains? Yes, they can.
Chiropractors can do more for you. If you are an active person, you will benefit from sports chiropractic care.
Advanced Chiropractors Group is here for you. If you’re looking for chiropractors in Clearwater, FL, call us.
We will connect you to a licensed chiropractor right away. Start your wellness journey today!
