Besides a bad call or having their cell phone hacked, an athlete’s worst nightmare is an injury. As a chiropractor for athletes, I’ve seen my fair share of sports injuries. I’ve seen some players struggle to regain their strength and get back into the game, and I’ve seen some defy expectations and return to their champion status.
Sports injuries are a common problem whether it’s the NBA or AYSO, sports injuries are a common problem. Sprained ankles, pulled muscles, and bruised egos come with the territory. These injuries can sideline an athlete for weeks or months. Some athletes will push through the pain, not wanting to let down their teammates.
There’s a simple reason that…
…and…
…and even…
…are part of the 90% of professional athletes who seek ongoing chiropractic care, even when they’re not injured. They know chiropractic adjustments and natural holistic health care are the best ways to prevent sports injuries and improve their overall performance. When an injury strikes, chiropractors are the first practitioners many athletes turn to for the fastest recovery possible.
Happily.
1. Flexibility and Range of Motion
Simone Biles isn’t the only one who needs to be as limber as an uncooked pasta noodle. Flexibility is one of the main ways to prevent an injury since it makes it easier for the body to perform stuff like this:
After an injury, the body will get to work right away, protecting the injured area. This can be through inflammation or muscle spasms. Muscle tension can be painful and come with stiffness and soreness, making it difficult to glide across the ice, dive through the air to catch a ball, or return Rafa’s serve.
Spinal adjustments and custom therapeutic exercises unlock an inflexible spine, relieve muscle tension, and improve each joint’s range of motion.
2. Natural Pain Relief
A lot of athletes play through the pain. This isn’t something any person in their right mind would recommend. Except for that really intense dad who stands off by himself at games, yelling at the referees while his wife sits in the stands, pretending she’s never seen him before.
Pain is a physical and mental distraction. Conventional medical treatment would prescribe pain medication.
The natural pain relief that chiropractic care provides is one of its biggest assets. Many athletes are concerned about the addictive properties of pain medication or don’t want to deal with the side effects of nausea or drowsiness. It’s hard to impress the scouts or local fans stumbling around from exhaustion.
Chiropractic treatments don’t use medication to help athletes recover. Spinal manipulation actually triggers endorphins, natural pain relievers in the body. A chiropractor’s structural correction and the hormonal boost are a one-two punch in pain’s face.
3. Energy Boost
Chiropractors don’t spot treat problems, we’re interested in our patients’ overall well-being. Exhaustion is a constant struggle for athletes. Training, practice, and games take a toll on anyone’s body. Add in a bad diet or poor lifestyle choices and symptoms of anxiety or depression, it’s a wonder some of them can put their pants on.
Chiropractic adjustments jump-start the nervous system. Our complex nerve network is the electrical system of the body. The body can’t do anything without the brain first telling it to. When messages are easily transmitted through the nervous system, we can do everything we need to do: walk, talk, breathe, and arithmetic.
When the nervous system is damaged, the diminished energy putzing through our electrical grid makes it difficult to do anything. Subluxations – misalignments in the spine – can trigger these energy failures. That’s why chiropractic adjustments are so crucial, not just for athletes.
Not to mention, pain causes fatigue. The body works hard to repair damage from an injury and must divert energy to heal. Chiropractic adjustments provide pain relief, check, improve the electrical transmission, check, and release hormones that would make anyone never want to stop running.
4. Improved Balance and Coordination
There’s no way any of this happens without chiropractic care. Chiropractors’ proprioceptive work restores the connection between the brain and the body so the brain knows where the body is in space. We love it when our brain knows where our body is because otherwise, we get this:
Improved balance and coordination also reduce the threat of future injury, to stay nimble on our feet to avoid the defense’s antics and score big.
5. Faster Recovery
Injuries are going to happen. While there’s much we can do to prevent them (ahem, chiropractic care), accidents are an inevitable part of life, not to mention an active life. Athletes, professional, amateur, or child, don’t have time for injuries. No one wants to be sidelined, and no team or coach wants to be without their star player.
Yeah, baby! Luckily, chiropractic care can accelerate healing. In multiple ways!
- Improved Circulation – allowing our oxygen-obsessed body to get the nutrients it needs
- Reduced Inflammation – various soft tissue therapies reduce inflammation to promote healing
- Pain Relief – pain, pain go away…
- Improved Nerve Function – allowing every system of the body to pull its weight
- Enhanced Muscle and Joint Function – muscles and joints are in the right position, working together to serve us better
- Reduced Stress and Tension – stress impedes the body’s ability to heal by diverting energy
Chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapy, massage, therapeutic exercise, deep tissue laser, and spinal decompression are just a few of the tools we have to get our athletes back out on the field. Or rink. Or court.
That too.
When we’re injured, our body doesn’t perform at its best, which increases the likelihood of an additional injury. Being trapped in a cycle of one injury leading to another is devastating. Call us or schedule an appointment with one of our amazing doctors. Let’s break the cycle so we can focus on what really matters. Winning!!